New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-03-10

learn.
THE FIGHT IN HAMPTON ROADS.
In giving place to all the details which have
vet reached us of the Naval combat in Hamp-
ton Roads on Saturday aud tie following night,
which (though the Rebel assailants were ulti.
mately driven back to their hidiDg-places-the
Merrimac, their best ship apparently in sink
ing condition) will inevitably be regarded by
the impartial as National defeat and dis.
grace, it seems our duty TO recall some ante
cedent and not very credtdble facts.
The Rebels opened fire on Fort Sumter on
the 10Th Of April Iast-and the fact was known
throughout the country forthwith. 1t vas in.
tended and understood to be challenge OF the
Nation by .hs Slave Power to mortal combat.
Norfolk, as ny far the greatest Naval arseDnl 10
the Slave States-perbsps in the country-was
of course in imminent danger. 1t was within
ess than n days passage Of Washington and
Baltimore; not two days from Philadelphia aud
New.York On the Eth Give days after fire
was opened on Sumter) the Virginia Conyen-
ton pretended TO take their State out Of the
Union; aud, though the act was passed subject
to ratification by popular vote Gov. Letcber
Immediately issued Proclamation Of adherence
TO the Southern Con'ederacy. On the 18th,
the Virginia traitors INSTRUCTED Elizabeth
River below Norfolk. so Is to prevent the pas
sage Of the National vessels from the Navy
Yard down into Hampton Roads, and 90 out
to sea- On the Goth (eeht days after the
opening of ire on Sumter) the Nayy-Yard was
hastily dismautled by our officers in charge Of
it, tho Cumberland sloop-of-wM Sunk by the
Rebels la,t Saturday, towed out, while the Penn
sylvaia, Delaware, Columbus, MsrrImoc, Rar
tan, Columbia, Germantown, Plymouth, Dol
phn, and United States-aIl sh'ps-oiwar OF
various sizes, from throe.decker down--werc
1T was reported) scuttled and set on fire 70
keep them from lalling into the hands Of
the Rebels. We do not learn that any
attack was made by the Rebels (who we're
certainly in very moderate force). nor that any
effort was made to arm tho workmen in and
about the Navy Ysrd-who were naturally, in-
stinctvely loynl-nor to appeal to the loyalty
Of the vicinsge. 1t 10 popularity understood
that Taliaferro the Rebel chief was drunk, 40
that he failed TO attack. aud lot our Navy Off.
GERS have things very much their own way.
That with more powder on hand than they
knew how even to destroy, they might have
blown every vessel TO atoms In three hours, is
ut least a very strong presumption. The Msr-
rimao-whch inflicted 90 stpging blow on us
last Saturday-ras ons Of those resseis.
OF course, VIC do not know THAI those Navy
officers who have not yet openly affiliated with
the traitors, did not here do their best. We
only know that somebody ought to have been
put on trial for their shameful disastrous mis-
carriage--by which the Nation lost and the
Rebellion gained twenty-five hundred cannon
and more military and naval moteriei than
could DO bought for Ten Millions Of Dollars.
We do no, know that any one yet has been,
though nearly eleven months have elapsed
since the disaster, and the then commandant
cts the pay of U. s. officer. That this is az
it should not be is our very decided opinion.
The Merrimac, il was soon announced, was
raised by the Rebels, and was being IRON
plated and otherwise fitted for the destruction
of some Of our vessels in the Roads She has
been so fitting ever since, almost within sight
Of our feet. Several times she has been
announced as on the eve of coming out. Once
or twice it was given out by tho Rebels that
she was n failure; and, as h Western man
has well said, they "would rather lie on q
" twelve months note than tell the truth for
q" cash." this should have melted to greater
vigilance. If We had not the proper vessels on
hand 10 resist her, they should have been
hurried up ut least siI months ago. Ye. when
she does at last see fit to put in an
appearance, 10 ono Of our principal
war steamship, has been lying in the Roads
disabled for four months and cannot get near
her, while the only other ship fit to engage her
gets aground-n water that her officers should
know as thoroughly as their own cabins-and
cannot be brought into action while two of our
noble frigates are torn to pieces, one Of them
sunk the other captured and burned and some
two or three hundred Of our brave tsrs killed,
drowned, or captured.
We do not attempt 10 fix the blanc Of
these disasters. Possibly, there is no ono to
blame; but the people will not believe it in
advance Of thorough scrutiny. We respect
fully call upon the Commander-in- Chief of the
Army and Navy to have this whole business
sifted 10 the bottom.