The Express.
London, England, 1856-09-30 00:00:00

THE STEAM FRIGATE MERRIMAC.

The United States screw steam frigate Merrimac,
new lying in Southampton Water, is 300 feet long. The length
of her spar deck is 281 feet. Her breadth of beam is 61}
feet, and depth of hold to gun dock 26 feet 3 inches. Her
capacity at load line is 4,687 tons, and draught of water 23}
fest. She has two 10-inch, 24 9-inch, and 14 S-inch guna.
Her 10-inch guns weigh 12,00011)a each, and the 24-inch
guns 9,0001 b. each. The former would throw 130-pounden,
the letter 84-pounders, and her Binch guns 64-pounder.
Although Sir Howard Douglas is a great authority amongst
American naval men, they differ, it appean, from him as
to the comparative merits of solid shot and 'bell ; fur they
intend that the Merrimac shall fight with shells.
The weight of the 10-in:h shells on board the frigate when
unloaded is 101Ibs. ; of the 9-inch shells, 69Ibe. ; and of the
Bir ch ones, 49411 n. The weight of metal frem a broadside
from the Merrimac, in solid shot, would be 1,716ibe., end in
1,3821 be. One of the peculiarities of Dahigren's
guns which are on board the frigate is the enormous dis-
proportion between the thickness of the breech, where the
ant s►ock of the eaplosiois takes plaoe, and that of the
°ban of the gun. Thee the breech metal in the pivot
guns is 10 inches thick, while the thickness of the chase is
not above 21 lather; yet, notwithstanding this, when Dahl-
grea's guns are purposely put to,the extreme teat, they burst
et the breech, and not at the chase, which shows that the

disproportion in thickness is not too great. The local
variation of nominates is counteracted on hood the /dorsi-

mac by three &ingests, whose powers and position are
adjusted by some caret calculation to the variable
attractive powers tithe different pans of the ship. The
method of calculation is the invention of an American, who
has not divulged his seerot. MA adjustment has &cowered
extremely well in the Merrimac. Hoisting arrangements

are attached to the screw cf the frigate. The screw is 28
feet 2 inches in pitch, and 17 lest 4 inches in diameter. The
frigate has a 2-rod oterple engine, with a 72-inch cylinder
and a 3-foot stroke. The pressure of steam is 20145. to the
square inch. The rovointlons are 30 per minute. The
engine department Is furnished with independent auxiliary
engine' for coaling the ship, and with four of Martin's
patent vertical flue boilers, and a steam sr gine register and

ihronemeter clock. The two latter are rare end cosily instru-
ments for an engine-room. The consumption of fuel is 35 tons
a day, full steam. The chief engineer's room is fitted up with
every requisite for any imaginable accident that may occur.
The length of the main mast of the Merrimac 123 feet;
the fore mast is 111 feet, end the Wren 1091 fret. The
size of the mainsail is 51 square feet, of the foresail 40
square feet, of the maintop 45 square feet. and of the jib 24
square feet. The whole area of the Merrimac's sails is 665
square feet. In order to carry an enormous armament, and
to fight the heavy ships and batteries that she would be
pitted against, she has been constructed of very great
strength. She has iron trersept braces 44 inches wide, and
of en inch thick between the outer and inner planking
intending from the cheer plank to the keel. Her knees are
of prodigious strength end solidity. In war time she
would wry a few more guns of the same calibre at those
she bat saw on bard, and about 100 more men than she
now mutters. There are many things in this frigate de-
serving the attention of Englishmen. Her quarters for
fighting are very roomy compared wick those of English
line-of-battle ships, crowded as the latter are with guns end

men. Thus, in battle, there would be far less destruction
of life on board the Merrimac than on bcrird an English
ship. The pane ty of guns on board tl.e frigate is
compensated for by their large calibre, and the frigate
being more easily managed than our three-deckers, she
would with her artillery—superior both in length of range

acd towers of mischief—do fearful damage to the largest
hoe-of-battle ship before the lamr ctuld approach her.
These hen been tre reasons that !me induced the Ameri-

