THE IROF-CLAD NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 642, 19 March 1864, Page 20

THE IROF-CLAD NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES.

One ofthe most extra- ithnary events con-n-ctud uith the American war is the rapidity ■nithwlii'h the. Fetterala have constructed their immense fieyt of iton-clad ves-^els. What seeing amongst other nations a work ot years is with them accomplished in as many months. " The M few York Tribune" gives the following account of the Federal Navy : — •■ Muoft having beun recently said and written about our iron clad navy, it is worth while to give soma couipreheusiv) account of it. The facts relating to the vessels it are hoc by any means so difficult of access as some persons have imagined. We huve from time to time pub i4ipd the sliipa of <wli fl-st us o.dew lur their con-tructiun v/erj wsutJ, aud occasionally a recapitulation of them nil. Within the last s-ix or ei^ht month;,, howevrr, a large addition ha 3 been made to our armored fleet, which will be found below. It may be added that the following list contains the name of every armored vessel i now constructed, or in course of construction for the United Stites Navy. The two batch's of ocean iron clads of 7000 tons burden, and the other of 3500 t>ns burdeu, which the government asks proposals for, havo not aivanced any further that the mere propositions to build them. The only vessel of either batch contracted for is an immense craft, the keel of which has just been laid by Mr Cramp, of Philadelphia. Excepting tha Dictator, Puritan, Dunderoirtr, Roanoke, and the Mew Ironside I*,1 *, we have no first cla^ urmor-'d frigates Besides all iheiron-ckvds building, 'litre is a fleet of iron double-enders — the hulls of which ara to bs entirely of iron ; but as they a-e not of such magnitude a< ou^ armored ships, it is notVon«idered worth while to print their naoics in thi? connection. We append a li>t of v^-els, coinmeuciutf with the frigates : Frigate?. — Now Ironsides. 3486 tons ; Eoaooke, 3435 tons; Dunderhprtr, 5090 ton* ; Dictator, 3030 tons ; Puritun, 3265 ; one not named. Fir-t Batch (Monitors). —Passai\ 864 tons; Montauk, B'Ji tons; Citskill, 864 tons; Wee-ha-uken, 36i ton* ; Patapsco, 8(54 tons : Nahant. 8(54 tuiHj Leisjh 86i Ions: Nantucket, 864 torn; •'againon, BGI tons.

Tltes? ve&f'ls, au> of the following dimensions* : -200 foot loa£, 40 feet wide, and 12 lee! deep *■ nch vessel has a revolving turn-b 2<. uvt in diameter, composed of iion pl,it s Vut to the required shape, and 1 1 inche« t hick The armament in the turret consists of uvo heavy a;uns— ls, by 13 inches. Oah i urea's it.fcizn. The mail armor (5 indies thick.) covers tho entire craft, terminating iv. a fonui abie raw ;ifc the bow.

StCjiid Uutrh (Monitors),— Manhattan, 1034 tot^ ; Mahopac, 1034 tons; I^cumseh, 1034 tony; "iji:i(i<Mnoe, 1034 tons ; dausus, 1034 torn ; Omikilcu- 10'i4 t->ii*; Mmwyunk. 1034 ;oa>; Cuiivia, 103$ tons ; Ouoeu, 1031 lon*.

Tnese vessels are of the following dimensions : —■235 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 13 feet deep. The plating of the hull is five inches thick, backed by iron stringers, making the width of the armor 9 A inches They havo one revolving turret, 22 feet in dianvter, and 12 inches thick, -which is armed with two heavy 15-inch Daiilspren guns. On the deck is 1 £ inches in thickness of iron in two plates, so as to render it bomb-proof. Third Batch (Navy- Yard Vessels), Monadnock, 1500 tona ; Tonawanda, 1500 tons ; Maintonam iv, 1500 tona ; Agamenticus, 1500 tons. Fourth Batcu (Monitors).— Nflpe, 750 tons; Yazoo, 750 tons ; Tunxi9, $750 'tons ; Umpqua, 750 ton* ; 'Vax«aw, 750 tons ; Casco, 750 tons ; Tuncook, 750 tons ; Chimo, 750 tons ; Klaraath, 750 toLs; Yuma, 750 tons; Naubuc, 750 tons; Shawnee, 750 tons ; Oohoea, 750 tons ; Koka, 750 tons; Sqnando, 750 tona; Modoc, 750 tons; Nahset, 750 toi)3 ; Shilok, 750 tons; Etlah, 750 tons.

These vosseH are 225 feet long, 40 feet wWe, nnd 9 feet deep. They' have one turret, in which are placed two 11 - inch guns or two rifted suns, 200 - pounders. Each vessel has in fact two distinct hulls, between which is an opening two feet wide, forming watertight compartments. The side armor is four inches thick, with a wooden back of four feed. The deck is 15 inche3 thick, with an armor of two inches.

Other Vessels — Chickasaw, 970 tons ; Cincinnati, 512 tons ; Benton, 1000 tons ; Baron I)e Kalb, 512 tons ; Oorondolet, 512 tons ; Eastport, 700 tona; Kickapoo, 270 tons; Keokuk, 677 tous; Chitlicothe, 303 tons; Louisville, 463 tons j Lexingtou, 530 tona ; Mound City, 51:2 tous ; ' Marietta, 479 tons ; 970 tons ; Neosho, 523 tons ; Pittaburtr, 512 ton* ; Sandusky, 479 tons ; Tusoumbia, 565 tons ; Wiunebago, 970 tona.