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LAUNCHES.; The Quintard Iron Battery Onondaga Melancholy Incident and Accident. DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL. AN OCEAN STEAMER.

LAUNCHES.; The Quintard Iron Battery Onondaga Melancholy Incident and Accident. DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL. AN OCEAN STEAMER.
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July 30, 1863, Page 2Buy Reprints
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For nearly a year past it has been generally known that some kind of a peculiar war-vessel was in process of construction at the Continental Iron Works, Greenpoint, L.I. Exactly what this novel specimen of naval architecture might be, the curious in such matters had no opportunity of discovering, as all the work has been done and the vessel made ready for launching, under an immense shed, which effectually concealed operations from inquisitive but uninvited people. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, under these circumstances, that an unusually large number of spectators were drawn together, yesterday morning, by the announcement that the mysterious vessel was to be set afloat. Tide neither waits for ships nor men, consequently the managers of the launch were compelled to accommodate themselves to the full flood-time of this even-tenored despot, and fix the somewhat early hour of 8 for the event. Neither this fact nor the unsettled state of the weather proved sufficient, as we have before intimated, to keep back the spectators. Long before the time fixed upon, every available point of observation had its occupant. The piers were packed, vessels in the vicinity were crowded, and the river was lively with tugboats and smaller craft.

On the deck of the Onondaga also there was a very large assemblage of more privileged folk -- not a small minority of whom, like those on shore, were of the gentler sex. All these waited in subdued excitement the moment of the start, especially the ladies, some of whom gave evidence of being fluttered in expectation of the novel sensation in store for most of them. Among the distinguished persons present we observed Rear-Admiral Gregory, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Fox, Capt. Melancthon Smith, who fought the old Mississippi so bravely below New- Orleans against the rebel ram Manassas, and is now to command the Onondaga; Naval Constructors Delano and ???ook, Chief Engineers Stimers and Sewell, Assistant Engineer S. Wilkins Cragg, U.S.N., who has recently superintended the construction of the battery in behalf of the Government; Lieut.-Commanding Gregory, Capt. Jos. Comstock, of the Collins steamer Baltic, Capt. Gray, of the McCiellan, and Hon. Mr. Sedgwick, Chairman of the House Committee on Naval Affairs.

While the guests were engaged in inspecting the peculiarities of the vessel, and in pacing the perfectly unobstructed and solid deck, the sturdy blows of the workmen below were delivered faster and faster upon the supports that held the ship to the launching ways. Presently there was the slightest perceptible tremor of the massive hull, and instantly from the crowd on shore arose the shout of "There she goes! there she goes!" Swiftly and majestically she glided along the ways, until her stern reached the water, when, burying for a moment, it dashed up a wave three feet in height, that came curling beautifully along the deck, until the bows floated and the vessel got on an even keel again. For a second, as this mass of water came surging along, the guests on the after part of the vessel experienced fear of a ducking, and retreated helter-skelter forward. The momentary alarm gave them a singular sensation, for as they ran counter to the rapid motion of the ship their feet seemed to be dancing in air. Darting into the river about 1,000 yards, the noble craft was welcomed to her future element by the shrill shrieks of steam-whistles, the waving of handkerchiefs, the flaunting of flags, and the vociferous cheering of the people. In less than half an hour the vessel was secured to the dock, ready for the finishing-work to be commenced upon her. There are one million of rivets in her hull, and on inspection it was found that she leaked little more than a new boiler.

The baptism of the Onondaga was to have been performed by Miss QUINTARD, the daughter of the designer. Last Saturday, full of life and joy, she visited the vessel, entering with spirit into the plans for somewhat extensive festivities, which were to commemorate the launch, and on Tuesday morning she was dead, having fallen a victim to a malignant disease. This distressing affliction prevented Mr. QUINTARD from participating in a scene where he had promised himself so much enjoyment, and, of course, the festive part of the programme was abandoned. The christening was performed by little Miss SALLIE SEDGWICK, a native of Onondaga and daughter of the Senator.

