, 1861-03-18
4ar1ksnl OF tic u. ). Steamer Pow
- :: 1tatRn.'
rET1o+. n Me- ,r,,1.1- TU.rJJ <1Afh I

-. :: hatan.
& LFrom the New: York World. 14th.1
The United Suites steamer whatan: arrlyed
at this .pott yesterday morning. having lett
Vera Cruz on the 25ths of February, md tough @
int, ~ mixing % }he mn run home R n de days and
three hours. She has experienced very
very boisterous weather nearly all the passage,
The Powhatan Is frst-c1ass stde-Wheel
slooP, and Was built ut the Gosport navy yard
in 1850 She has been In the East India squad.
ron twice, md Was one Of the Japanese e1pe,
dition. She is ship-rigged, and is considered
fine vessel. Yesterday she had been N com
mission SIX months and twenty days, having
been ordered te Vera Cruz at the time OF the
troubles between the Spanish and Mexican
governments. When she left, her otheefs were
given to understand that she would be absent
only aboat six wesks, but the state Of affairs
required that the time should be extended to
months. She has remained at that port until
ordered hence few weeks ago. She carries
very heavy battery, consisting Of ten nine
on the forcastle Thus armed she Is very
Formidable vessel Of war. '-',=-
, Our reporter visited the vessel as soon as
abe arrived, and learned from Lieut.. Brown,
the officer Of the deck, that they towed the
fay-ship Cumberland, OF twenty.four guns, to
sea, which, with the Pocahontas, five guns, had
been ordered to Hampton Roads to await or
defs, leaving only the Macedonian at that port.
The home squadrou Is now.almost entirely bro
ken up, the Brooklyn, Wyandotte and St.
Louis, off Fort Pickensr being the only ships
on active duty in the squadron. The majority
Of ships are at this port -
The Po|hatan is q fine, looking VHsse1 from
the outside, but on going on board there isan
cir Of Eeatness Ind precision about everything
that Is only to be seen On board Of vessels Of
war. Everything was in fine order, aud re-
Aected much credit upon her commander and
officers, She has noble looking crew, who
are sald to be tue Union men, aud are ready
to do their country any service required Of
them.
Of her future movements nothing can be de-
fHitely stated. She could be sent to Sea on ve-
~ short notice, but size needs considerable re-
pairing to enable her to 60 on q. long cruise.
Her decks need relayingg, as' in the wake of her
also needs overhauling. She is now drawing
nearly eighteen feet Of water, but with her
complement of coal, water and stores on board
she would draw over twenty-feet.
She is still lyllgin tbs strean, and will pro-
badly 60 up to, the navy yard this morning,
The Tic heavy draft vessels ut the navy ward arc
being completed rapidly, notwithstanding the
number Of small craft on hand. The splendid
steam frigate Wabash, which has been under
going operations since last October, is ap-
preaching the ready state into which she was
ordered. Her machinery occupies the atteu-
lion Of Chief Engineer King, and large num-
Ter Of hands are working on her hull. Tho
Roanoke steam frigate which, had to undergo
considerable re-plank king, will be ready to float
out Of the dry-dock the Inter part Of next
week. The engines of the ship being some.
What ont of trim, the engineering workshops
are putting them in order. The Savannah cor
Fette, the Potomac, and tie unseryiccab1e sail
iny vessels in the stream, remain in statn quo
There are over thousand hands Row employ
cd at the navy yard, and the labor and oniers'
monthly pay ron cannot fall much short Of
$4,000. lemagnifcent 1aunching-way have
been covered By strong bridge which can be
moved away at pleasure. The gun-boats and
small steamers ure expecting orders to sail
iniTy