Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-03-04
By William E. Curtis in Chicago Rec
ordHerald.

Washington-The first steam man.
ofwar was designed by Robert Fulton
was authorized by congress March IL,
1874; her keel was laid June 20, 1914,
and she was launched October 29 OF
the same year. She was called "Ful-
ton the First" was 156 feet long, Sc
feet beam, 20 feet deep. had adraught
of IL feet and a displacement of 2,475
ans. She cost $500, 900 and was built
II the shipyard of Adam and Noah
Brown in New York city. Her engine
had steam sylinder AS inches in di-
inter and feet stroke of piston
She was furnished with steam by a
copper boiler % feet long, 12 feet
wide and s feet high, and turned a
diameter, with buckets" IA feet long
and dip of feet. The sides were
4 feet 10 inches thick, and her upper
spar deck was surrounded by musket-
proof bulwarks: The armament con-
sisted of thirty 32-pounders, intended
to discharge red-hot shot. The ship
was fitted with furnaces to heat them
and some of her guns were to be dis
charged below the water line. There
was on mast for each hull, fitted with
lanteen sails. Large pumps were caa
ried, intended to throw streams of wa
ter on the decks of the enemy, with
a view of disabling him by wetting his
ordnance and ammunition. A subma-
rine gun was to have been carried at
each bow. to discharge Shot Weighing
100 pounds. at depth of ten feet
below water.
The war of 1872 being in progress,
this tremendous engine of destruction
was constructed in response to de-
mand from the citizens of New York
for means of habor defense. They
appointed what was called coast and
harbor defense committee, and this
committee examined Fultons plans
and called the attention of the general
government to them. The government
appointed a board of experts from
among its famous naval officers, in
cluding Commodore Decatur, Captains
Paul Jones, Evans and Biddle, Commo-
dore Perry and Captains Warrington
and j. Lewis. They reported unani-
mously in favor of Fulton's monster
and set forth her advantages over all
previously known forms of war yes
sci. The citizens offered to guaran-
tee the expense of building the ship,
and the construction was undertaken
under the supervision of a committee
appointed for the purpose, consisting
OF several then distinguished men,
both military and naval.
The English were not uniformed
as to these preparations which were
making for them, nor inattentive to
their progress. 1t is certain that the
steam frigate lost none Of her terrors
In the reports, or imaginations of the
enemy. In treatise on steam yes
sells published in Scotland the author
assures his readers that he has taken
great care to procure full anu accurate
information, and gives a description
of a steam frigate, said to have been
launched in New York, in the follow
ing words: Length of deck. 300 feet:
breadth, 200 feet; thickness of her
sides, thirteen feet of alternate oak
plank and corkwood; carries forty-four
guns, four of which are hundred
Founders. and further, to annoy an
enemy attempting to board, can dis
charge 100 gallons of boiling water q
minute. and by mechanism brandishes
800 cutlasses with the utmost regu-
arity over her gunwales; work also
an equal number of heavy iron pixies
Oh great length, darting them from
her sides with prodigious force and
them every quarter Of a