this was only eventually accomplished by sinking around it iron plates and building them into a cofferdam, from which the sand was extracted, and at length the gun.

Among the practices which the navyyards have outgrown is the old-fashioned one of building ships in the open air. It would seem so manifest an improvement that a structure which requires months or years for completion should be

THE BROOKLYN NAVY-YARD.

built under cover, that it is quite surprising
that "ship-houses," in which ships are built
preparatory to launching, should rank among
recent improvements. There are several of
Some idea of
these in the Brooklyn yard.
their size may be inferred from the dimensions
of a ship now in process of construction in one
of them-a vessel formerly known as the Kala-
mazoo-before Indian names were abolished-
She is intended
now to be called the Colossus.
as an iron-clad, and has two turrets in Monitor
style. Her extreme length over all is nearly
350 feet; breadth, about 57; depth of hold, 19.
Within her vast wooden frame a truss-work
of iron, composed of long girders and cross-
pieces more frequent and heavier than those
of any bridge of equal size, bolted and braced
together and through her timbers, gives her an
indescribable appearance of absolute and per-
manent strength. She contains a vast venti-
lating apparatus, which is itself a curiosity,
and six steam-boilers, each more than twenty
feet across the face. There are six furnaces
to each boiler-36 in all, giving a heating sur-

MARINE BARRACKS.

face of more than 23,000 square feet, which may be regarded as a small Gehenna, capable of consuming 84 tons of coal per day. Her four engines have each cylinders of nearly four feet diameter, the stroke being a little over four feet-calculated to give to two fifteen-feet propellers sixty revolutions per minute, and a speed for the ship of ten and a half knots per hour.

The only buildings in the Brooklyn yard
which it would be impossible to utilize for the
These are, however, in a part of it
purposes urged are the Marine Hospital and
Barracks.
remote from the water-front. The Barracks
form one of the most attractive resorts for visit-
There is always a squad
ors, and are built on an elaborate plan and main-
tained at liberal cost.

of marines drilling or pacing the green before
their otherwise desolate-looking domicile. The
United States Naval Hospital is near by. It is
a splendid building in the Doric style of archi-
Beside the long corridors,
tecture, surrounded by the heavy foliage of
full-grown trees.
which 230 feet of frontage and 125 feet depth

MARINE HOSPITAL.

provide, are arranged rooms for one hundred invalids. There is accommodation, however, for twice that number; and during the war the space between the wings of the building was filled by a temporary structure, and several hundred patients were admitted. The sick of the navy from all parts of the world are sent to this hospital; for, although there are many other naval hospitals, the rule is to transfer the sick of the navy, when in foreign ports, to any United States vessel going home, and they are sent to the hospital of whatever yard or station the vessel is ordered to. It happens that in many cases there would be too long delay, for the welfare of the patient, in waiting for such a vessel, and he is sent by the quickest lines of travel, which inevitably bring him to New York, and therefore to this hospital.

67 Brs., 1755." Near by is a gun which is all that remains of the ill-fated United States war steamer Oneida. It was taken off that vessel just before she sailed on her last cruise. She was originally built in the Brooklyn yard, being one of twenty-three vessels entirely constructed there during the war. This gun, an 11-inch, passed through all the great actions on the Mississippi, and bears the marks of several engagements during which it was struck by the missiles of the enemy. The heaviest blow by which it was indented was received in Mobile Bay during the passage of the forts from a shot fired by the rebel ram Tennessee. Perched up in a dock, not far from this gun of the Oneida, are now lying the bones of the famous old Hartford, which led in the famous battle in the bay. After she was sent to the Brooklyn yard some improvement was contemplated in her. Her wales were removed, exposing her to top-timbers like the ribs of some vast fossil skeleton. Then the appropriation was stopped, and the work was suspended.

