Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-10-09

with So revolutions under the most favorable cir
cumstances, the strokers being constantly at
work. such speed in vessel of her construc
ton and with her appliances is considered salts
factory. Her engines of two cylinders a'e of
600 horse POWER nominal; those Of the Niagara,
with three cylinders, are 800 horse. TheeaTgoes
OF both were equal when leaving Valentia, but
considerable portion of the electric cable had
been disc harged from the ffigate and she proba-
ply drew p feet on the trial, her original
draught was 26 feet The Agamemnon drew 25
feet forward and "a aft !; she is 100 feet shorter
and of much less tonnage than her competitor,
which has sharp bow and is constructed pur-
posely for high rate Of speed, which appeared
on the trial to range from II \ to IL knots. With
all these advantages. there is some doubt whether
ships so constructed would be found advantage
Gus for war purposes She can steam faster,
throw heavier metal, and at greater distance
than the Agamemnon and if moored Off large
town in an undsturbed position would do great
damage, without receiving injury, if no opposing
ships were near; but at sea, with the chances of
fogs and mists, the recurrence Of night, and the
possible arrangement of her machinery, it is
questionable whether she would be able to main
tain such long range as would secure her ad-
vantages over such ship as the Agamemnon.
would not avail much against small mark as
ship, for at a distance the drop Of a parabola
would be so great that the chances of hitting must
be small, as evidenced at Sebastopol, where very
few comparatively Of the Russian guns hit our
ships, although they frequently lodged within
range. At closer quarters the frigate would be
placed at disadvantage; she carries only six
guns on each side, worked on flush deck where
men are not so well protected from falling rig
ging, and spars, as when covered with a deck
The broadside of the A9amemnon consists of 81
guns, those on the lower deck being 64-pounders,
and there is no doubt that one concentrated dis
charge would tell most effectively. Six ships
of the class of the Niagara have been constru cted
and ii is not probable that their number will be
increased She cost about f200, O00-L ondCn
Times
THE PROSPECT Acknowledging from state
ments in exchange papers from all quarters Of
the North, it is very evident that there is des-
tined to be great and widespread suffering
during the approaching winter, among those
who live on wages in that section OF the United
States. Far more, we fear, than ever before
The cotton, wooden and other manufacturing
mills seem in all directions to be stopping en-
tirely. running on half time, or reducing wages
The great iron founderies and other huge man.
ufacturng establishments are dischargng pOr-
tons of their employees, and proclaim the ne
cessity that they must continue gradually to
reduce their number still further. Such, also,
is the case in all the noted hip-tuilding estab
lishments at the North. In New York city,
alone, it is calculated that hundred thousand
persons who make their bread or who depend
on the labor of others in such esta bIshments for
their bread, are about to find their means of
living cut off, as the grand result of the exist
ing panic. This is, really, as needless as de-
plorable for, as we have repeatedly explained,
the panic exists without there being a single
substantial reason for its existence.
In such circumstances, we Of Washington arc
very comfortably situated insomuch as the
disbursements of the Government at this point
which are in no way affected by commercial
fluctuations, form the basis Of all the business
out of which our laborng population earn their
bread. Thus we, rs a community, have cause
to he truly thankful that We are to escape the
vicissitudes about to cause SO much suffering at
the North.
ANDREW JOHSsoy.-Thc telegraph to-day
brings news of the election of Andrew Johnson,
of Tennessee, to the Senate of the United
States; an event anticipated by all, as explained
by US some time since. He is the most remark
able man in the United States Though scarcely
fifty years Of age, he has worked his way, step
by step, to position second to that of the
Presidency only, under greater disadvantages
than ever surrounded man in this country
who has had similar success in life. He was a
married man before he could read, and learned
the rudiments of his education under the
tuition of his wife, at such times as he could
snatch from his labor as a journeyman tailor to
provide bread for his family. AS bright and
really brilliant as he iscas a statesman, we
question whether he does not shine brighter as
a man; judging from the weight of HE personal
influence in Tennessee, with whose public af
fairs he has SO long been intimately connected
From one end Of the State to the other he is
loved and honored by all men of all parties, as
is evident from the fact that he is elected to the
L. ;. Senate without a contest, in these times
of SO general ambition for such places.
ThE NAVAL Courts OP INQUIRY.-Before
Court No. /, to-day, the case of Mr. Hall still
pending, Commander f. L. Handy and Captain
Goldsborough were examined on the Govern
ment's behalf
Before Court No. 9, the case of 1T. Fitzgerald
has been resumed, and Commander Sinclair
and Lieut.. Duer were examined in it to-day
on the Governments behalf.
Before Court No. 3, the case of Mr.. Selden
was concluded and his defence was read by his
counsel, Mr.. Blount. The case of 1t. Flagg is
expected to be taken up by this Court to-mor-
row, if he reports. Otherwise, that of Com
mander Shaw is expected to be taken up on
Monday next, by it.
FROM THE FORT RIDGLEY AND South PASS
WAGON ROAD EXPEDITION.-The Int rior De-
partment this morning received dispatches from
Mr.. Mobiles, the Superintendent of this expedi-
ton, dated St. Paul, Minnesota Territory, Sep
TENDER %, ultimo. His party were then in
camp on the Big Sioux" under the command
of his Assistant, Samuel A. Medary, Esq. He
had finished the construction of a capital wa
gon road from the Missouri to the Big Sioux
river, and in four weeks more expected to
finish the extension Of the road from the latter
point to Fort Ridgley. All were we'll with the
party.
SWAMP AND OVERLOOKED LANDs.-The act
ing Commissioner of the General Land Office