The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-04
Th 10 sieye,,,,u. nd .sery.s
ITS APPROACHING sALE--A gIsrT no THE YES.
sEL-THE MYSTERY a MYSTERY NO LONGER.
$780, From the New York Poat,1

i 1NC StCSeaAB AStsseEE5
ITS APPROACHING sALE--A EIsrT TO rIrR YES
sEL-THE MYSTERY A MYSTERY NO LONGER.
From The New York Post.I
Ever since the late Edwin A. Stevens
began work upon bis famous but untriet
land yet unfinished battery at HobokeD, {
great deal of curiosity has been felt to Learn
what manner Of vessel the mystery cout
be. At first there were constant application:
at the gates Of the enclosure surrounding
the battery, many Of those who applied fol
| admission to see the vessel SO carefully
guarded, having come considerable distances
| to crafty their desire TO behold the mon
strr.
The battery has been built on Hudson
| street, In lot between First and Second
streets. All the approaches to the yard were
closed up by high board-tences. Peerine
| through openings in the fence nothing could
be seen of the battery but the iron of her
hull. Scattered about the hiilsides near the
| hollow in which the work was carried on
| were pieces Of machinery, while at a conye-
nient distance from the dry dock were steam
engines used in the various stages of con-
structiou, and large workshop where The
iron plates for armor were bent and where
the rivet holes were punched.
Work ceased on the battery about year
ago. Since that time. although the vessel
has not been thrown open to the inspection
of the public, she has been visited by large
numbers of the curious. A stranger endel-
voring to find entrance becomes impressed
with the extent OF the precautions taken to
prevent outsiders, whatever their designs
might be. from gaining knowledge Of the
vessel. at the end of blind alley leading
out of First street a small door, which opens
upon ringing at dingy bell-pull, admits the
visitor to the once sacred precincts. Here
the engineer calls up a sprightly boy, who
straightway comprehends, without word
of explanation, the object of the visitors
call. Carrying pair of oil lamps he leads
the way across the wide gang way to the side
of the battery, whose deck is much below
the level Of the street, and whose keel is
seen to be several feet below the level OF the
river, between the battery and which wide,
firm bulkhead Of wood, earth, and stones is
pterposea.
The deck of the vessel Is protected from
the weather by shed reaching lis entire
length. On sitting foot upon it, the first
impression of its strength is gained from an
inspection Of the solid White-oak backlngs,
which are about three feet in thickness,
without armor except on the inner side, that
portion OF the work yet remaining unfinished
The boy dives below, and Is followed into
the narrow passage leading fore and aft be-
tween the huge boilers and the vessels sides.
He goes rapidly along, pointing out ana
illuminating with his Pickering lamp the ten
huge boilers, studded with rlyets, the mas
sive engines and the curious and delicate
machinery for propeling and pumping, and
also for working the turret, and then
piunges deeper in order TO reveal the darker
mysteries of the coal-bunkers and the maya
zine.
On the lowest of the two decks are found
the two rooms which are TO be used Is the
quarters for seamen and coal beavers, which
will be entirely beneath the water, and seem
oppressiycly small. A deep passage leads
from stem to stern between the furnaces,
which tower high above on either side. The
engines, smeared with talloW and white lead,
are dipgy and dull, blu: they are very power
full and strong in appearance.
An outside examination Of the ship shows
that she has very slender, sharp Prov,
which is at once graceful and formidable to
contemplate, This part of the vessel is d.
rec,Iv under Hudson street, and the blows
struck in the course Of its construction con-
tinualy kept alive the curiosity OF pa>sers-by.
At the stern the visitor discovers the ar
raugement OF the machinery by which the
huge craft could be turned within It's own
length. at q distance of perhaps seventy
tive feet from the stern.post the shafts emerge
from the hull. extending to within about ten
feet of the rudder, suspended by means OF
strong braces. The propellcrS, winch are
not in position, are eighteen ieeti diameter,
made of cast iron, having pitch OF twenty
seven feet.
The length Of the vessel over all is 46l feet,
her breadth d. feet, and breadth over armor
81 feet. The general appearance OF the YES
sci, it completed as proposed, will be that OF
Il monitor ,ron.clad. No steps have yet been
taken in the construction OF either the armor
or armament. The turret has not yet been
constructed. 1t has been proposed to erect
store-rooms for six months provisions for
two hundred and fifty men. She is COM
pared with such iron-clads as the British
Warrior, Bellerophon, and Thunderer. a
close estimate of the vessels power OF speed
gives as her probable rate sixteen knots an
hour. with a consumption OF TWO and three
quarter tons Of coal. 1t is also estimated that
she would accomplish the voyage between
New York and Liverpool in eight days.
The vessel is to be sold as she lies, the
commissioners appointed by the State OF
New Jersey having advertised for bids to be
made up TO the second day of next Novem-
Der. 1t is thought it can be completed IN
three months time.
A number of engineers have inspected the
battery, several of whom were understood
to be sent in the interest Of foreign gov
ernments, but no action can be taken with
out the approval Of the Governor.