The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-04-08
UNITED STATES SHIP PORTSMOUTH


ted States sloopoi-war Portsmouth after cruise which
has been xended 10 nearly three and half years
received with unusual interest by the citizens OF this boz
rough Her commander, Thomas A. Dornnl esq long a
resident OF Norfolk and universally esteemed for his per
sonal and professional qualities met all hands warm
and heartfelt greetings Of welcome home Despite his long
absence the reception that followed his return told that
time had chilled the high regard entertained for him.
abated the remembrance Of bis former intimate and
amiable communication with his friends and neighhors.
Three years and half from home family, and friendsl
The recompene adequate for such sacrifice be best
estimated by those whose intercourse with home synpa-
,hes home comforts and home associations is dis
turbed How truthful the lines;
:. If solid happiness prize,
Within Dur breast this jewel lies
And they fools who
The world has nothing to>bestow;
From selves our joys must How,
And that dear hut, our home
The Portsmouth sailed from Boston in December, 1851,
of the Pacific squadron then under command Of
Commodore McCauey During her cruise she has visited
Rio Janciro Valparaiso Callao, Payua Tombez, Puma
Guaysquil Panama. San Francisco, Monterey Santa Bar
bara San Diego, Mazatlan San Bias Acapulco, San Car
los Realego San Juan Ponta Arena Panama the second
time Toboga, San Juan the second time, Hlo Honolulu,
and Lahaina Sandwich islands, Honolulu the second
time San Francisco the second time, Honolulu the third
time San Francisco the third time, Ensenada in Lower
California San Diego the second time Ensenada the
time Acapulco the second time Callao the second time
Honolulu the fourth time from which port she sailed
the Sd of last December under orders for home She stop
ped on her way 0tehee of the Society Islands,
and at Fort Royal Martinique from which place she is
last arrived Her voyage from 0tehete TO Cape Horn
remarkably bosterous having had continuous gale from
the meridian Of 150 deg west the parallel OF AZ deg
SOUTH TO the meridian of Cape Horna distance of
hree thousand miles. From Cape Horn to Norfolk Tex
cept the gale which she encountered off Cape Hat
teras which has kept her off coast for five days her
voyage has been pleasant although inerspersed with fret
auent calm aud light winds. Under oil these dsadvan-
tageos circumstances she is but los sailing days from
Honouua indication of the fine sailing qualities of
the vessel To follow the list of places the Portsmouth has
visited upon the chart idea be formed of the activ
y her crossings She has been at sea for Sis days and
her log shows that she has sailed about 5000 miles
By reference to a journal of this cruise struck
with the Of the service it has been the fortune
the Portsmouth to perform She present at Guayaqu
when Gen. Flores attempted by foreign force to subyer
the existing government Of Ecuador and by landing por
of her protected the property of citizens and
other foreigners while her had the effect Of
dampening the ardor of the Adventures lead to
hasty abandonment Of their nerous expedition At San
Juan del Sud- the Pacific terminus of the Nicaragua route
the appearance Of the Portsmouth most opportune in
the adjustment of serious difficulties which bad arisen
tween the authorities there and passengers to and from
California Also, Honolulu in the disturbance which
created in consequence of the death of American
hale in alteration with the police which led to the
burning of the government houses and threatened
the destruction of the city and the immense whaling prop
erty aaoa the presence of the Portsmouth for
tunae aud the prompt and udicous pursued by
Captain Dornn quoted the exasperaed of the whale
ships and restored confidence while justice the
same time obtained in the fair and equitable trial of the
alleged offender before jury composed mainly of Amer
can citizens. The Portsmouth subsequently ordered
TO Lower California suppress the far-famed Walker
expedition Here her blockade of the so vg
liant as TO prevent the possibility Of additional supplies of
and munitions reaching the encampment OF Ensenada
and the by the officers of the Portsmouth of the
prominent leaders in this movement led to its final and
total dsorganizaton After this service had been per-
formed on her way south the Portsmouth looked in at
Mazan and here again another occasion exercise
the functions with which naval officer is ntrused and
TO perform one OF the purposes for which the navy
originally created Captain Donn learned that fifty
persons claiming to be American citizens incarceated
in filthy prson-ship anchor in the harbor IT soon
made clear to him that there tangible charge Of
violating the laws Of Mexico against any single one of
them that they had been unusty seized at Quay
mas some months before his arrival imprisoned there for
while sent afterwards Mazatan, chained in the hold of
small and diseased vessel and only removed from the
equally vile prison shore the night of the day upon
which the Portsmouth arrived. 1t the intention of
the Mexican authorities before the arrival of the Ports
mouth send these fifty Americans by ST Bias and
thence by foot the mountains and burning plains
of Mexico to the capital Had this been
mated their fate would have been easily predicted al
though would have been positively assured To
the unexpected presence of this gallant ship and the cool
decisive yet conciaory policy OF Captain Dornn these
liberated and sent to San Francisco To have
thus promptly obtained the liberty of these unfortunate
citizens from officials proverbaly barbarous those
of Mexico without force is fact highly
pmen,ary the commander of the Portsmouth and 10
the character of the ship Again at Acap1co Upon her
last visit that port II found blockaded by force
of Santa Anna there to prevent the passenger
and from San Francisco from entering there for coal
and water The nadequacy of the blockadng force and
the serious injury it might inct upon steamers which
with thousand passengers wanting coal and water
prevented from entering the harbor determined Capt
Dornin TO notify the commander Of the Mexican blockade
that he should AT all hazards convey in and Of Ac-
puco all American requiring necessares for the
continuance of their voyages. Thus the blockade
raised and steamers communicated uuinterruptedly
with that important and essential stopping place.
The Portsmouth, she lays anchor looks more like
vessel the point of departure than one on return
from long cruise Her outside gives indications of thor
ough scrubbing freshenng up the paint work where was
required her masts seraped aud beautifully stayed The
tips of her tuddingsail blooms touched with lively paint
and her rigging, though old and worn, looks aut aud
shiny ia its black The ranes stand in parallel or
deno Bit Of chatting gear be seen about her swinging
boom ladders ready in word externally everything abou,
her looks all end On board her magnificent battery
Of ess and s2s is brilliant with amp-back beeswax and
he's 1f, 81. ~