The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-02-19
UNITED STATES FmeArs rowuArAs,

OUR NAVAL CORRESPONDENCE.
UNITED STATES FRIGlTB PowHArAs,
KsRsoLK Va, Feo. IA, 1859.
Ersdse q The U s. Steamship Porhntan IN the Waters Of
China and Japam-Her Duty During TAree Years-H.r
fnease psed-Captain McCaneys 7reuy uiA The yulscn
5 Berneo-Arriral Of tie ship tn Cnina-Journy to
Jopan-Tortu0ese Bgary Correced-7rip to the Eel
!op Ssa- A Look at the Aanchov Tartars-ReliT {, The
Rtssdxs IN 1aran-Tc Battle lctA Crises Pirates :
Number &uin ty the TophatGa-lfortglilg on Board.
Thinking that it may be of Interest t, your read
to hear something Of the Whereabouts of this fine
steamer, scratch you few hasty lines giving brief
review OF her Performance during three years. cruise
In China ana Japan waters
The Powhataa left Norfolk the 18th OF February,
1853, to join Commodore Perrys japan expedition With
fine crew Of men And well ofcered she started full Of
hope and anticipation. fine Of fteen Gays enabled
her TO reach Madeira where, coating with despatch she
proceeded under sail alone, with buckets oG the Wheels
to within few hundred mss Of ST. Helena. fair OPP
portuny thus given to try the apaciy Of the ship
both ftesmer and a sacr; and 1. may be we'll In
this place say that she has proved herself both une
qualled, ard beyond all reprcacn q failure. She H.
perhaps, The most perfect steamer In the world.
Speeding under consumption OF forty tons OF coal per
day. at the rate Of eleven she has frequently ran
30 miles with that fuel and sailing with drag of wheel
arms In moderate winds, soy at fo.ce Of eight knots
she has made the run from CANA in days, twenty
gng az sfo-ce Of Q.
From st. Helena to Cape Town. Nautilus, Singapore
and thence TO Iabuan in Bonso, where treaty Of COM
merce made by Captain Mckinney with the Sultan Of
that empire quietly did she perform her work, that
the 18th Of July her anchored in China water In
eighty running days from the United states great
er part Of tie way against strong head winds
Finding Commodore Perry had sailed for Japan some
weeks before shs Immediately left join him. Proceed
fprra INrr T.lo IL.
the Commodore upon his return from bis dsst and
short visit, she returned to Hong Kong.
The interval between the sailing Of The whole force
which WAS gradually concentrating Macao spent
In Attending to those duties which peculiar to the
wants Of our commerce in Cnins ard which our mer.
chants imperative In demanding there than
slsew here on the globe
On the 18th January, 1854 the squadron sailed by dvi
sions for The Loo Choos and Japan. The movements Of
that squadron well known that 1t would be useless
to relate them step by STEP Suffice for me public
know that the rowhatan bore her fall share in all the
Operations. Some changes being made she became the
dag ship, snd from hsr decks and cabin emanated all
actions which hnsy concluded in the treaty Of Kanns-
gawa.
Upon Tire hdrawal Of the squadron from Japan the
rowhatan siited all the ports In China.
At Nngpa, finding that this actions of Portuguese
man-ofwar-the Don Juan-had Sc iousy affected the
dents Captain Mckinney promptly despatched an armed
expedition TO demand redress and fcrbearauce from
such ACTORS in future. THIS was promptly accorded
Upon tine arrival Of the Powhatan at aong Kong she was
placed at the disposal and orders of Mr. Ncane Uni ed
States Commissioner After conveying him from place to
place a. only great men should conveyed visit, in
company with Sir John Bowriug Governor 0: Hong Kong
&C., to the Inou = the Peho Pekin was project
Ga. The month OF October saw the Poshutan IN the
axAx
action which all the world knows falle,. In .his almost
unknown and never visited sea- the Powhatan was the
arst American Of to drop her anchors at tho
foot of the "gres! wall" Her boa-s entered that bar
ered river which runs by Pekin and her looked
upen the great canal and saw, for the frs. tie the
sianchow Tsr.a,s giving very different idea of Chns
md the Chinese than what ono gathers from the river
Baipg conttspty employed III cruising upon the coast
ln The nidele OF January 1853, the Pownatan again
Adams.
