The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-11-24
rl|Efalk.

~ and trnst vet destined to be commercial sea.
D ,rt of the arst magnitude recovered with .
SORT of youthful energy from the calamity that be.
fol her last year. We had the pleasure Of traver-
sing her streets few day since and Of beholding
the signs of her restoration to her former CONNER
msrciai activity. We had moreover the added
Qualification Of shaking the hands Of many OF Aer
generous citizens justly famed for their COURTESY
liberal hospitality and genial hearts. Il
Twelve months ago Norfolk was snrouded In
gloom. The sad drapery Of mourning was every
whore visible. There was hardly family which
had not lost one or more of the members OH own
immediate household or some ofits near relations
II was painful to the stranger to behold these
signs Of woe among people who had suffered 10
never people suffered before from plague. Now,
however, all is changed. The year has gone by,
and with II the mourning weeds have been dis.
carded. Norfolk again looks gay and cheerful. and
her citizens are devoting themselves to their avo.
cations with their wonted spirit and enterprise.
There are many new buildings either completed
or in progress Among the latter is the new Gus
te.n House, which is built of granite, and the de-
sign of which is handsome. These evidences of
prosperity are gratifying to the friends of Nor
folk, and we trust they are merely the first symp-
tOms OF u moI6 EApiu improvements
The Railroad Bridges across the East Branch Of
the Elizabeth River and other waters for the Nor.
folk and Petersburg Railroad, are in progress, and
from the number of persons engaged, we suppose
must be going ahead rapidly. We had not the
opportunity of inspecting the work close, but our
friend, DR.. MALLORY, the able and energetic Pres.
ident of the Road described it to us as being one
of the most strong and durable of the kind in the
Union. We were gratiied to see these connections,
that are to conduct the Railroad trains into the City
of Norfolk in the of construction; for it is
of the greatest importance to that CITY, that the
trains should reach it without breaking of bulk
and without the inconvenience and delay of wa.
ter transportation from the Portsmouth side of the
Elizabeth River. It'll railroad connection due to
Norfolk upon every consideration, and without
which she would suffer material injury. The
Railroad WILL we are sure, be pushed ahead with
all possible energy by the President and his col
leagues, and when it is completed the city of Nor
folk will be put in communication with the heart
of Virginia, by the most rapid known mode of
TRANSPORTATION, as she ought to have been years
since.
We visited once more the extensive Navy Yard
| of Gosport and were as much interested as ever
in the things there to be seen. We found that
there had been greet extension of the different
departments, and that the general system and
order of the place had been considerably improved
This was especially manifest in the department of
ship stores and clothing, which is under the man
agement of Purser SPEIDEN, gentleman to whom
we and others from this city, eve many obligations
for his politeness In attending US through his ware
house The arrangement and order that prevailed
throus hout reflected the highest credit on Purser
| S. The modes of packing and storing perishable
articles appeared to be the very best for promo.
| ting their preservation, and the readiness with
which ship may be proyisoued Gin some twenty
our hours,) shows the admirable system of the de-
partment.
We visited that noble ship, the PENNSYLVANIA,
| now under the command of Capt. j. r. TUCKER
| To him are we and others indebted for the most
obIeing and hospitable attentions not only while
| IN board his noble vessel, but in enc prolonged
survey of the Navy Yard, during which we had
the pleasure of his company, and the aid OF his ex'
| n,anatiops of all we saw-wthout which we would
have profitted but little by our Investigations
THE Pennsylvania is in a condition of cleanliness
and order that may be pronounced faultless She
il however old fashioned, and looks as though she
| survived the times with which she should have
| disappeared The new and improved models of
Naval Architecture throw her into the shade and
is now copectured that if she is ever commission.
ed for active service she will necessarily have to be
heightened, and possibly be converted into pro-
| peer with which alterations properly made, she
would be among the grandest and most powerful
| of naval vessels aAoat.
| Not far from the Pennsylvania were those mag
| niicent models of art in ship buildng-the Col'.
| RADIO and Roanoke-that fill with admiration all
who behold them. They are each nearly one hun.
dred feet longer than the Pennsylvania, and are
to be supplied with guns of immense calbre The
machinery for these, doth of which are steamers)
| is from the Tredegar works of JOSEPH r. ANDER-
SON, of this city. The Roanoke which lies in the
Dry Dock, has her engines on board and is rapidly
fitting out for sea- We explored her interior, and
| felt lust pride in her massive machinery, which
reflects the highest credit on the Tredegar works,
and on this city of course remains to be tested
| but II is finished and fitted in the most mastery
style, and we anticipate that it will operate most
| successfully.