New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-02
THE STEVENS BATTERY.

PRESENT CONDITION or THE woRK-OvER 200
MEN EMPLOYED UPON HER-WHAr JERSEY D
GREAT IRON-CLAD Is LIKE.
The Stevens Steam Floating Battery, whose
form and dimensions kept profound secret ut
Hoboken for many years designed by Robert L. and
Edwin A. Stevens. but their plans were not laid before
the Government until ls4 Little interest was taken IN
the matter that time but subsequently Congress voted
an appropriation in 1854 the construction was com
menced and for 20 months was proceeded with IL was
then found that large sum would lie required to com
plete her and the work was suspended From time 20
time efforts were made procure description OF this
vessel but the Stevenss had In thor employ VINO
were faithful to their trust and only the bare fact OF her
existence had found its way into print until just before
the war; when enterprisng reporter succeeded IN
gaining admittance the yard without the knowledge
Of any one connected with her. and being practical
seaman with good judgment Of distances succeeded IN
surveying her. and the following day gave descrip
ton Before describing the present condition OF the
vessel and the proposed changes to be made In her
some facts connected with the original designs
OF Commodore Stevens may be briefly stated.
Her hull is Of rOn built in the ordinary manner of metal
craft and is deep. sharp model, showing considerable
fneness Of lines, indicating speed and properties OF
buoyancy; to be propelled by two placed under
the counters and working independently OF each other
The principal dimensions OF the original plans were;
length 400 feet BEAM 50 feet depth Of hold. Sfee Her
draught Of water when light II feet inches; with Goals
and stores board 20 feet inches and when complete
and ready for action with guns shot shell and powder
and her board. she would draw q feet inches
She has 10 boers-aready boards engines. with cyl
inders feet inches in diameter and feet6 inches
stroke Of piston Her steam power represents $500 horses
and It 1t Is fair TO presume that she would have been
fast vessel il she had been completed even as originally
planned. very large portion Of her machinery was
completed long go and during the she could have
In Ehrr ttFua
ment had not had its hands full Of monitors. The
design Ia that she will be floating battery mount
ing l5-inch guns and l0-inch riiled gun5-the
heaviest armament OF its kind on any one vessel In
the world excepting the Rocbambeau Of the French
navy-formcrly the Dunderberg, built by W. IL Webb.
esq Of this city These guns 70 have been placed
en- baee tho deck and loaded by steam from below.
so that only one man to each gun would be exposed The
vessel on going action would DO settled In the water
by allowing the water to I'll tanks constructed 40 that
| they could be pumped out when the action ceased.
Thus her hull would present very frhng mark above
the waterne and observable at the distance OF
mile Three OF the guns could at all times DO trained 30
as to fire direct line with the keel either ahead or
asern; in fact In any direction desired. To protect the
hull the armor ca inches In thickness backed by IA inches
Of locust. placed at snch acute angle that 1t
seemed almost impossible for any prOectle TO penetrate
IT. indeed II would be a chance shot that could Int
her and there Ia no doubt she had been completed
good execution. In completing her many OF her
former features will be adhered to- bnt considerable ad
yancement has been made naval science since 1866
when her inventor described her fully to Committee
appointed by Congress 20 view her and some changes
will be made Finding that the Government would not
assist him. Commodore Stevens determined to finish her
and present her to the State Of NewJersey and so
ordered It in his will setting aside very largo sum OF
money to be expended in her completion.
visit TO the yard reveals the fact that the work is
being pushed forward with considerable ygor.
200 men are steadily employed upon her, and the place
looks as lively any Of the roncad yards did DUR
the war Gen. George b. Mcclellan is the Engineer In
Chief assisted by Isaac Newton ESQ., late Chief Engineer
I'm the u. 8. Navy, and able corps OF assistants,
draughtsmeD, &C. The new work looks extremely well
and would convince the skepca that American artisans
can build iron ships The stem Of the vessel has been
taken out and is lying on the platform under her bows
majority Of her deck beams In place. and the work
men are boiling the OyerhaDg which sustain the
outside armOr The stern undergoing some changes
and upon the whole she begins 10 assume truly fOrnida
be proportions The vessel is being built in species Of
dry dock with her bows some distance under
the street, and the whole Of her hull Is covered over
with a weaher.tight shed or smp-hOuse An elevated
railway conveys all the male i rom the
shops the ship that can be lowered 10 any
desired place Every convenience for carrying tho
work may be found here. and II ~ rare thing to
men work steadily aud with 80 little "ioahng as ~
This private shpyard. Some other establishments could
learn lessons Of economy and discipline here espe
cially Government Navy. Yards.
principle upon winch hls huge 70 De con-
trnced has been pretty thoroughly demonstrated the
steamer NaugatuCk, which Commodore Stevens con
struced and gave 10 the Treasury Department. This
vessel mounted gum arranged upon the depressing
nrncple which burst owing 70 the shell not being prop
eriv ramned home during the engagement at Fort Oar
ling ON the James River on the 10Th OF May lsez-a
severe contest In which the original Monitor ana the
irOnclad Gaena also participated THESE vessels were
sent up, with four wooden ones 70 TEST the merits Oh the
three types Of irOncads The Gaena lost heavily IN men
aud was completely rddled The Monitor got OF without
damage, as did also the little Naugatuck excepting
the casualty 70 her gun She was tiny craft OF
only 100 tuns, and was, previous TO her gong nto com
modore stevenss hands, an ordinary merchant vessel.
The Monitor fever and interest were against he and al
though conceded by impartial minds that the prh
cpe was success yet the prejudice against any thng
which might affect the turret vessels, about pehg Du
was strong that inducement could DO hea OUT 70
It, and consequently this great hVauhg pAtey
rested In qnletude In her dry dock
The work the Battery is not sufficiently advanced
TO give the casual visitor any definite idea OF the appear
she will present whom cOmpletedOny her genera
plan and magnitude as piece OF naval architecture W
expected that II will require year 70 complete her
Through Commodore Stevens Eew-Jersey will then DO
the first State in the Union 10 fully equipped ron
clad battery. The question naturally arses Whal VIII
she do Will ~