THE U.S. CORVETTE IROQUOIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4529, 4 December 1884, Page 2

THE U.S. CORVETTE IROQUOIS.

The U.S. corvette Iroquois, which wil. probably arrive hero this week from: Hobart, is almost a new ship. Although in the United States Navy list it is stated that she was built in. 1858, tho " Sydney Morning Herald" gives tho- explanation, of this ' apparent contradiction and other particulars as follows:—"As is well known, Congress has for years past—in fact, ever since the close of the great civil war—kept the expenditure on the navy down as much as possible, but various expedients have been adopted by the naval authorities in order to obtain the necessary funds for the construction, of new vessels. One has become common, viz., to get an appropriation for the ' repair' of certain vessels. These have been so utterly bad and unseaworthy that, like tho Irishman's gun, they have had to be supplied with a new ' stock, lock, and barrel.' ; Perhaps a part of the keel would be used, and a new ship built upon that, or maybe a bell or a block would be the part of tho old ship upon which the shipwrights and artificers in the navy- yard at New Yorfc would commence their 'repairs.' The present Iroquois is one of the ships that have) been so ' repaired.' Originally built ii_ 1858, she did .good service for the' Northerners during the civil war, and wart ono of the vessels which were sent ia. search of Captain Semmes _ Alabama, the cruiser which did so much _to leave theAmerican mercantile marine in the crippled statoin which it is to-day. The Iroquois was not successful in coming, across the Southern gunboat, but her sister ship, the - Kearsage, which visited this port some 18 or 19 years ago, was more successful, and in a short and sharp encounter Bent the Alabama to the bottom off the port of Cherbourg. The Iroquois was laid up after the war], and wae 'repaired' about three years ago in the navy yard at New York, and is now on her first commission. She is' a wooden vessel, and in general appearance bears some resemblance to our Wolverine and H.M.S. Diamond ; also, there is not much difference in the size of the three ships. She is 214 feet long, 34 feet in breadth, and about 16 feet deep, her displacement being 1,575 tons. She is ship-rigged, and can spread a . large area of canvas, but she is not indebted • to her sails alone for progress, being sup- 1 plied with a pair of navy engines which, drive her at a speed of nine and a-half knots. The armament of tbe Iroquois consists of seven guns, four being broadside guns, and the other three-trained to fire all round. Tho broadside guns are 8-inch M.L. guns; there is one-30-pounder pivot; one ' 11-inch pivot forward, which throws a pro: jectile of ISOlbs., and one 8-inch muzzleloading rifle pivot aft. The, muskets in use are Springfields. The general arrangements _ on board are, of course, similar to those on board most men-of-war, but there is a variety about the crew that, one would fail to dis-1 cover on any ship that has been to this port ! for a long time past. Coloured men appear amongst the blue jackets, and Chinese servants dqtfge about in all directions, while . the features of many of tbe crew indicate in -_"; a marked manner the cosmopolitan character of the population of the great Republic. The officers and crew, including marines, number 182 all told. The following is a.complete list of the officers:—Commander, Yates Stirling; staff commander, C. H. Stockton ; lieutenants : F. W. Crocker, N. E. Niles, W. F. Halsey"; ensigns: J. C. Gillraore, A. W. Grant, S. Cook; chief engineer, G. M. L. Maccarty; second engineer, H. Webster; third engineer, F. H. Bailey; P. A. paymaster, J. E. Cann ; P. A. surgeon; George Arthur; first lieutenant of marines, H. C. Fisher; pay clerk, J. J/ Pattison. Tho commander of the Iroquois joined the United States Navy in 1860, and took part in many of the naval engagements, in which the great strife between the North and South was so prolific. He was ensign' on board one of tbe ships forming Atjjairal Porter's squadron when tho two famous attacks were made on Fort Fisher in 1864, the second resulting in the capture of the stronghold after a terrific I bombardment and an attack in.force by the army."- ■'. ■■:'..''. * . .-" ''