New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-11
MODEL LIKE THE DESTROYER.
DESCRIPTION OF yrssFL WITH SUBMARINE
GUNS PROPOSED Is 1852.


Guns PROPOSED Is 1867.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: notice in The Tribune Of July cut and
escriptlon OF vessel called the Destroyer said to
have been invented by the late Captain John Ericsson
and 1t calls 10 mind an Invention Of my own OF
precisely similar character and Intent when lnid
before the Navy Department In May lou-. The
Board Of Examiners who reported upon my plans
consisted Of Commodorcs shubricE and Wilkes, now
deceased and Naval Constructor POOk. Their report
follows;
The Board Of Examiners have, rs Instructed By the
Department, examined the plans and model OF ".
4. Durcc. for a steam battery. The bottom OF the
model Is smilal in form to what nae been the usual
practice, except az the bow, into Whch j. quiz a
part Of the vessel are made to converge INTO, and
are terminated by the gun. which also may De useG
ms ram lie also proposes two guns 10 De pict IT,
these gus s,d the manner Of working them are very
ingenious II gqns can be used nmd"r Wn,rr 70 a.
plans proposed ty Mr. Durfce to work them are more
feasible tinn any yet offered for examination Ihero
is also be one revolving tower nmdsnp, ana one
liked tower In the forward part OF inc vessel WIN
the gun revolving upon platform IL IL pi0po rcS
have the guns so mounted that they are turlfh'
elevated depressed In the centre 9f the port 50
as to make The ports ms ,niah rs pr''p IT,,
genuiiy. aud Mr. Durfce deserves great credit for
mis- efforts TO produce an efficient ship: hut after t.,
careful examination OF his plans ana listening 10 ms
explanations tho Bond has como 10 the conclusion
that until more reliable experiments arc made to te,t
recommend thl, p.an for adoption. The manner oi
mounting the gun In the tower, the uuzzle 10 rest
or depressed would he found difficult In practise ana
not reliable Tho gun built INTO thr Dow OF th'
vessel with the addition OF the tower, WOuh DC roo
much weight In that end Of the vessel, ana couid
not he supported IN the manner proposed. Inc lron
shield over the rudder Is also objectionable. rs II
cannot te supported and would weaken the vessel
The weights al the cxtirmitcs should BE- avod'd as
much as possible. This plan Is not recomMeho"o
for adoption.
The gun built into tho bow of the vessel, men
toned In the above report. was designed 10 serve
both q gun and ram chat IN the Destroyer can
not be used ram because OF tho presence OF the
niuzzle shutter. which rmming would Destroy ana
contrlvcd 70 lower at the brcech without al
hitting water to the vessel The design also con
tcnpated the Use o, brccchloadne broad'de guns
which could be fired below the water line. These
guns were provided with pneumatic rocoil cylinders
and II Is believed that this was the first proposal
TO use such cylinders fof regulating the recon- OF
heavy guns Tho calibre Of tho bow gun was pro
posed to be twelve inches and that Of tho broadSide
guns eight inches.
The mldshp turret was 50 arranged that the officer
commanding 1t lad fun control Of its movements
without communicating with the engineer. and ooUd
stop. start or reverse Mt his pleasure. Furthermore"
Ii designed that IN ease the deck was swept
by no water could get into the vessel bclclm
the turTpt. while at the same uihc ih' sac u t
turrct we're enre! clear OF the dech ana we're 40.
liable 10 BE- damned by the impact OF shot near the
dech; Nniic PERHAPS som " h ,y haG sonc frrc
M the time thry were made -tlil 0f the opinion
that the leading principles embodied in the ye,Iel
proposed (Which are Identical VIII tno'e W IN,
i,.iroynr, BIZ nc I'm l-r2 are sound and with thirty
years OF active experience rs civil ana mechanical
engineer 20 aid ms judgment since that dnte, am
sti!l firmly OF th" opinion that vessel CONSTRUCTED
subs anilal; proposed would be very encient n
II means Of ha;lOr Hnd coast defence. claim 10 DC
the Original inventor %! q vessel having . br'"cn
loading gun hTi Into II. bow, arraEgd IA discharge
shot or Sh" below the water and caPab" OF boinE
used without destroying rs u" as a Enn'
and Of being loaded ard fired without otfiug w"trr
Into the vessel also clalm the construction OF IN"
urre described and the method ~ mounting tho guns
fbc.cn. W s. ~ RFEE. Engineer.
West New Brighton :. l.. Iuly 4, l7o2