Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-07-28
CITY INTELLIGENCE.

DtEAMER FANDKRBILT-VIsIT OF THE CITY UOUH
cILs-We visited, on Saturday, by invitation, this
splendid specimen of naval architecture. The
members OF the Board Of Aldermen and Common
Council were seyerally introduced 70 Captain Tenn
pleton, the gentlemanly agent Of Commodore Van
derbilt, by Mr.. AtLee, on board the steamer
Thomas Collyer, which had been chartered for the
purpose of carrying them on board the Wander
but. IL is impossible for us TO give anything like
an adequate description OF this noble ship To do
this, would require an active scrutiny of at least
twenty -four hours duration. The hour which we
spent on beard enabled us TO do little more than
walk around her decks, peep into innumerable
state rooms, promenade her magnificent saloons
and glance at the beautiful machinery which pro-
pels her through the water at such an astonishing
rate.
The ship is unfinished; she has no furniture on
board she Is not even painted; she Is In the
rough; but visters can the better Judge of her
immense proportions; the size Of her saloons and
state-rooms, and of the particular pains which
have been taken to secure free circulation of air
throughout the whole ship, especially in those
places which, in other vessels are, from their con-
struction, confined, and unhealthy on this account
Her state-rooms are larger by two feet than those
of any other vessel atioat, and contain each, in
addition to the usual furniture full length lounge
and toilette stand. Her cabins and saloons are
ornamented with American wood, and most sump-
tuously are they ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a rich
ness OF appearance ut once neat tasteful, beaut-
full, grand, which, to be appreciated, must be seen.
In this single particular, Mr.. Vanderbilt has paid
a compliment to his country which we trust win
be appreciated by dealers in foreign woods at
home and abroad.
Let those who affect to doubt the fitness of
woods of American growth, either in strength,
durability, or beauty, for cabinet purposes 90 on
board the Vanderbilt, and examine for themselves.
and it. after SO doing, they prefer mahogany rose
wood, lockwood, or any other wood of foreign
growth to American, why, then, they have little
taste and less judgment, in our opinion.
As regards the accommodations on board this
ship il will be sufficient perhaps, to say that the
comforts and conveniences Of secoad-ciass passen-
gers, as great as those of frst-class on board
other sea-going passenger vessels. Her culinary
arrangements perfect. Meats and other dishes
intended for the table, kept hot by magnifi-
cent arrangement, heated by steam, which is Ioca-
ted in the commodous pantry, Immediately be-
tween the first and secondclass dining saloons,
and yet the saloons are entirely free fir m the odors
of the kitchen, unpleasant to all, and to many
highly disagreeable-especally during the first
week of voyage.
When at sea, she will condense one thousand
gallons OF fresh water daily more than enough for
consumption, yet is she provided with tanks con-
tanning sufficient supply for all purposes, nde-
pendent of that produced by the condensing appa-
ratus.
She may be said to be fre-proof-such are the
precautions and 80 just the calculations that have
entered into her construction, that il is next kin
to impossible for her to take fire. She might, of
course, be set on fire purposely; but for such an
event. even, she is prepared for in five minutes
the whole ship can be completely flooded with
water and the fire most effectuay extinguished
We unhesitatingy pronounce her to be the finest
specimen of naval architecture country has yet
produced. Com. French Forrest says "she is the
finest built ship he has ever SEEN" That she is
the strongest and most irmlyput together we hon.
estly believe She is built of Florida i've oak, some
of her sticks costing 800 each.
Her dimensions, capacity tonnage machinery,
&C., &C., have been described in late number of
this paper SO that it is unnecessary at this time to
recapitulate.
After having been conducted through the ship,
the members of the two Boards generally returned
to the city on board the steamer which brought
Senators, Representatives, and numerous citizens,
accompanied by their ladies, to view the noble
proportions of this beautiful yet mammoth ship.
The Inequalities Of the ship were extended to
all her visiters; after which, in high good humor
the parties returned to the city.
Among the visiters we noticed some young men
whom we concluded belonged to that class denOm-
mated " fast" and certainly they earned the title
for their applications to the champagne were fast
and frequent and they bolted the good things with
appetite fresh and fast, as though they had
lately sustained long fast.
FALSE ALARM-An alarm of fire was sounded
on Saturday night, about half past ten o'clock, in
the Eastern section Of the city. The companies
from the other portions of the city proceeded at
quick pace in that direction, when they found,
upon arriving in the neighborhood of the Capitol,
that the alarm had been given without any cause,
so far as fire was concerned, there being none to
be found. While the Northern Liberties and Per-
severance companies were descending the South
side of the hill, on their return home consider
able disposition seemed to manifest itself on the
part of some persons in the neighborhood of the
South gates to make general attack upon them,
but upon second thought they seemed to deem
discretion the better part OF vaor and desisted
from making the attack. We think it was best
they should do so there would, in all probability,
have been a serious riot If they had made the at
tack. The parties spoken Of rallied under the
name of Rams" and few under the name Of
Second Ward"
The above facts have been communicated to US
by responsible eye witness Nearly all the dis
turbances that occur among firemen are excited
by outsiders, having no connection with the COM
panies. We know that, as a general thing our
fircmen disposed to be orderly, quiet, and gen.
temanly in their department, and IL not interfered
with and provoked in the performance Of their
duty will never be found engaging in rows or dis
orderly behavior; they have a character to main
tain, and we believe they are determined to main
tain il unsuled.
THE VANDERBILT.--The steamer Vanderbilt took
her departure as suddenly as she made her appear
ance. She got up steam and left early on Sunday
morning, for New York It is supposed. The steam
er Minnesota has not yet got off, and probably will
not until we have some heavy rains. The tide has
not been making full lately as usual, in conse-
quence Of the drought.
MR. LOCAL EDITOR: Certain parties have seen