MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 89 



U. S. Navy; the conflict resulting in the surrender of the Confed- 

 erate vessel. 



The ram in question was some two years in building, and no pains 

 or expense were spared to render her impregnable. A committee of 

 U. S. naval officers appointed to examine her subsequent to her cap- 

 ture, reported as follows : 



"The hull of the vessel appeared to be exceedingly strongly built 

 in every part, the material being oak and yellow pine, with iron fas- 

 tenings. Length from stern to stern on deck, 209 feet ; greatest 

 breadth of beam on deck, 48 feet ; mean average draught of water, 

 about 14 feet. The deck is covered fore and aft with wrought-iron 

 plates two inches thick. The sides of the vessel arc protected by an 

 overhang, spousoned, and covered with two layers of 2-inch wrought 

 iron. The sides of the vessel below the deck are about eight feet in 

 thickness. The prow is provided with a ram or beak, which projects 

 about two feet under water and is covered with wrought-iron plates. 



"The casemate of the vessel is very strongly built. It is 78 feet 

 eight inches long and 28 feet nine inches wide inside, the sides of 

 the vessel extending 10 feet from it on either side at the greatest 

 breadth of beam. The framing consists of heavy yellow pine beams, 

 13 inches thick, and placed close together vertically, the inside plank- 

 ing of yellow pine, 5i inches thick, laid horizontally, and outside of 

 this horizontal planking there is a layer of oak timber four inches 

 thick, bolted on vertically, upon which the iron plating is secured. 

 The plating or armor of the casemate forward is six inches thick, 

 consisting of three two-inch iron plates of about six inches wide each, 

 and abaft, and on the sides, five inches thick, consisting of two two- 

 inch thick and one one-inch thick iron plates of the same width. The 

 yellow pine framing of the casemate is planked over inside with 2- 

 inch oak timber laid on diagonally. 



"The whole of the armor plating is fastened with through bolts 1J 

 inches in diameter, with washers and nuts inside. The casemate is 

 covered on top with wrought-iron gratings, composed of bars two 

 inches thick and six inches wide, laid flat, and supported on wooden 

 beams 12 inches square, and about five feet distant from each other." 



The armament of the Tennessee consisted of six rifled guns two of 

 7-inch caliber and four of Gil -inch, all of the Brooks pattern. Her 

 ports were closed with shutters of o-inch iron. These were attached 

 at the centre of one of their sides by a pivot on which they revolved 

 by means of a cog-wheel inside, and turned out of the way outside 

 when her ports were opened. The projectiles used were 95 and 110- 

 pound solid shot. Her draught of water was 14 feet eight inches ; her 

 engines, two in number, high pressure, driving a geared propeller ; 

 and her complement of men and officers 187. 



The U. S. fleet under the command of Com. Farragut, consisted of 

 several vessels of the class of the Hartford, and several monitors. 

 At the commencement of the conflict the rebel Admiral, with great 

 courage, plunged his iron-mailed vessel into the midst of his enemy's 

 fleet, with a view of crushing the wooden vessels one after another, 

 like the performance of the Merriinac in the James lliver in 1863. 

 But Admiral Farragut had other intentions. He signalled for his 

 fleet to gather around him, and a combined butting of the Tennessee 

 6* 



