The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-09-30

incredible amount Of $4,000 tons 1t
has been attached to the "Terror" and
"Minantanomah," and works with pre-
cision and success.
Let us now turn to this greatest curl
osity of sll-this miniature Turning
Lathe, which can turn a shaft from the
smallest size up to one ten feet in diam
ster and twenty-five feet long; that
can cut q thread on cambrlc needle one
hanarsd thrssdaS 90. the inch, up b Hye
taHn Hers also, il ~.
mef whicW can be SO adjusted 4B "
break the shell of filbert held between
the fingers, or descend with a smashing
power of forty tons. And these--all
these-have been the creation Of some
greasy mechanics brain, who has done
more for his country than all the So
called statesmen or politicians in the
old Bay State.
AS we pass the rope walk, we are in
formed it is here where all the rope used
in the navy is manufactured, the
Charleston yard furnishing all, from
the string which ties parcel to The
hawser of the largest vessel.
"Come and see the old and the new"
says our guide. See what pr, gress
has been made in naval architecture
during the past ten years. Here is the
clumsy old line Of battle ship "Vir-
ginia " Of 5000 tons, which has been
rottlng on the stocks for the past fifty
years-which would have required
l 900 or l 200 sailors to man her; and
there is single-turreted Monitor--one
of the smallest GLASS, too--vhicR car
rice 100 or lse men; aud yet it
would be only question of hours FIR
her to sink a feet of Virginias, while
she herself would pass unscsthed through
their fire." Adjoining the Virginia" is
the frame of the largest Monitor vet
placed on the stocks, veritable sea
monster, and on board Of which even
"Minsntanomah' could be placed. The
contrast between them, their lines.
appearance, offensive and defensive
properties, are so striking that it is hard
to imagine they were both intended for
the same purpose-the one a floating
castle, the other bearing a resemblance
to a turtle, almost level with the waters
edge. We leave both with the hope
that the fate of the Virginia " may be
hers, and that the necessity for her
completion may never arise.
The next objects Of interest are the
Monitors, SIX Of which -four single and
two le-turreted--sre in ordinary.
Here is the Terrible" on board Of
which Capt. Wilmott is putting one Of
his Hydraulic Lifts. Her deck is e
eoncsve. plated with iron, and her gen.
eral appearance is uninviting. Below
seems 9 prison-pen; the ventilation is
horrid and we can easily understand
why our tars prefer the old fashioned
airy frigate to these iron collins. The
engines are a model Of beauty and
strength, though it is difficult TO grope
our way to them. The officers quarters
are no larger than an ordinary pantry,
while poor Jack must stow himself in q
very small compass. But the turret and
sdns are the especial objects Of attrac-
ton. Here are two monster fifteen inch
guns, loaded and fred in a room the only
ventilation to which comes through the
portfolios. The conclusion, however,
is deadened by lining of cork which,
during action, is placed around the in.
side of the turrets. Yet this precsution
accomplishcs but little, the men being
unable to remain inside more than Is
minutes. Their sense of hearing is
generally destroyed, while blood oozes
from the eyes and nostriIs. Under these
circumstances, the modern ought GER
tainly possess some advantages over
the old-fashioned system, though it is
yet Q question of doubt whether their
sea-going qualities will ever enable
them to supercede the old wooden
walls,
A little further on lies the guard-ship
"Ohio )" next to her the stately "Ws-
bash," one Of the most beautiful speci-
mems OF naval architecture ahoat; aud
. little further on, the Worcester" re-
gently returned from its mission of love
TO the French nation, is quietly anchor
cd. We should like to take look at
:he Museum. but time forbids. The
number of guns parked, from the man
moth Dahlgreen to the smallest Par
rott, 10 immense.
Before leaving, We have the pleasure
of being introduced to q number Of the
workmen, prominent among whom is
Mr.. Rogers, of Chelses, an old worker