Year: 1862




we md the following paragraph in an e1
change paper.


"a contract has been made by government
with certain parties in Boston, to build an iron
guhooat OF between 500 and 700 tons, 10 be
furnished with Woodbury's submarine battery.
The vessel will be l36 feet long and 80 feet
BEAM and will be built throughout of iron 10
the most substantial manner. See will carry
one gun on deck and large gun for subma-
rIne firing at the bow. She is 10 be bnilt at
the Atlantic Works, East Boston, and is to be
ready for service in from four TO five months"


The period stated tor the completion of this
vessel would put her in commission in Sep
tember next. The term submarine battery
conveys no adequate idea of this extraordins-
ry invention, and hence We copy from the
Boston transcript the suljoined account OF the
design, and OF a successful experiment made
with it in Boston harbor few days since


1.-The idea Of the inventor is TO build an iron
clad bomb proof vessel OF sufficient tonnage 10
carry gun al the bow, one at the stern, and
as many as desirable amidship. The vesseli in
action will lie alongside of her adversary, and
discharge her guns at as range as posi-
bic to obtain.


"The cannon are to be of the usual shape.
but longer than common, and can be cast 10
discharge any prejectile now In use. The gun,
when ready for action, has TIN cylindrical
case fitted closely at the muZzle, rendering





trance of water. When the piece is fired, the
charge attains its full velocity before reaching
the tin canister previously mentioned, and an
effective shot may be made at a distance of
two or three hundred feet.


''The cannon is fitted into stuffng box,
similar to that of the piston ofa steam engine,
and an automatic portfolio opens and shuts as
the piece is run out or Withdrawn. The re-
coil on the gun is strong, and the action of
the port so sudden, thatit is expected very
little water will be shipped as the cannon is
drawn in.


"a twelve-pounder was fred under water at
a target made OF spruce plank, crossed at right
angles, and heavily boted and braced, ana
placed at distance OF ten or twelve feet.
The target was pierced in such manner as to
show that the invention is one OF the most i'm
portant which has been made in naval war
fare.''


The inventor is Mr.. Joseph p WOODBURY..
We have not yet heard of any English claim
ait to this device, but doubtless some such
will turn up as soon the vessel shall 90 into
operation. 1t was so with Captain
Ericsson's battery ,and with nearly everything
elseiAmerican of great utility. Our readers
need not be told that if this invention should
do what it promises it will be one Of the most
formidable engines of naval warfare ever con-
structed. 1t is peculiarly adapted TO lighting
against armor- clad vessels, which, while they
are amazingly SttOng ABOVE the water. nave no
armor below, and are there perfectly vulner-
able. Holius' submerged ram was designed
to combat such vessels, we'll as the ordinary
war vessels, and it appears from the partial de-
scription of the Merl mac which has lust been
published by the rebel authorities at Rich
mond, that she has both ends submerged,
though we had not ascertaned the fact, be-
sides the visible ram, therefore, she must have
formidable batering power under water.


If this new battery of Mr.. Woodbury. can
Ire twentyiuch gun under water, a single
shot from il at point blank range would sink
my vessel in existence. Nay. fifteen-inch
yuu, or even an eleven-inch would do such
Iwful damage to an antagonist as can only be
conceived by referring to the slaughter on the
Cumberland and Congress. Captain Coles
nay build as many Of his vessels al he chooses
IN Ercssons plans and their being sunk to
he water level, while il would protect them
against any other antagonist, would be of no
wall against this Woodbury battery Above
he surface every shot fired is seen, and the
,pen port affords an aperture into which the
enemy pour their destructive missiles. But
lnder water, where this engine of death
S worked, the terrible messenger wings its
vay unseen, the port hole presents no mark to
Ire at, and the devoted vessel is powerless to
esst.