the boilers; diameter of drum 24 inches inside, length 163 feet, thickness, sides same as boilers, heads 3-inch, upon the bottom of boilers will be two mud heaters; one, 9 inches diameter, close to the after end of the boilers, with valve connexions for supplying the boilers with water. The water connexions to be supplied with stop-valves, as mentioned in steam connexions. The other mud heater to be placed immediately aft of the fire-box, with like connexions, omitting the water connexions. In one end of this heater there is to be placed a blow-off valve, with stem and hand wheel for emptying boilers, all with proper hand hole and plates. The whole to be supplied with proper man and hand hole plates in the boilers, mud heaters, and steam drum. The whole to be made of the best American charcoal iron, and to be double riveted in all seams that do not come in immediate contact with the fire, and to be calked on both sides where practicable. No acid or other injurious matter to be used in the joints or seams. Upon the after side of the steam drum there is to be made a proper connexion for connecting a steam pipe 8 inches diameter inside, the connexion to be made in the centre of the drum. Upon each of the boilers adjoining the centre one there is to be placed a safety-valve, 3 inches face, with proper lever and weights. Fire fronts of cast iron, properly fitted to the boilers, with fire-box five feet long; grates 14 inches below the boilers, with fire bed lined with fire-brick, and enclosed in good sheet iron of the usual thickness; two smoke pipes, 44 inches diameter, 28 feet high, to be placed on the front end of boilers with breeching and flue caps to match, properly secured with rods and braces. Fire fronts to have suitable fire doors in a sufficient quantity and draft doors. Each boiler is to be supplied with 3 gauged cocks, 7-inch diameter, with dripper; the whole to be properly supported upon iron columns under the small mud heater, with stay bolts and bands of iron inch thick, 1 inch wide, running entirely round the boilers; top to be covered with fire-brick and tile. All the connexions between the boilers and mud heaters, and boilers and steam drum, to be provided with valves, so as to cut off communication if necessary. Upon the small mud receiver is to be placed 2 check valves for receiving water from the force pumps. Each set of boilers to be provided with a steam gauge and water gauge, and be provided with two sets of the Snowden heater on each set of boilers, with suitable steam blowers. THOMAS MERRITT, Chief Engineer, Cincinnati, Ohio. No. 5. UNITED STATES NAVAL DEPOT, Cairo, Illinois, November 10, 1862. GENERAL: In compliance with your telegram of the 6th instant, requesting a report of the vessels comprising the gunboat fleet which have been under my direction, &c., I herewith transmit the same. Hoping the enclosed report may prove satisfactory, I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brigadier General M. C. MEIGS, GEO. D. WISE, Captain and Assistant Quartermaster. Quartermaster General, United States Army, Washington, D. C. Remarks. List of gunboats, mortar boats, transports, tugs, &c., comprising the western gunboat flotilla, in charge of Captain George D. Wise, assistant quartermaster United States army, attached to the flotilla. No. 6. NEW ALBANY, November 7, 1862. SIR: I received your despatch of the 6th instant last evening, asking me to "transmit to your office without delay a report of the vessels composing the ram fleet under my direction, specifying their names and capacity, where and how received, and where and to whom transferred." I immediately answered by telegraph, giving you the items of information asked for, with a promise of a more detailed report by mail. Enclosed you will find statement of the cost of each boat, the cost of converting them into rams, and the place where purchased, and where fitted up, with a total cost of the fleet as it left here in May last. I had expected ere this to have made a full report in obedience to the order of the Secretary of War contained in the notice of my appointment as fiscal agent of the fleet, of the 20th of May last; but subsequent to that order he ordered the quartermaster at Cincinnati, who had disbursed the funds there, to send his papers to Washington. I did, however, investigate the accounts and look closely into the disbursement of funds and property of the government which had been intrusted to the committee at that place, and found all right so far as the committee and quartermaster have concurred. The prices paid for labor and materials I thought very high, but the committee explained that they had been obliged to submit to some extraordinary charges to enable them to get the work done in the short time allowed. At Pittsburg everything had been done in a very satisfactory manner, the prices paid for labor and materials were low, and a rigid economy had been observed in all the expenditures. On the whole, I think it would have been difficult for the government or for an individual to have had the same amount of work done in the same time at less cost. Colonel Charles Ellet, who felt to some extent responsible for the success of the experiment, spared no pains in getting the fleet out with the least possible outlay of money. The principle adopted by him to strengthen the hulls of the boats to enable them to stand the severe shock to which they were subjected in action, it will be hard to improve upon. His skill as a civil engineer of large experience shows itself prominently in the simple and efficient means adopted for that purpose, and should it be thought advisable to construct other boats to be used as rams it will be desirable, as far as practicable, to incorporate the same principle, by which the whole weight of the boat, without the spring which an ordinary boat would have, may be brought to bear with crushing effect upon the boat struck. The battery barges mentioned in the list of boats were some large barges that had been bought and covered with timber and baled hay, to tow alongside the boats, and protect them from shot, should it have been necessary to pass Fort Pillow and Island No. 10, then in the hands of the enemy. Respectfully, your obedient servant, General M. C. MEIGS, JAMES BROOKS, Quartermaster General, Washington, D. C. Names of boats. Character. Names, description, &c., of boats comprising the United States fleet of steam rams under command of Col. Ellett, with costs, &c. Tonnage. Where bought. Where rebuilt When and where received. Original cost. Total cost. Remarks-When and to whom delivered. do.... Mingo. Lioness Dick Fulton T. D. Horner..... Side-wheel.. do.. 175 do. do.... 200 do. 490 Cincinnati do...... 350 ..do...... 400 do .... 400 Pittsburg Cincinnati do..... 300 Pittsburg Pittsburg. $18,000 00 $7,828 13 Ellett, May, 1862, at New Albany. 22.000 00 21,750 00 7.913 94 8,320 77 434 79 839 84 30.348 73 30,910 61 $555 44 $26,483 57 Turned over to military au thorities at St. Louis, Sept. 20, 1862. Turned over to military authorities at St. Louis, Sept. 20, 1862. do..... From Cincinnati, May, ) 1862. From Madison, May, 1862, 12,000 00 16,258 90 6.018 36 34,277 26 Cincinnati, April 20, 1862.. Pittsburg, May, 1862 do... .do..... Bundry expenses chargeable to the fleet, and not to any particular boat. Sunk in Mississippi river, June 20, 1862. Turned over to quartermaster at Cairo, June 23, 1862. Total cost of fleet and equipments. 275,000 00 |