New-York tribune., 1871-07-11

wall, and launched the abh Of Aprl, 1soe, was de
signed by the Chief Constructor OF the British Navy, IL
OF teSs uns burden with engines Of li5ehorso power
carries In her brosdsde batteries Is ed %pound
made OF Krupps hammered steel and capable o hehR
fred AZ often as twice IN minute The length Of the Kong
wilhelm aGb feet 10 feet shorter than the Engsh
Warrior the breadth OF the former Is 60 feet against the
Warriors SO feet The armOr s inches thick all round
diminishing 10 inches at feet below the water hne
where il terminates The bowsprt carries sharp anu
ponderous ram projecting under water ana proee"u
by strong plating Aft Of the bowsprt proec-
tion rises strong topgaant forecasto, on the port
and starboard sides OF which, as well az on either
ouarter slightly projecting outward from the
run of the ship are recesses or bays -four IN all),
protected by massive bukheads, composed Of ls inches
of teak plated with sx-inch armor, and built up from
the lower deck through the main deck TO hight Of seven
feet above the spar deck In each recess is pounder
rihed Krupp the two in the forecastle bays looking
straight forward the two in the quarter bays having
rake almost but not altogether due aft In the Admi
rails cabin in the stern, is is steel 2OOpOunder, whose
portfolio opens due aft over the rudder. The KONG
Wilhelm's complement OF crew is 700 men, and the
cost Of the vessel, including armament, was about
half million sterling. At present she has only az
many sailors board suffice to find harhor
watch. and is wholly stripped Of running and
standing rigging, nothing showing above the deck
but the hree lower masts. The KONG Wilhelm is the
only ron-clad present at Wihemshaven Of the FIVE
belonging 10 the German Imperial navy Beside the
Leviahan there is the ArcOna old wooden frgae OF
l5 tuns 400 hOrsep and 2s guns of no great size
and IL gunboats of the first, Of the second
class the first Of 50. horsepower and mounting (when
mounte three guns, the latter of 60 horsepower and
carrying two guns each. fast and handsome dispatch
boat, the Fake is fitting IOu for special service the
Fake has beautiful lines and steam l6 knots an hour
She e lying alongside large steamcrane, the machine
house Of which is the only building yet erected on the
south side Of the warhaven..
/ have already mentioned that there are two building
slips the head OF the harbor. The drydOcRs might be
utilized as well for building purposes; but then they
would not he available for their On one Of
slips is the little Loreey, beautifully modeied paddle
wheel Gptso intended for quick work in the neighpo
hood OF the harbOr She is nearly ready for launching
and her launch is expected 10 take place next week
The LOreey cannot he called any addition 10 the German
navy. On the other slip stands the skeleton OF the
intended ironclad turret-shp the Grosser Kurfirst
Judging by appearance Of the slip one would say
the Kurfirst was little than thought about; but
good deal Of her. although not put together is ready ana
slowed ragmentariy in the sheds behind In the WORK
shops the wC<men are now rolling and experimentally
putting together keel and the ribs well as
OF the plates, stacked all about Al the
shortest, however it will be three years before the
Kurfrst is ready for launching, and in all probability 1t
viii be four years before the ship is afOat She will be
turretsp Of about 1000 tuDs having two turrets and
carrying in tuTret two llnch guns equivalent TO
our 6OGpOunders, taking charge OF "a 10 OF powder.
the launch Of the LOreley leaves the other
slip clear it is intended to lay down upon it second
ironclad which, in essential jparticulars will be sister
ship to the Grosser Kurirst Much however, must be
done before 1t is possible 10 prosecute with any aacrity
the simultaneous construction OF two ironclads in the
Wibelmshaven dockyard. At present the capacity Of
the place appears to be strained Judging by the length
IL has nomnally been in OF construction
reached aud the length of time IL cOnfessedly will take
10 finish il.
1t is true that during the the progress OF ship
building seems have been altogether stayed, in com
mon indeed with all the works at Wihelmshaven e1-
cept those connected with the defense of the place Since
the strain Of the necessity for defensive operations has
ceased and especially the peace the ship building
and other constructive works have been recommended
but with any great activity as yet IL Is expected
however that the construction OF the Kurrst will soon
be pushed forward with considerable bskness and the
avne down Of the other ronclad about the
Loreey launched At Kiel another ironcad, Friedrich
der Crosse, is in an incipent condition of construc
ton; and at Dantzic the ironclad Hausa ITO
carry eight guns and Of $50 hOrsepOwer) Is about
half built while another ironclad Is in course OF CON
structon Another is laying down at Strasund, and
thus il calculated that, within four years, Germany
Will be furnished with six ron-cad warshps from her
dock yards exclusive of foreign purchases or com
missions AT present she has nomnaly i've irOnclads
the KONG wilhelm, already described the Prince Fried
rich Carl Frenchbuilt after the model of La Couronne
and La Normande mot greatly esteemed in lS7 OF 4Oi
tuns mounting 16 guns, of $50 horsepower, and with
of 800 the KrOnpTinz, Thamesbullt, with .
inch amOrplatng. Il steel breechoading 7un, and two
pivot guns, of 34OO uns, and 500 horsepower the Ar
MINUS and the Prince Adalbert of which nothing need
be said further that they carry respectively four
and three guns and that their armOr-pating is from
three TO four inches thick.