Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-09-20
From the New York Herald.
The Razee Indeuendence

Independence, which is 10 sail IN a few days 10
| join the Pacific squadron. 1t is reported, and
we believe correctly, that she will stop for some
| time at Greytown, on her way thither, orders
having already been issued from the Navy De-
| partment to that effect This is considered
necessary in consequence of the addition which
has been made to the British force in the waters
of San Juan; although her stay there may not
be of long duration.
The Independence has only been recently
fitted up for sea, and has not been engaged in
any service since her return from the Pacific
/ last year. She has her full complement of
men, and her whole force, including the officers
and Marines numbers between five and six
hundred Although forty years old, she is con-
sidered one of the finest and most effective
vessels in our fleet, and has gained considera-
Bile distinction from the many important SER
vices in which she has been employed. The
Independence was the first seventy-fou built
by our government, and at the time she was
4 constructed was considered inferior to none in
the British navy. She has since, however,
been twice raced or reduced, the first time to
a sixty-four, and the last time to a fiftyfour.
The first service in which she was engaged was
at the negotiation of the treaty with the Bar
barry powers, Immediately at the close of the
war in which Commodore Decatur gained so
much distinction for himself and such glory for
his country She was at that time under the
command Of Commodore cambridge as his
flagship, and as she was the first American
seventy-four that ever appeared in the Medi-
| terranean her presence there had wholesome
effect in impressing the pirates with true idea
of our naval strength.
The sight of vessel of such magnitude sur
prised them considerably, as they had been led
to believe by England that our country was re-
stricted by our treaties with that nation from
building ships of that class. Colonel Lear,
while consul from our government at Algiers,
endeayored to disabuse the minister of the Dey
on this point; but as that individual only be-
lieved in visible things, and as he had not seen
any American vessels of that size, he was in
credulous. If you are permitted to build
seventy-fours," he replied, " let us see one of
them and we shall be satisfied The unbeliev-
ing minister opened his eyes, however, when
he saw the Independence sail on one fine morn
ing into the port of Algiers and drop her an
chors right opposite the city. The treaty was
signed upon her capstan, much against the in
clination of the Barbary powers, who used all
their diplomatic tact to have it signed on land.
| Leaving the African coast, Commodore Balm
bridge sailed to Malaga, and from thence to
Gibraltar, where he was joined by the squadron
| of Commodore Decatur. Here he found him
self in command of a squadron of eighteen sail,
the largest naval force that had ever assem-
bled previous to that time under the American
! flag, and this but few months after a war with
the mistress of the ocean.
In 1887 the independence went to ST Peters
burg under the command of Commodore John
B. Nicholson, and having on board George M.
Dallas, minister plenipotentiary to Russia. Dur
ing brief stay at Cronstadt, she was visited
| by the Gar and all his ministers, among whom
was the distinguished diplomatist, Count Mes
| selrode. 1t was the wish of Nicholas to have
visited and left the ship without being recog-
nised; but in this he was disappointed; for it
was soon whispered among the officers that the
Emperor was on board. The pilot, who had
seen him before, informed one of the officers,
and the information was Immediately afterward
reported to the Commodore. In the meantime
| the Gar, totally unconscious that he had been
recognised, was employed in inspecting the
lower hold of the ship, where the water tanks
! are placed AS those were whitewashed, the
clothes Of the Emperor were somewhat changed
| in their color when he made his appearance on
deck. He was dressed in the uniform of one
of his officers the better to conceal himself, and
his condition was very different from that
which one would suppose the Car of all the
| Russias would appear in; but those who had
once seen him, could never forget the man,
who is considered the best looking parsonage
| in all his dominions. On his leaving the ship,
says an officer who was on board the Indepen.
dence at the time, the yards were manned, the
Russian flag was run up to the mainmast head,
and he received salute of forty-one guns,
which was Immediately returned with the same
number by one Of bis own vessels.
Nicholas was highly gratifed by his recep-
ton, and in return ordered the American flag
TO be hoisted at the masthead of one Of his own
vessels, an honor, it is said, never before paid
to any foreign nation. The next day his favor
! lite steamer came alongside the Independence,
and conveyed the commodore and Mr.. Dallas
10 his summer residence. A few days after
this another boat conveyed a number of the
officers to the city, where they found the En-.
peror's carriage waiting TO take them to his
palace. After few weeks stay in Cronstadt,
the Independence sailed for Portsmouth, and
here she was an object Of the greatest attrac-
ton to the English naval officers Of that sta
ton. They had heard Of her, but had no
chance of testing her qualities as a sailer
against any of their own vessels, and were, oil
course, unwilling TO believe all that was claimed
for her in point Of speed. On leaving that
port, however, an opportunity offered to test
ner merlts III tnhb rccpeStt anu Rahdutiy uiu
she sustain her reputation. The Peak, which
was considered the crack" frigate Of the Brit
ish feet, was leaving port about the same time,
and Commodore Nicholson gladly seized upon
the occasion to put an end to the disputed
question as TO which was the faster vessel. All
sail was set on the Independence, and the
masts Of the Peak, as they bent under the in
creased press Of canvas, showed that the Eng.
lish commander was equally eager to enter
upon the contest. For time the victory was
doubtful, and il seemed as If both vessels were
equal but it was for very short time, for be.
fore the day closed the Peak was left far be-
hind in the wake of her opponent.
A detailed account Of the various services in
which the Independence was employed would
| fill volumes, and we have only given two of the
most important. But there is one little incl
dent connected with her history which we can.
not omit. While under the command Of Com
modore Morgan she visited one Of the Austrian
ports, and while there was inspected by the
Archduke and some Of the most distinguished
members Of his court The Commodore, who
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