The interior of the Floating Batter.
--A New York merchant, who, while in
Charleston, was shown through the Floating Battery, furnishes the
Times with the following description of its interior:
Accompanied by one of the
Governor's Aids and met by
Lieut. Hamilton at the entrance, we crawled through the gun holes, and stepped on the main deck.
The first impression is that of immense solidity.
The outer or gun side is covered with six plates of iron--two of them of the T railroad pattern, placed horizontally, and the other four bolted one over the other, in the strongest manner, and running vertically.
The wall of the gun side is full four feet thick, constructed of that peculiar
Palmetto wood, so full of fibrous material that 64-pounders cannot pierce them.
The main deck is wide and roomy.
In nineteen open chambers, on the port side of the deck, we found a profusion of shot--34-pounders, while just beyond them is an immense pile of sand-bags, which protect an overhanging roof, under which is to be placed the hospital.
This also protects the magazines (three in number,) under which is the hold proper.
There are six entrances to the hold, which will contain, if necessary, over three hundred men.--When it is finally moored near
Sumter, there will be four heavy wedges driven down by a species of a ram, which will hold it fast, and prevent any swaying around by the tide.--Although not versed in military matters, I should say that its immense strength of
Palmetto logs and iron combined, with a bombproof roof over all, will make it perfectly impervious to anything that
Major Anderson can bring to bear against it. While thus secure, the inventor claims that he can easily effect a breach in the weak side of the fort.