Several torpedo - boats, among others the Midge, captured in Charleston Harbor, are scattered about the yard, and are objects of great interest. The importance of the torpedo in Visitors to the Brooklyn yard will find many modern marine warfare is only beginning to curious objects, other than those named, to in- be appreciated. Attention has been called to terest and attract them. Emerging from the Ad- it in a recent letter from the Secretary of the miral's Office, where it is first of all necessary to Navy. After the war was over, as well as go to obtain passes, trophies are seen on every during its pendency, the obstructions in most side. At every corner of the numerous streets of the Southern rivers had to be cleared and of the yard there is a "great gun," planted blown up by means of torpedoes; in fact, when with the breech in the ground and a ball two the existence of torpedoes among the obstrucor three sizes too large, so that it can by no tions was suspected, torpedoes were the only possibility enter the bore, stuffed part way into safe things to attack them with, as though one the muzzle. At the doors of the Admiral's Of- should fight fire with fire. The Northern vesfice are guns captured during the Mexican war, sels used for dicharging torpedoes are not so some of which, of brass, undoubtedly contain a gracefully constructed as those built at the percentage of the precious metals. One of South. A torpedo-boat of New Bedford conthese, captured at San Juan de Ulloa, is a 30-struction, preserved in the Brooklyn yard, looks pounder, and is covered with ornamental en- about as beautiful in outline as a stiff, dead graving. Various inscriptions are interspersed. lamprey-eel, except that a smoke-stack stuck Its title is "Le Robuste," which its appearance in it, like a pin in an insect, gives it a somedoes not belie. The motto "Ultima Ratio what different effect at first sight. But each Regum" ("The last resort of kings"), twits and all of these torpedo-boats impress the beupon facts after a manner akin to sarcasm. holder with the belief that size is not the true "Nec pluribus impar" ("Not an unequal match test of force. for numbers") did not apply at the time of its capture. There are names, titles, and a date upon it, as follows: "Louis Charles de Bourbon, Comte D'Eu, Duc D'Aumale," and "A Douay par Berenger, Commissaire des Fontes,

Massive iron-clads as well as mighty frigates are not invulnerable when attacked by these enemies, whose proportions are to theirs like those of a wasp to an elephant, but carrying a more fatal sting.

The receiving-ship of every navy-yard is al

ways attractive, for it is the residence of the sailors. The Vermont is the present receivingship, which is anchored off the navy-yard at Brooklyn.

other seven yards and six stations of the country. The yards are at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Norfolk, Pensacola, and Mare Island, California; the stations are at Annapolis, League Island, Sackett's Harbor, New London, New Orleans, and Mound City, Illinois. The number of men employed at these is now about the same as just before the breaking out of the rebellion. The number which may be employed if a national scheme for reviving American shipping is devised can be imagined by the statistics which have been preserved of the operation during the war of the Brooklyn Navy-yard. In 1860 there were about 1200 men, and there was paid in all about $200,000 during the year. In 1861 the largest number was about 3700, and the total year's payments were about $680,000. In 1862 the corresponding figures were 4800 men, and $2,000,000; in 1863, 5000 men, and nearly $3,000,000; in 1864, 5900 men, and $3,750,000; in 1865, 6200 men, and $4,000,000; the culmination being in August, 1865, when the payments for that month were a little above $400,000.

The first receiving-ship employed in the United States Navy was built at the Brooklyn Navy-yard. It was an immense steam floating battery, called Fulton the First. While fastened to the dock as a receiving-ship, on the morning of the 4th of June, 1829, the magazine on board exploded. Thirty-three persons were killed and a large number wounded. Among the killed was the commander, Lieutenant Breckinridge. The vessel sank at the dock. The ship which succeeded to the unfortunate Fulton, the North Carolina, became, we had almost said, a landmark, and it was popularly believed that she was aground; at all events, she was a fixture associated with the early memories of the people of Brooklyn. There was a school for naval apprentices on board. The vessel had been launched after the war with Great Britain, and, before being thus stationed, had made cruises to the Mediterranean and Pacific. During the rebellion she was sold at public auction, and probably at a mere tithe of The great difficulty to be encountered in the her original cost, as no purchaser could have effort to restore American shipping, it is evihad any use for her except as so much wood, dent, will not be the lack of materials, workiron, and copper, for which she was broken up. shops, and workmen. It remains for statesWhat has been said of the Brooklyn Navy-manship to devise a policy which will give them yard applies, in almost every particular, to the use and employment.

TH

POPE PIUS THE NINTH.

HE eighth day of December, 1869, will long | pilgrims who had assembled from all quarters be remembered by every devout and faith- of the globe to witness the opening of the ful Romanist not only as a day sacred to the Council, and to pick up the crumbs of papal Immaculate Conception of Mary, Mother of benediction that fell from the table of bishops God, but also as that on which the Ecumen- and cardinals. Long before dawn the ringing ical Council, convened by Pope Pius IX., met of bells and booming of cannon announced the in the Eternal City, to receive his benediction, approaching festival. With no other light than and, by appropriate public ceremonies, to in- was afforded by the not over-brilliant street augurate its labors for the purification of the lamps of the city, hundreds were already hurfaith, the overthrow of heresy, and the humili- rying on foot and in carriages to the great ation and defeat of that arch-destroyer of man- temple, now, for the first time since its ereckind-the human reason. The ceremonials tion, to be really filled. At eight o'clock it was which characterized this birthday of the world's thronged. At nine it was crowded. Ninety millennium were not unworthy the high and thousand people, says an eye-witness, were beatific occasion. gathered beneath its roof. The press was fearful. Strong men fainted and were carried out to give their places to others more resolute

The skies were not propitious, but this did not check the enthusiasm of the thousands of