cans to build and arm such frigate. :s the Merrimac, and the
practice of a nation so shrewd, go-stead, and brave as Ame-
rica undoubtedly fa, ought not to be despised. Tne Merri-
mac took two years building. She is the smallest of 6 fri-
gate., built on the same plan, the names ef the other. bean
the Wabash, Alioneross, Colorado, ftsavoke, and Niagara.
The Merrimeo was stotioned a shyer time at Havana before
she came to Sou•hampton. On Fr. day last, Ceptsin Pren-
dergast, her commander, and some of his calmer, dined
with the Counters of Ilardwicke, nt *er beautiful sea en
the banks of Southampton Water, clove U wharc the frigate
is lying, and the Americans were charmed with her lady-
ship's graceful bespitality. The Esrl of Hirdwicke, who
is a captain in the British navy, is from home•
The officers are quiet, gentlemanly, and well-read men,
. .

. _
and, like English sailor., take great pride it their profu-
sion. They of nacre bslieve Americans quite equal, if cot
superior, in plink, in science, and in fighting, to English-
men, and ayparently would not be indispose 1 to have a
brush with ss. With all this, it is curious, however, to
notice the deep regard they betray for Old England, sad
the numerous inquiries they make as to the distance front
Southampton of Stratford on-Avon, Abbotsford, sod other
/Ascii connected with England's peaceful worthies. The
arrival of the Merrimac is a godsend for Southampton, oa
account of the money the min and ofilz..-rs wilt spend in the
town. Buraboate and boats laden with provisions and
visitors ate continually going cif to the fig it.. Sines Mr.
Croskey, the American e .nrul, br•ught the first United
Slates mail packet to S ,uthatuf t,n, half a million sterling
has been spait in thst town in American &Aare from the
various men—f-war mid mail packets belonging to the
United States that h,ve called at the port.

Tke King of Sardinia entertained Mehemet Djemil
Bry, the Turkish ambassador, eit tits table on the 25th.
Aisocg the Karst. were Sir ,1. II :Aaiun and the Due de
Grammont, the Britieh and French embstrod•rs ; the
Cho valise de Lamm!, minister rf lielgium ; the members
of the Sardinian e .binet, and other eli.tinguiabsd per-
sonages.
The Arri4c states that, piece the 21e', the moun-
tains of Secret are cos- red with I,IIOW, en I stracreinory cc-
, earreoce at this season of the year. The velvet., bear" thus
driven from the mountains, have n.reel is the plain, de-
voured thirty-two sheep, and committed other serious
ravages. It weuld sppear that snow boa also fallen in
other parts of France, ea the Nentinelle ae Jere; says:—
" Snow fell rather heavily no the 211th al g the bills near
Bois d'Ament, and on the 21st a sharp 1n st took plsce la
the same locality."
[Advertiassment.l—AT Me.
toms llt, Regent-eirea. tin 4, Loodelinhllttoest, and (17etst
Must U. exhibited IAe faun .;e covens of Itritiph rnooefacturee,ta
Dverdweases, Work-boom. Wri:stosodett, Dessiortoge, and other
ankles of utility at luxury suitable for preantattoo., A trparate de.
for Varier 1.4.,h 761ar. A:iet,rlV, and l'asttrile TOW% Tette
dory, Moore, Odesore, Peztoiset, Plate, Cc. Shipping
orders snouted. dame rims chusedat sal the ketabilsbemotse
New "how Rooms at On ittitrAt-otre,t EttVioe'retitt tot toe *ale of
noon rote to spool, !zees, eat a Tortltr of attest'.

1:11E POLICE COURTS.
11418 DAY.

GUILDHALL.
lITINSITS DOSSZRT IT ♦ SISTANT.

