The daily republic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1853-1853, 1853-08-01
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.


WAsnlNGroN, July u, 1853.
MIR. Daniel T. Sickles has been appointed Sec
Rotary of Legation to London, as ! supposed he
would be- He is an accomplished gentleman, an
eminent lawyer, and will undoubtedly make an
able officer He has been for number Of years
one of the shrewdest leaders Of the Young
Democracy of New York, and latterly con-
nected with the wing known the Hards.
He is, however, much SIN advance" of most
of the leaders of that wing in all matters of
foreign policy, and his appointment should GER
tainly be set down to the account of "Young
America, Notwithstanding the political company
he has kept so long. Though singularly expert
wire-worker--the very soul, indeed, of the New
York Hard-shel clique--always present at the
primary meetings, and engaged actively in every
scheme to promote the party success Of s'the De-
mocracy,'' he is much better than most of
the operators with whom he associated. Indeed,
it has often been matter of surprise that one 80
gentlemanly in his address, and SO refined and ac-
complished withal should have such familiar as
sociations with the pot house politicians Of Tamma-
ny. 1t is only another exempfication of the pro-
verb that ''poltics make strange bed-fellows."
He left the city yesterday afternoon with his COM
mission, which was signed by Assistant Secretary
Mann. Indeed, it is stated that Mr.. Marcy ex-
pressed has preference that some else than he
should sign the commission of the inveterate
Hard shell. Query: Did the fact that he would
be hard pill to Mr.. Marcy influence his seec-
ton by Mr.. Buchanan, or have the Harmonious =
real ly resolved to let by-gones be by-gones'
Mr.. Buchanan positively sails for Liverpool on
Saturday next, and Mr.. Sickles hopes to get off
with him, although it is not certain that he will
do so.
Mr.. Marcy left the city yesterday afternoon for
the Berkeley Springs honestly, believe.
MIR. Jackson, of Georgia, is expected here this
week on his way to Austria, as United States
Charge.
| do not believe there is shadow Of foundation
for the rumor that Colonel James Gardiner editor
of the Augusta (Ga) Constutionalist, will get the
mission to France. Dix is the man-atler the
elections.
A contract was sometime since made with
Rowland s. Aspinwall to purchase and trans
port to the China or Japan seas, supplies Of
coal for the Japan squadron, for which they
received commission of ten per centum
on all expenditures. These commissions will
amount in the aggregate to about $4,000.
There is probability that the Navy Department
will change entirely the system of purchasing
coal for the navy, saddling that duty on the Navy
Agents, and thus saving the commissions. A good
move, truly, if it works well understand, in
fact that the coal agency heretofore penteously
filled by Colonel Jamison has been abolished.
MIR. McClelland, Secretary of the Interior, has
returned to the city from his western trip
Mr.. Walker has gone to New York, but there
is still no indication of any effort by the Govern
ment to furnish him with the means of getting to
his post This subject of the inefficiency of our
navy is growing upon public attention If our
steamers were good for anything, there would be
no difficulty in supplying this present imminent
necessity. The fault is in the cheap machinery,
constructed by the 'flowest bidder, and therefore
in haste. They manage better in the English
navy, where they put their engines together in the
machine-shops, set them running, and keep then,
them into the hull This is much better, and far
more satisfactory, than "trial trips, when it is
too late to remedy readily any important de-
feet When we get Government machine-shops
we may hope to secure similar precaution; until
then we shall continue to have Prncetons and
our steam navy. Then, too, we can have engines
built in advance ready for use; and, as bulls can
always be constructed at very short notice, we will
be in a situation at any time to get up powerful
steam fleet to meet sudden emergency.
ZEkE