The New York herald., 1862-04-13

| persons who have some stake In the community
| TaE MEasIMAc AND REBEL FLEET OyT
| AGAN IN HAMPTON RoaDs-TuErR AUDAcrY
| AND MfUDENcE-By the news which we pub
| lish this morning from Fortress Monroe, il ap-
pears that the Merrimac accompanied by the
YORKTOWN and Jamestown-the latter armed
with an iron prov, protruding six feet beyond
the water line-came out from Craney Island
on Friday morning, at seven O'Clock, accom-
| panied by four other gunboats-two OF
them probably the Teazer and Raleigh-and
five tugs, making in all twelve vessels, and ad
vanced into Hampton Roads, opposite New
ports News. After notifying the French and
| English war vessels to move out of danger, the
Commodore Of the fleet sent the jamestown to
capture two brigs and schooner anchored
near the shore between Newport's News and
| Fortress Monroe, and in the service of the
federal government. The three prizes were
| taken of under the rebel flag in less than half
an hour, and conveyed to Craney Island-one
of them with the Union flag at halfmast-no
| pleasant sight for American eyes. Meantime,
the other Union sloops, schooners and brigs
in the Roads resreatsd under the shelter of For
tress Monroe, and sin the course of an hour the
| forests of masts between the fortress and Sew
al's Point disappeared, and the broad, open
expanse Of water bore on II Surface only
the rebel feet and one English and two French
men-of-war"
This was no surprise; for the Merrimac and
her consorts had steam up for several days at
Craney Island and were expected out as soon
A.. 49, a. G..ol
pearance Of the Merrimac, too, the Minnesota
fired an alarm gun. Yet the rebel feet were
permitted TO carry off three vessels in the SER
vice OF the government without all attempt at
resistance. And not 'only so, but at four
ocloc. 10 the afternoon the Merrimac fired
three shots in the direction Of Hampton creek,
as challenge to our feet to come out and
fight. The Monitor. meantime, continued
at her usual anchorage, and as for
the Vanderbilt and the rest who were TO run
the Merrimac down. we have no account of
their presence. Where were they? II is no
wonder that ''the bold impudence ofthe maneu-
vres of the rebel feet, contrasted with tho ap-
parent apathy of our. feet, excited surprise and
Indignation" among the spectators. What has
the Navy Department been doing ever since the
late battle? Why was not the Merrimac cut out
of Norfolk or sunk in its waters, just after she
was disabled by the Monitor, instead of waiting
till she was repaired and received two new
powerful guns, carrying balls of three hundred
and sixty pounds weight, with punchlike
points, to penetrate even iron-and waiting,
moreover, till one of her consorts had her boiler
repaired and another had an iron PROV affixed
What corresponding preparation has been made
to meet the rebel feet thus prepared? That
nothing adequate has been done appears evil
dent from the fact that the Confederate vessels
came out to offer battle, and it was de-
clined, except under the cannon of the Rip Raps
and Fortress Monroe. This is not as il ought to
be, and the Navy Department and Congress owe
4 heavy debt Of responsibility to the country
for palpable neglect, whose results cannot fail
to be injurious to the prestige Of the United
States Navy among the maritime nations of the
world. There is good reason to fear that the
Merrimac will play an important part in the
coming battle on the peninsula, extending from
Yorktown, on the York river, to Warwick, on
the James river, unless her destruction is pre-
viousiy accomplished.
PlBlIc INCaEDULITY ABOUT WAR NEws-TaE
CAUSE OF IT.--For some time the public mind
has exhibited great incrcdulity about tho re-
ports which appear in the newspapers from the
battle field This was the case about tue vic
tory won by our troops at Pittsburg, on the
Tennessee, on Monday last. More than half Of
those who read the accounts did not believe
them. This incredulity was not manifested ,il
recently. 1t has arisen altogether out OF the
censorship. Had the newspaper proprietors
been left to themselves they would have pub
lished as truthful accounts of battles as il was
possible FOR them. 1t is always their interest
to tell the truth. 1t is on this character for
veracity that their success depends. But since
the censorship Of the press under the War De
partment, journalists are no longer responsible
for The war news, and consequently the public
have in great measure lost confidence in H.
There ought not 10 be any doubt that victory
was won by the Union arms on Monday; but
there was so much mystery thrown around it
| by suppression of truth on one side, and cxag
geration and invention on the other, that the
public mind was confused and bewidered.
and knew not what to believe.
| One account said there was disorderly rout
of the rebels on Monday, and thai they lost
forty guns; another, that they lost no guns, but
carried off the thirty-six they captured, and
retired in good order when the reinforcement
of Buell. appeared to be too numerous to con-
tend against The variance in the numbers
killed and wounded and prisoners on either
side is very great. In the beginning the rebels
we're said to have lost $4,000, which is, to say
| the least great exaggeration Then they
were pursued to Corinth and it was rumored
that Corinth was taken. all OF which is now
| known to be untrue. The fact appears 10 be-
=. hati