Therese Sievene was charged before Sir H. Muggeridge,
with stealing • quantity of furl and other article., the pro'
perry of Melees. Decree sad Co, his neaten.
Robin rerlissau, a detective officer, said : Yesterday, be-
tween twelve and one o'clock in the afternoon, I went with
Mr. Borne to the prithner's lodgings, No. 1, Northport-
street, Houton, and in two rooms on the ground Lop I
fouled cue squirrel victoria:it, one equine' pair of cuff., a
parasol, a silk tie, some epee's of paper, and some cram•
moots for fur.. 1 returned to the warehtuse of Sr.
Doer's, is Aldermanbury, nod maw the prisoner. I
Showed him the preperty produced, and teld him that I
had found it at his lodging', and asked him
how to acc.imeted for the pow/salon of it. He said he
had piarcheeed the boa shout twelve soothe ego, and the
cuff.. perasole, nod tie he bought eta retail shop. He said
the ornameots be did take, sod alma the sheets of paper. He
was then gives into my custody, and I found 1.. 10i. be
mosey sod a puree.

Mr. filbert Borns, 12, Aldetenanbury, said—The prisoner
ka bees in oar employment as aa maistant porter. Ho has
been with as five or els years, and has only bran married
within the last fortnight. TN re was a can tried hero ow
Saturday, acd the officer has found that there has bees a
Glom intimacy between the prinaer in that case and the pil-
low at ter bar, and he as in pneasion of about 301. worth
of garde that hoer been lona from ma sad my paragon.
• large yummy of gong wers found at the Swan with
Two Nicks, Orethua-street.

Georgia' Worlaad. 9, Jeronimo-court, St. Juhn-streist,
CirtkenwoU, said asy busbaad is to the =ploy of Chaplin
sad Horse, of Hardoa.aquero. I parabasod this Russo'
produced from elup pr. boat throonsonths ono. liars
Ms 2.. 61e for it. The primmer has married my hasbaad's
shim 1 &IMF perchmed saything ebie from his.
Mr. B orras—l haw. similar roods to this to stock, and
loth these produced ars out of the sass panel ; the whole-
hals prim to 4.. Ild. Ws hors saver sold the prisoaer asp
thing from oar es;ablishniest.

Rob ti Pietism told—l have not hut time to prosecute
iatquir,rs ti ebb ease; bet if a reowacd be grouted. I believe
I rbs:t M able to produce evidence to solute% has with a
nose szteseivo opus of robbery.

Sir Hoary Moopridge said the puuol sight have boa
boy ht for dm on of hie wife.

Barr—lie bed sae for Ilb albs, sod this one be
sold for 2s. ed., sad t►s wholosel• price of it is di. ltd. la
ambers.

Sir Hoary Moggnidge remanded the prismier, to be
Weight up with the mania at dm Bwaa with Two Neck,.

CLERILENWELL.
CflAllOS 07 CIKLITT.

Two lashies►hlydresad miss, who gave the namee of
William Voiles arid Beery Banks, the form, being de.
scribed os the police-sheet as a literseed victualler, mid*:
at the Tarerkehouse, Stamford-hill, and the latter as a
groom, In service at Samford-hill, were placed at the bar
before Mr. Cords, charged with cruelly ill-treaties sad
basting a posy, is Cbursh•street, Stoke Newington.
It opposed from the evidence of Sergeoat Caleb Swords,
33 N, that last night about twisty ■daatm to eleven, be
was oa they I. Charah-street, Stoke Newingtoe, whits he
new the yosoger prisoner driving a pony sad gig is the
dincti.in of Hyrh•s:reet. The defeadast Valles was Sift la
the eft, standing up, sad beating the pay about the body
in the most shameful and cruel manner. Whoa Moat dews,
the pony again walked, it beiag quite ezhausted. Both
defeadatts ware ander the iallaesee of Baser at tba Una ;
and Banks, the younger, was very abash% and seed pry
iasoluag language.

The iefiaaanivalles said that the hone wu a very stab•
tan sae, sad the whip having brakes, Ita mid sot &ay
tkat he brat the posy with the stick. The ,posy was sot
averunliod ; la fact, ft wu very "fat, ragged, sad

lir. Carrie end be did tot think the can of cruelty bad
but male oat mildest Ike defoadasn Banks, and be would
therefore be discharged. Tbn other &headset wu aged
205., or, is default of payment, tauten days' hard labour.
The noway wu Feld.