The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-24
Oar Washington CorresponAence.
WASHINGTON Naroh N 1850

Srdmfng and Sailing Qssdltties-Her Aymdmost-Sus-
cegsl Experiment s0sA TIE Korri, Invention for Pre-
tending The Disturbanos Of the Compass, dc.
have just had an interview With . gentleman Who
was ON board Of the United States gae MsrIimsc
Capt g. j. Pendergast upon her recent trial trip from
Boston to Norfolk and hasten to give you his vsws Of
the same, expressed to
The Merrimas left Boston on Monday Feb. rs, and
arrived ut Norfolk Wednesday, March 8. The
captains orders were to cruise to the eastward
In the hope, II there distressed vessels, that
he might fall in with them. lhe vessel proceeded to
the OF Cape Sable, and then changed her
to the edge Of the Gulf continuing some
times in and sometimes out of it, to Cape Charles
She used steam to the latter place. with the exception
cited below when rails added and then tried her
working qualities under sail alone and worked
like pilot boat Under steam she turned from
east 70 vest in six minutes and thirty seconds,
and from west to east in the same time. She
went about In stays in less than Eve minutes,
under very light wind She was tested In every posi-
ton in which is necessary put ship and gave such
satisfaction to win the special admiration of every per-
son on board In point ct speed she made from two to
nine knots under steam with strong wind dead ahead
which, owing to the assistance occasioned by spars
considered great time With wind abesu she made
elk, six and half and knots varying accord
ance with the amount OF sea running Her propeller
averaged forty revolution per minute In going from
Cape sable 10 Georges Banks her speed tried with
sail and steam She put under three close reefei
topsa oretopmast stsyssu and jib which, with steam,
produced twelve and six eighhs knots with ease wind
tree" She WAS tested sail alone, but in very light
winds, from which it is believed by competent Wit
that under full sail alone with leading breeze
she Will make from fourteen to fifteen knots. BY
.ss ss ro BE- made to
Der ofrevolutous n ade by ihs propeller, the trip,
was forty -four per minute. She easily make fifty
turns after her machinery gets worn little Her
average consumption Of coal thirty per day
she encountered two gales, and 10 neither contest with
the sea did she ship OF water her bow Her
steering qualities ing ally praised There time
that she tsok more snan spske and half of helm to
who accompanied the Merrmac her trip. spe,ks in
The highest praise of her sesming and sailing qualities
storm as gracefully as a ses bird My Informant, Who is
Thor auehy veased in psvs architecture Is quite enthu
siastc in her aise Che' Constructor Lentha of this
city, modelled the Meri TIA &C, and her building
superintended rs the HERALD readers undoubtedly
member, by Mr.. Delano, OF the Chsrlestown yard.
Her engine and boiler built at the West Point
Foundry Cold Spring. n Y. The latter WAS Instruct
ed upon the plan Of Mr.. Danis P. Martin, Engineer in
She engineered her late trip by the folio wing
Eve experet ced engineers employed by the contractors
who the copstruc the engine David
Worcen, who put the engine up; M. Reynolds formerly
engnee Of the Pioneer California steamer the Pacific
sioe Mr. Hicks engineer o! the steamer John Harvey,
that formerly piled from Boston to st John, n. B.; Co
verneur Kembls of the engineer and boiler
The MerrimAc carries forty shell euns-two 1O-inch
twenty -four 9nch and fourteen inch. Two expert
mace
nance officer, Lieut. Jones' The exercise considered
quite successful. Shells were fl red st two mes range
and nearly all exploded about two feet above water
two exploded about two fest under water pro-
duoins terrible conmodJn Only two shells wsnt dowa
and not to explode Three shots out Of four
estimated by the ordnance officers, would sink any
ship at that distance The gunnery spoken Of being
very skifu performance the part OF Lieut. Jones.
tits gratifying to learn that the difficulty here o'cre
complained Of growing of the fact that the
of chips of been less attraced by the
iron guns thersby throwing off their course,
iDv Ia
has been obviated by the discovery OF Captain Norris OF
compasses used board the Merrmac embrace the
Morris improvement" and guided the ship on her
course without the slightest variation.
lis cue to Captain Peneer gras, TO that hs exh
bted untirirg vigilance his endeavors to = lair
test Of the ships qu.hies He expresses himself highly
pleased With her in all respects. This is praise enoug1
for Mr.. Delano, able constructor of the yard at
Charesto~n VINO superintendent her building.
WASHINGTON, March 81 1856.
The StrinoIes ia F,oidd-Arother Florida War in
brio--Hoao At has teen Brought A5o,a-Army Officers
Less Successful India. AgeaS than Cirlians--7he
War DEPARTMENTS USu1Tati7n Of he Prerogatsres of The
Indian Bureau in the Interior Department.
We appear to be the OF another protracted
with the remnant of Seminole Indians Florida. Our
last hostities with these Indians continued for
lorg yesrs-from 1885 TO 1s42-during which time
thirty nilols of dollars expended in efforts to
susdue and remove them TO country apart for
with only partial Thousands of troops
employed sganst them, hundreds Of liable lives
sacrificed ard immense amount of property lost
destroyed during the Dgiorous contest Some Of
most renowned and skul gensrsls were successfully
sent sanst the enrsged and desperate savags none Of
whom ded to thei previously earned aures by their
efforts to conquer their savage but gal foe Gaines
Cinch Cell, Scott, Jesup, Taylor, Armstead, Worth
all failed accomplish the subsection and removal of
by srsnseme mt effected By General Worth with the
Indians by which agreed that the latter might
main vi hin c-cumscribsd limits OF country, they
stipula,irg peacefully and quietly. They KEEP.
their premise fsr yesrs neither rnoles ting
noyipg citizens Bat in spring OF 184s from
cause unknoEn, parry Ct Them lett their reser
walton. made attack upon email settlement some
distance eff mude ed several whites and destroyed
effort to effect their by the military of the
government, but as previously without sue cess The
distinguished General Tsgg With large body of troops
TO overswe them and with liberal promises OF money to
them Individually failed to effect their removal Again
large expenditure of money was fruiiessly incurred
Finally, all attempts OF the military poser Of the 60
vernment, though attended with expense,
having tailed accomplish the object desired the then
Com missioner of Ind an Affairs The Don Mr. Lea in 1851
conceived and executed toe plan uencing the re-
noy3l cf the dams through the efforts OF
pisneo civilian instead OF an army Off ,e Vito the as
appreciation f the Secretary Of the Interior the
Hon Mr. stewart MIR. Commissioner Lea entered into
contract with gentleman Of integrity and reliability
Indians Of the south ARD sou Invest and who WAS veil
acquainted with them thsir character and habits
ard well known 10 have much influences soma of
their chiefs and braves TO remove them west quietly
and in DETAIL ne might induce par les OF them
TO 70. As it was well known that the undertaking
would be hszal deus one, and require time and in
volve considerable expense il was stipulated that
he contractor, IL successful Ia removing the Indians
for ali remsyd Uraveid.be delays connected with the
necessary preliminary srsngsn EMS prevented the
tractor from commencing dIrecs operations until some
I'M IN IL
complete This pan Of procedure however,
not elfhed by the military gentlemen, of Them
who were stationed in Flofds 81 the time, and whose
province 1t had been TO keep kind Of watch the
lncians.
The contractors would be q direct reheston
upon those army officers nequence Of the failure
of all their efforts TO the ladians and besides
81 would, by skpg away all occasion for their rom Ain.
ing In Florida, tend ther from esssnt
D. ston Q delightful climate where they had IN ,celx