The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-29
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
the Work of Raising the Wrock-A
Rketeh of the XanaeI and Han. IN ranr-
THE LRONSLDES

of December 10, 1885, the United States frigats
and sunk at her moorings off League Island
For about sixteen months the vessel had been
at League Island along with other iron. clads.
One OF the watchmen, when making his usual
Of burning wood, and on making an examina-
tion saw smoke issuing from the hatch.
assistance OF the other watchmen en-
deayored to smother the flames by bat
were unavailing, however; and before any
sistance could be obtained from the city, the
by morning she sank beneath the blue
waters Of the Delaware. The fire originated
in the hold. and as there was nothing TO Inn
pede its progress, all the woodwork OF the
vessel was burned. The destruction of this
noble man.ofwar is supposed TO have been
the work OF an tncendiaTy, but nothing posi-
Awe was ever discovered about H., and the
AFFAIR is as much a mystery now as ii ever was
The machinery, iron plating, copper, etc, on
the hulk were still OF great value, and she was
for the sum OF S6o, 900 by firm in this city, who
have been for some time engaged in the attempt
TO raise her. The operations of the divers and
the methods employed TO accomplish this object
are interesting. We made visit to League
Island day or two ago for the purpose of
taking an observation, but before giving n de-
seription OF the work now going on it may not
be amiss 10 reoite briefly the history of the
New IrOnsides.
The New Ironsides was considered the best
iron clad in the American navy, and, indepen.
dent of her national reputation, she was an
especial fsvorite with Philadelphians. She was
launched from the yard of Crump & Son. on
Saturday, May 20, 1862 and the event was one of
more than local interest. The frlgate was built
OF Pennsylvania oak, and was 2l5 feet long, 81
feet inches beam. ana rs feet hold. She had
two floor Iimbers to each frame, each 40 feet
long Is inches deep, and IL inches thick The
balance of the frame was 10 inches thick, and
Iapered from ~ inches at the hoorhead to Z
the frames were fitted solid from the keel to the
plank shears and were caulked inside and out
before the planks were put on. Her keelson
consisted Of eight courses, 20 inches deep and
IA inches thick. There was also the main
Reelson 20 inches deep and Is inches at the side.
This keelson had "a inch copper bolts to each
Frame fastened through frame and keel,
making over 200 copper bolts. four feet six
iuches long, and one inch and half thick,
from the main keelson alone
On each side of The keel were three courses of
garpoard sTreaks. and the planking on the nat
OF the bottom was i've inches thick, gradually
increasing in thickness from the turn OF the
i6iige 10 me me IRON plating, wnere u was nine
behind the plating was twenty one inches. The
berth deck clamps and bilge streaks were nine
inches in thickness, the deck clamps eight
inches, and those on the spar deck We're seven
inches in thickness. the iron plating was the
coatest in 'front.' of Fort Sumter established the
fact that the New lronsdes was beyond doubt
the most powerful ship in the American navy.
This plating commenced four feet below the
water line, and three feet above, and for $50 feet
amidsbips was continued up to the plank sneRr
The plates were AZ inch iron, while those on
the spar deck were one incn in thickness. The
plates were connected by tongues of iron 1Cted
Into grooves, aud the heaviest plates weighed
GAS pounds. The ram or plating at the bow
consisted OF the two lowest streaks. meeting
from the Two SIDES OF the bow, boted together.
and projecting beyond 1t four 1eet ten inches.
This part of the vessel was So inches high and
sinches thick. The iron plating on the vessel
weighed over 900 tons, the null of the ship 1879
tons, and the total weight including outfit,
machinery, fuel, &C., was about 1000 tons. The
New Ironsides was barque rigged with three
masts, and her spsrs arranged that when
engaged In action they all came down TO the
The machinery, which was of the finest work.
manship, consisted OF two horizontal condens-
engines, cylinders inches
meter and thirty inch stroke, and were calcu-
lated to make eighty.f7e revolutions turning
q thirteen-teet propeller She was provided
with horizontal tubular boilers, capable Of de.
Her armament con sisted of fourteen ll.inch
Dahlgren and Two l50pound Parrolt rifles.
HER DEPARTURE
Having been thoroughly fitted out the New
hopsides left Jne Philadelphia Navy Yard on
the 3lst OF August, 1862 and after a safe vOy-
age arrived at Fortress Monroe, On the 18th of
January, 1868, having been ordered further
that port during the storms of winter having
successfully tested her sea-going qualities.
HER FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENEMY.
April 7, 1863 Rear-Admirsl Dupont moved
upon the fortltications in Charleston Harbor.
His fleet consisted of the New Ironsides and
eight monitors Fort Sumter was first attacked,
and during the contest the Ironsites became
unmanageabe and retired from action. she
but received comparatively little dam age,
thanks TO the precaution of her commander,
Commodore Turner. Her refusal to obey her
~.
the failure to capture Fort sumter.
The evil was speedily remedied, as this was
the first time she had been under fire. The
experiment was most satisfactory, since she
had experienced no injury, though su 3jected to
the effects Of most terrific fire. Her iron
walls were invulnerable; and this fact proved to
her commander that she was Rll that her
builders and the department expected her
10 be.
AN ATTEMPT TO BLOW HER UP
was made by the Rebels, which signally failed.
They dreaded her prOwess more than that OF
yUa HafQ arr ne N
end her career II possible. In this they were
frustrated at the time, although IL is not i'm
possible that their evil designs were finally
Rccomp lished in the destruction OF the New
Ironsides by fire.
HER FIGHT WITH FORT MoULTRIR.
This was the fiercest engagement in which
the ship was called to test her powers Captain
Rowan, better known as paddy" Rowan a
great favorite with his men and the officers OF
the navy, and as gallant man as ever trod
deck, took the Ironsides up within few hun
dred yards OF Fort Moultrie, anchored his ship,
and opened fire upon the fort. The cannonad.
ing on both sides was of the most terrific
nature,
The Rebels brought all their artillery to bear
upon the frigate bus their shot bounded from
her sides Into the air. and fell plunging into the
harbor. Not so, however, with the missiles
from her 1mpenetrabe sides. Her broadsides
discharged in rapid succession. told with fearful
effect upon the Rebel fort, and in the course OF
and the New Ironsldes retired To heI
anchorage. her officers well pleased, and con,
ndent In her ability to brave every and any
storm CT shot and shell which the enemy could
hurl upon her,
ORDERED NORTH.
In 1854 she was ordered North for repairs
after being nearly two years In RcllVe service
and having undergone more bRtterlng ant
dangers than ever before fell to the lot OF ship
OfWar.
ruu vnpT ErsuuR HXpEDTTTON