The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-24
From the Norfolk Herald Of Monday. ]

GREAT EXCITEMENT IN THE CITY.
On Saturday and Sunday the greatest excite
ment prevailed IN the city. Troops were hurrving
to and fro, and every anxious to know what
was to be done, but unable to obtain the desired
information. The rumOr was that the Cumber-
land was about to sail from the Navy Yard, and
preparations were made to prevent her.
AT II o'clock, an officer came from the Yard.
bearing flag of truce, and was conducted to Gen.
Taliaferro's headquarters, at the Atlantic Hotel
where consultation was held which resulted in
promise from the commandant of the Yard, Commo-
dore Macauley, that none of the vessels should be
removed nor shot fired, except in self-defence
This quieted the excitement; but it was renewed
at a later hour, when it was ascertained that the
Germantown and Merrimac had been scuttled and
that the heaVy shears on the wharf at which the
g. was lying had been cut away and allowed to fall
midshlps across her decks, carrying away the main
topmasts and yards.
1t was also perceived that the men were busily
engaged in destroying and throwing overheard
side and small-arms, &C., and other propertv and
boats were constantly passing between the Penn
sylvania, Cumberland and other vessels The as
surance of the commodore, given by his officer at
the truce interview, however, tended to allay the
apprehension of an immediate collision But the
continued stirring movements at the yard soon rem
dered it certain that it the intention of Ma
cauley to destroy all the buildings and other pro-
perty there-and it therefore with not much
surprise that, about midnight, after two or three
slight explosions the light of a serious conflagra.
tion was observed at the yard. This continued to
increase, and before daylight the demon-work OF
destruction extended to the immense shin
houses known as and B. 1.-THE former containing
the entire frame of the New York, IA, which had
been on the stocks unfinished for some thirty-eight
years. and also to the long ranges of two-sory off
and stores each side of The main gate of the
Yaro. Inc uames and heat from this tremendous
mass OF burning material was set by a southwest
wind directly towards the line of vessels moored op
the edge Of the channel opposite the yard and
nearly all oil these, too were speedily enveloped in
flames.
The scene at this time was grand and terrific be.
yond description. The roar of the conhagration
was loud enough to be heard at three or four miles
distance-and to this were added occasional dis.
charges from the heavy guns of the Pennsylvania
shipot-theine, as they became successively heated
These guns, it is asserted, doube-shOtted and
directed at different parts of the yard for the pur-
pose OF ensuring its complete demoishment This
however, is certain-that if all her guns had beer
thus prepared and directed, the burnt district
could not have been more completely cleared of ap
purtenances.
THE CUMBERLAND AND PAwNEE.
AS soon as the torch had been successfully ap
| piled to the ship-houses, the Pawnee, which hat
| been kept under steam from the moment of hel
arrival about nightall Saturday was put in mo
| tion, and taking the Cumberland in tow retreat
ing down the harbor out of the reach of danger
| freighted with great portion of valuable muni
tions, etc., from the yard and the commodore auC
| other officers who bad won for themselves the in
glorious distinction of destroying devils in accom-
| plishng such vandal work. The ships proceed
| ed as far down as the barricades at the Narrows
| where the Cumberland was left at anchor, and tn,
| Pawnee continued on to Fort Monroe.
| THE PROPERTY DESTROYED.
AS far as we could Judge from a cursory obser-
vation, the property destroyed embraced, besides
| the ship-houses and contents the range of build
! ings the north line of the yard, (except the
| commodore's and commanders residences which
were unhurt, the old marine barracks and one OIL
two workshops, the immense lifting shears, tht
ships Pennsylvania, Merrimac, Raritan, Columbia
and brig DOlphin-burnt to the waters edge: tn
sloop Germantown, broken and sunk; the Ply
mouth, scutted and sunk even with her deck; AM
vast amount of small-arms, chronometers, ant
valuable engines and machinery in the ordnanc
and other shops, broken up and rendered utterl
| useless.
| THE DRY DOCK.
| Appearances indicated that it was intended t
| cripple this admirable and useful work by blowin
| up the gates, but from some cause this was NO
done, and the dock was found to be altogethe
| unhurt.
We cannot bring ourselves to believe that an
officer OF navy, distinguished hitherto by hig
sense OF honor and chivalrous courage, could will
| lngly condescend to such an inglorious mode
warfare as this. We rather regard it as an emans
tion from the wretched cabal at Washington, and
practical carrying out of the tactics laid down b
the villanous Sumner and other orators of th
Black Republican party. Burn sink, and destro
is the word with them.
| OTHER MATTERS.
One thousand troops from Boston were lande
yesterday morning in addition to those landed O
Saturday. A large steamer is on the Horse-ShC
with a supposed number of 1,500, and anothe
transport with her decks completely lined wit
troops.
Yesterday morning Lieut. Spottswood, of tt
Navy, Virginian by birth, ran up to the fag-sta
| IN the Navy Yard the flag of the Old Dominion