Another melancholy incident of the launch was the injury of four workmen, by some misunderstanding in knocking away the supports. The forward blocks were removed too soon, and the after blocks, unable to sustain the immense weight, gave way, starting the ship, and crushing beneath the keel the poor men who could not get away fast enough. One of them, named JOHN CORNELL, residing in North Ninth-street, Williamsburgh, had his left wrist and hand dreadfully lacerated, a rib fractured, and suffered internal injuries, which are considered so severe that the physician in attendance has no hope of his recovery. Another, named WM. HOGAN, residing at Dutch Kill, Newtown Township, had the left side of his head crushed in, beside receiving severe internal injuries. A laborer named FAIRBOHILD, and another man whose name could not be ascertained, received slight injuries on the back and head. CORNELL was taken to the hospital, but HOGAN was at the request of some friends, conveyed home.

The O???ondaga is not an Ericsson battery, but was designed by Mr. GEORGE QUINTARD, of the Morgan Iron Works in this City. She is constructed wholly of Iron. The hull is 227 feet 6 inches in length, and 48 feet in width. The frames are of angle iron. 5 inches by 3, riveted to a central plate at the bottom. There is no Reel, properly speaking, but a ribbed or arched plating in the place of it, to which all the frames are joined. The lines of the ship are very easy forward and aft, presenting much less resistance than some other iron-clads now afloat. There are no projecting armor shelves on the sides, but the vessel is protected from shot by single plates 4 1/2 inches in thickness bolted directly to the hull. There is no wooden backing of any kind to support this armor, but inboard there are a series of iron knees or angle pieces, secured to the deck and hull, which strengthen it materially, and enable the weight outboard to be carried without straining the ship or making her liable to leakage. The draught of water will be ten feet: the rate of speed is not known yet.

There are two propellers or screws, one on each side under the stern, each propeller being driven by two engines, built by the Morgan Iron Works, making four in all. The engines are of the horizontal, back- acting variety, and have cylinders 30 inches in diameter by 18 inches stroke. The propellers are 9 feet in diameter, and have an increasing pitch, the same being 11 feet on the forward side and 13 feet 6 inches aft. There are four main boilers (Martin's patent) and one large donkey boiler for working the auxiliary engines. Sewell's condenser is furnished to the main engines, and a separate smaller one is added, into which the turret engines exhaust when the main engines are not working; there is also a circulating pump attached to this last condenser, which is driven by the steam pump that feeds the boilers. Four blowing engines are provided to ventilate the ship in action and supply the furnaces with draft.

The turrets are the same as those upon all the Monitors -- 11 inches thick in the walls, 9 feet high and 21 feet in diameter inside. There are two 15- inch guns in each turret. The quarters for the officers generally are aft, although some of them, the engineers, for example, have accommodations forward. A great part of the storage is also aft, including the magazine and spirit room. Neither the bow or stern of the Onondaga overhang the hull, the stern projecting only enough to cover the screws and protect them from damage by shot. There are 13 transverse water-tight compartments, and the coal-bunkers surround the boilers in addition to the protection afforded by the iron plating. The extraordinary breadth of beam and full model should make the Onondaga a very stable ship.

Commodore VANDERBILT, having sold two of his steamers to the Government, is replacing them with every possible dispatch, and yesterday morning the first steamer, the Commodore, was launched from the yard of Mr. JEREMIAH SIMGNSON, at Greenpoint. The vessel is of the following dimensions: length on deck, 273 feet; breadth of beam, 39 feet; depth of hold. 27 feet 6 inches. The launch came off at a very early hour, which limited the attendance to a comparatively small number of people. The Commodore was taken to the Allaire Works, where she is to receive a single beam engine of 80 inch cylinder and 12 feet stroke. This ship is built in a very substantial manner, and her model combines both strength with speed.

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