At >imodA the wrecked crew of the Russian frissts
liars we're met WITH AID relieved they being in great
The Japsue upon this visit much more friendly
heir eds for sAe allowing the officers and roen to roam
vt villa through the country ana evncng disposition to
nfl the treaty in all respects While nearly at the
tme ths h.iisn ADMIRAL at sgaas confined to his
Watching tie Interest and commerce of the country
st Sharghss sni III the Canton ers till the first of No
vener tee joyful and long ooAed for orders "Home-
ward bound " released her from active and artuous
uise 81 has been performed for many day. indeed, i.
be said there So excepting the
aratcga's last cruise on the station.
The boats Of the Powh.tan had desperate conflict
with formidable feet of Chinese piratss on August
1885, in which, after destroying TWEEN large junks and
ayipg cyor osc .houand Caneso she lost i've killed and
Ifhirteen wounded, out of sixty mon engaged. IL b. H.
ssam screw Hatos boats Ia this action The forcs
vas commanded b. Capt Felowes of th.t ship; and in
passing 1t is cred to say that most friendly feeling ex
sted between the chips ia China and tina. sne Rat
fles are oil, web remembered BY tae Pawhstans.
Feturn'pg home By the same route anxious to
1cumnsy9ate, but orders arrive, too l,e in tha
season FIR steamer to tho racifc without coal
epos En- ro,s an with tie saseriy winds well soy in
Town for coal and therce Grcc. for this TT; where
hahkci 70 the Great Creator for bis and proy
ence we have arrived safe, and ready again for
country C service
We have lsfs many Of our nunbse behiad US: SONS
yuled upon tracks Ia the ocean, in Japan
ChiDG sad other ortgn strandswe ,egret the loss
venfy-0,rc men and Two officers.
Lieut. j. A. Adams ted q. Cum-sio Moon Of dyseatery
and buried a Macao universally loved aud les.e
ted-a valuable snd efficient officer
Bostawan Vim. A. Wpiting accidentally killed in
che execution CT bis CUT ~ Sbs lgaae, at xhen place
inobe monument bi. tDains, erested by ,is
brother is:ess, Q. - Jp' H. was loss to the
Tho distance f,,a (. hi-l sss nearly a. 800 mics,
IA sevanty-hve days; 90 l'ea,5 dsys under canvass
,onsuua s,2i2 t,nl coaavorstins SOL lOs. per mile,
81 o. mules per ton. The average under steam Was
much greater but the short under reduces
Il worry much.
Tho wachinery of the owbaisn is purely Of American
lssen and construction. having two direct acting in
,nned engines, OF 70 inchcs din Of cy,ioce and
,troke Of piston Of IL eet They cons ruc'ed -
he Gcaort Iron Works Va, Icing tho first pair Of
line engines Ct any Constructed within the limits of
he Old Dominion They a fac peimsn Of Ameri-
nechsaisn and have elic,1ed much prse aud
Idmirssion from tho many foreigners aud officers OF
other 90 1ntTios who have visited tho ship. They
given but little trouble, and Lave cost government
less than 81 I00 TO Keep the in repair during thgee
veeIs absence and require bat slight ovsrauing
to rtt them for another distant cruise AZ seaming
uerry fixty Thousand miles, and remote from founrcs
ard workshops, this strikes OF any experience in
steamers that she cannot DO failure humbug. And
in concnstou, the Ugh not Of the engineer corps, still
sons experience IN this ard other steamers warrants
IN sayina that the condition OF the machinery stated
above reflects great credit all those who were In any
with It's construction and lis active opera
ton at eoa.
d Tho rowhatan has on board yonng China boy about
In August Inst in