The New York herald., 1870-02-02
The Dictat0r-The Most Powerful Armored
Ship AnOat-Ier Merits and Defects.

From the Auburn IN. VI Newsl
through the poiltcness OF gentleman, resident
private letter the following very Interesting details
with regard 10 the Dictator which without doubt
As TO the Dictator VIII try TO briefly describe her
TO you. She Is the largest and most powerful mon
be regarded as the exponent OF Erics-
sons system-tne embodiment OF all his Ideas
She s truly magnificent iron-ciad, and can
whip any armOred snip afOat; 1T least we are viii.
Ing TO try. Her dimensions arc as folows:-Length
over all, 3l6 feet; between perpendiculars ESQ
feet; beam, 80 iect; draught, 81 feet 0 Inches
thickness of turret, 10 inches constructed as fol-
lows:-FIrst, q one-inch plates, riyeted and Sc
cured In the most Improved manner then plate OF
solid IRON tannealed, inches thick, shrunx on wnen
hot and fitting AZ neatly as gove; finally, one
possible FOR any bolts To be driven through by con-
cnssion, as was the case with the original monitors
inches OF wood The lighting pilot house IL Is
inches tnick, ana lts diameter being less than half
tinnae tnas OF as,e ,ae turres Its strength Is proper.
estimated horse power or 5000 tons; so fur.
naces IN two tlers out we only use the lower.
and nave never attempted to develop full power
Besides the engines Tor propulsion there are four
teen smaller ones for the blowers to turn the turret
TO work one OF the guns, 10 weigh anchor hoist
ashes, to pump ship out. &C. Arinameni-1wo ar.
teeninch guns, shot weighing 400 pounds. Onexun
works by hand and 10 run out ny three men. Vhe
other can be worked by either steam or hand. From
practice prefer 10 work by hand, unless the en-
gagenent were to be prolonged one.
OF ninety blue jackets ana eighty hremen and coal
hcavers When In lighting trim we are eighteen
Inches out Oi water. AS boat she is excellent
but needs one Improvement, which shall speak OF
later. From Hampton Roads to Key West we
met Tour moderate gales and she behaved well.
She Ii remarkably buoyant and much more lively
than anticipated; burying herself three or tour
eet In the sea, she would rise easily hurting the
water In sneetS across the deck, forming pretty
miniature waterfall on the Ice side could wish
TO zee. Tie frst night out from ~ bee Roads
we carried away our wheel rope aud broaching to,
% IN mi avar
wave swept her, but she rode all gracefully; and
had not q serious accident occurred TO one OF our
convoy all would nave been wcli; as It was we were
Obliged To return 10 Tybec.
Now, having spoken Oi her good qualities, must
mention or two dciects. Ericsson m
willing TO listen to the practical suggestions OF
those whose business Is the great WAtera
ana who, we're ne TO stabbornly hold 10 his
plan, would indeed verify the nrst portion
OF that beautiful psalm. The .'overhangn IN
not adapted To sea use, and no ship however
sLrong, can long sustain the heavy shocks wa are
subjected 10 In gaic She rises on one sea AND
down she comes on lB follower with a shock that
strains the whole ship, ana throws the gprav far
above The turret. Were she sp0nsoned tue whole
dinculty would De overcome and sne would be the
best sea boat ever put My foot IN
The other defect IL that the ventilation is tmper-
Iect. Tbe AIR IS drawn down the forward ventilator
Drsl passes through the wardroom then through
the Derth deck where the men mess and swing then
" reaches the nretnen IN the re-room not quite ~
Iresn as nature Intended: then rising. ana with no
Quiet nows back again 10 tue blowers, TO be re-
altogether wrong. There places where, should
~ part I'D sea-way or IN action. we would be per-
icctly helpless. In one case The sea would prevent
our repairing; In the other 'te enemys nre.