Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-11
By THE LATEST MAILS, Z

Naval nIsVemenrs In New Terk-Oah, |
sluusd Antlvity at the NaFy-fnfd ehd |
< HEIitary Pesfs-The stsamtlrbs Hnitie |
; sRnd tIllnals Ready far seR-The Hqrflef |
hane TrahsfeFredr 60 The Navysauh Qn |
dered Away-Rumored Resignatlou of
Captain Mercer, Of the POwbatthn
FFigate.
Tuesdays New York Times has the follow
ing: 't-auAA'i. IA--5 "-at On
Public attention continued to be msinly
engrossed, yesterday, with the great activity
in the military and naval departments of the
Government. Without any positive knowl- |
edge OF the destination of the ships, specula- |
tion ran high as TO where they were bound,
and il some cases bets were freely offered |
that they were destined for this or that
point of the South, accordingto the fayorite
theory Of each person. ..-- /
AS soon as the Atlantic left her dock, the |
steamship Illinois took her berth to receive
cargo. The provisions and ordnance stores, |
how itzer. carriages and ammunition were |
hastily put on board, and, with her coal, |
loaded the steamer heavily by the stern. |
There was, however, large space still left |
in the forward hold, which would be filled, |
when the steamer would draw about twenty |
feet.
The vessel carries an immense cargo, Her |
accommodations for troops are also very |
good, and, it is believed, with her improved |
featheriDg paddle floats, she wi make excel
lent time, notwithstanding she is SO deep.
The military chest, in the shape Of two of
HerrinR's safes, with some $4,000 in gold
and silver, was brought down by Adams's
Express wagon and lowered into the specie
room-a safe compartment in the extreme
after part of the ship. The IliRoiS had her
whole crew on board, and will be ready to
receive her troops and depart some time to-
day. A canal boat load of wood was among
the articles put on board.
On board of the Baltic nothing could
exceed the industry which everywhere
prevailed. Steam was got up on Sunday
night, and the engines tested and found all
right. All through Sunday, and late into
the night the work ofloading her continued,
and from an early hour yesterday morning
every possible variety of articles intended
for the use of the troops continued to arrive
at the pier, by teams and in lighters I'm
mense quantities of bacon, packed for trans
portation on mules, flour in sacks, soap, and
all kinds of preserved meats and vegetables
packed in boxes, vinegar and molasses in
portable kegs stove-coal, sewed in strong,
small canvas bags; coal by the hundred tun
in gunny sacks, probably for steamers use,
and every other article that can be reckoned
among Quartermasters' stores. There were
also many cases, evidently containing United
pluLtS muehblSy duu uAbu LUo
tup, packed in snug boxes, most of it marked
as shrapnel for heavy twelve-pounder boat
howitzers. ,,-, ..f. ,.-, ,..-...s p .. -
At the upper deck were some eight or ten
boats, including those built expressly for use
in the surf, with the requisite quantity of
oars end other appliances for their use.
About 100 bales of hay were piled on the
after deck, and an equal quantity lay upon
the deck ready to go on board.
IL orf "a !
crowd, watching the arrival of each partic-
ular assignment, and amusing themselves
with queries as to what each package con-
tanned. .... .t.4s I'D.
AT noon fires were lighted under the boil
ers of the Baltic, and at four o'clock the
steam was up, and, so far as that was con-
cerDed, she was ready to start 1t is probable
that she will leave at the noon tide o.day.
MIR. Graham, former First Assistant Engineer
of the Adriatic, is Chief Engineer.
THE HARRIET LANE TRANSFERRED TO THE NAVY.
The steamer Harriet Lane on Sunday,
hauled down the revenue flag and hoisted the
stars and stripes, indicating that she has been
transferred to the Navy Department. This
was anticipated some weeks since, when her
armament was increased. Her commander,
Captain John Faunce, has frequently de.
clafed that he would fight under the Amer
iean flag as long as it continued to fly over
one city or town of the United States She
sailed from her anchorage off the Battery at
ten o'clock yesterday morning, destined, it is
said, for the South. Who knows2
The surveying steamer Vi1en has returned
to the yard.
RUMoRED RESIGNATION OF THE PowHATTAN's
CoMMAEDER-DEPARTUREo OF TROOPS sc.
Yesterday was a busy one at the army
quarters in this neighborhood, but quiet and
uneventful in naval circles. Ths ordinary
work at the Havy-yard went on as usual,
but at Governors Island, Fort Hamilton
and Bedloes Island, unusual excitement
prevailed. There seems to be a growing
impression among well. informed persons
that both the re- enforcement of Fort Pickens
and the recovery of the Texas Forts, are
contemplated by the Government.
The Navy yard folks were astonished
yesterday TO see Captain Samuel Mercer,
commander of the Povhattqn, walking
among them, in citizens clothes. The papers
say all said he had gone to the ocean in his
vessel, but they were sat sea" instead of
him. His resignation was currently reported
during the day, but he has not sent it in.
His detachment, moreover, is a Government
measure, the meaning Of which is only
known to the Cabinet Captain Mercer is
native Of Maryland, from which State he was
appointed in 1915. He has done over twenty
spent at sea. He was never popular with
sailors, his manner being austere and
distant, characteristics which Jack especially
dislikes. r.-.-. .....
THE NAvY-YARD. r
No orders have been received to fit out the
SdV0nnah or Perry for immediate sea service,
as stated. The former was yesterday hauled
into the wharf to have her three heavy guns
taken out, as they inteffered with the work.
men, who are preparing her for "the ready
state" Besides, their removal facilitated
the labor of putting her in the dry-dock,
into which she was foated at eleven A. M,
the steam frigate Roanoke having been pre-
viously taken out. The water-tanks of the
Wabash were commenced on, for the first
time yesterday. Their appearance on the
wharf would make an unsophisticated per-
son suppose it impossible to place them all
| in one vessel. The RoaaOkss removal from
the dry dock has been partly occasioned by
the necessity for examining the Savannah q
bottom, and partly by the fact that what
ever work remains TO be done on her, can
be, by good management, prosecuted at the
| wharf. The brig Perry was hauled along
side the Hudson avenue dock, to be operated
on at the leisure of the authorities. Hell
movements have not been aetuated IN any
way by ''the crisis"
THE "EoRTH CAROLINA"
| A 3,000-tun line-of battle ship, looks very
lonesome with only 100 men on board. Thil
is exactly the case with the North" She
has 60 recruits, "A marines, and about 81
permanent men, who might be left out, al
they have done all the duty Providence gave
them Do wer TO perform. The short watches
of the PoWhdttaH were made up on boarC
the receiVing-ship and many of the actor
who were to open the Nautical Theater'
on the 1st of April baye gone to play NOR
important parts than those on the pro
gramme at the "Scuttle Butt" The con
dition of the North Carolina is not salts
factory. 1t is even doubted whether sh
could be removed two rods with safety. Sh
was built at Philadelphia forty-one year
ago, and has been so long at the Navy-yar
that even green reporters know her fror
"the last afriYa'." .,