The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-17
BIG MONITORS.
The Fleet of Iron-c1ads That Are Comm &
to League Island.

The Fleet of Iron-clads That Are Coming
to League Island.
Commander Henry Erben, Jr., and Lieutenant
Commanders Charles s. Norton, Robert Boyd,
Jr.. Charles II. Davis Jr., and w. w. Rhodes,
and Masters Il. K. Carnody and Henry b. Mar
shall, with a detachment of one hundred aud fifty
seamen, are now on their way in the steamer
Ariadne to Key West from which place they are
to bring the monitors that have been lying there
for seme time to League Island, where they
are to be laid up in ordinary. These iron-clads
are:--
The Dictator. second rate, of 1850 tons bur
den and carrying two 15-inch guns. This single
turreted monitor is one of the largest in the SER
vice. Her length all is 3l4 feet, and between
perpendicuars 270 feet Extreme breadth 80
feet, and depth 20 feet. The plating on her tqr-
ret which weighs 500 tons, is Is inches in thick
ness Her ram is % feet in length, of solid oak
and wrought iron. Her machinery Is OF remark
able strength capable of attaining 5000 horse
power. The cylinders are each 100 inches in
diameter, and the boilers each of which weighs
20 tons, have aggregate of 80 furnaces, and
q CRATE surface of 100 square feet. The pro-
peller shaft alone weighs 36 tons. She was the
first monitor sent to the West Indies ''to protect
American interests" as the Navy Department
said, but to "overawe the Haytiens" while the
commissioners we're journeying through Dom-
MICA, if we rely upon what Senator Sumner
said
The Manhattan, fourth rate, of $50 tons bur-
den, and carrying two 15-inch guns, was fore
most in the famous battle in Mobile Bay on the
9th of August, 1864. She was then commanded
by j. w. A. Nicholson. When Farragut's fleet
of wooden vessels passed into the bay, they dis
covered, emerging from an inlet some distance
off, the famous Rebel ram Tennessee, even more
formidable though similar in shape to its pre-
decessor the Merrimac, whose success it at
tempted to emulate. The Manhattan carried
the only 15.inch Rodman guns OF the fleet, and
to her was due the credit of sending the only
shots through the iron sides of the Tennessee,
and of eventually disabling her, when her COM
mander ran up the white flag, Buchanan after
wards said, 'The only vessel | had reason to
fear in your Admiral Farragut'sl fleet was the
monitor Manhattan; for she carries 15-inch guns,
while the other vessels had 9-inch."
The Terror, third rate, has two turrets, and is
of 1885 tons burden, carrying four 15-inch guns.
She has not yet scented the smoke of battle.
She fitted out at Boston, when her compa-
MON, the Miantonomah, was being rejuvenated
here, both being ordered to Join the North At
lantic Squadron in the West Indies. The latter
however. went into New York, and was laid up,
and the Terror continued on her voyage to the
Indies
The Saugus, fourth rate is of $50 tons burden
and carries two 15-inch guns. She did splendid
work at tie capture of Fort Fisher on the 18th
of January 1865, and was concerned in the
naval operations in James and York rivers.
The Wyandotte, fourth rate of $50 TONS and
carrying two 15-inch guns, has not yet tasted of
| war.
These six iron-clads will be conveyed to
League Island by fleet of 4 vessels, viz.:-The
Severn a second-rate screw, .20O0 tons burden,
and carrying Ia 9-inch Dahlgrens and 1 CO.
FOUNDER rifle. She was the flagship of Rear
admiral Poor, commanding the North Atlantic
Squadron. The Congress, second-rate screw
of 1000 tons burthen, carrying IA 9-inch guns
and 2 GO pound rifles. This vessel was built at
our Navy Yard and christened the Pushmataha
but her name was changed to the Congress by
Secretary Robeson. she is one of the hand
somest as well as the heetest, frigates in service
The Kansas is a fourth-rate screw of $50 tons
and carries guns and the Yantic is sister
ship. The latter saw good service at Fort
| Fisher.
All these vessels were comprised in Admiral
| Poor's squadron. There are now lying at League
| Island eighteen iron-clads, and when these
| arrive the total will be tweuty-siX. Besides
these, we have two frigates and the old ship of
the line, st. Louis, now used as a receiving ship
| The cocentration of these iron-clads at League
| Island is an indication that the Government,
so long dilatory, is at last to utilize that un-
| eOualled fresh water rendezvous.