The Portland daily press., 1862-08-07

THE NEW MERRDAC.-Wef find the follow
ing contribution in the Baltimore American,
from Mr.. Dolan, who has recently been in
Richmond:
Sunday three weeks / was on board the
Merrimac, being anxious to get a look at her
before / came away. She is very formidable
vessel, constructed with much skill. Her
wood work was then finished. On the follow
ing day she was taken across the river to the
Tredegar Works to have her plating put on.
The plates are about ten feet long, and ten
inches in width. They are punched entirely
through with holes for the insertion of the
bolts, and will overlap one another when in
position.
Like Merrimac No. 1, she is n formidable
ram, but is somewhat smaller than the great
original, which, in every other respect; she
greatly resembles. Her roof runs up to peak
of such hight that the sides Iise at sharp
angle. When ironed, and her machinery put
in, her guards will probably not be over one
foot above the water. Being much smaller,
she will be far more manageable than Merri-
mac the First. Her guards were about six II.
above the waters edge. The ram was well
beaked, reaching about four feet above the
deck, and extending out six or eight feet.
Although her armament was of course not
yet on board, its character was no secret The
IL.
easy to be seen what number of guns she was
to carry, as well as their approximate charac-
ter. From other information, however, / can
state that she will carry one bow. one stern.
and three side guns. They are to be of the
same description as those which are mounted
at Fort Darling, their ability to pierce our
iron-armed vessels, having, in the attack upon
that fortress been exemplifed-at least to the
satisfaction of Secesh. The balls to be used
are steel-pointed, and were being made on the
day of our departure, as well as previously.
She is no doubt completed by this time and
ready for offensive operations, as a very large
gang OF workmen were employed upon her.
She is the pride of the Richmonders, who rely
upon her for the defense of the city as much
as upon their armies. 1t Is boastingly declared
and universally believed by them, that she
iciu s,eeep the James Rirer' While this is
undoubtedly bombast, it is certain she has one
feature of formdabeness not possessed by
Merrimac No. 1-her armor plating extends
beloec the wdter line
Singularly enough, her crew is to consist on
ly Of the old crew of Merrimac the first. The
men were quartered on Thirteenth street, a
few doors from the Exominer Office i'm build
ing styled The Sailors Home
Richmond is one vast hospital. Two hum
dred and twelve were buried from single hos
pital in one day, negroes being compelled to
perform the work.
After the late battles, every man in Rich
mond possessed of three shirts was compelled
to give one to the army, such was the scarcity
Of clothing.
1t was stated in the Examiner office in nv
hearing that Lee had 100000 men in the late
battles, and 10000 In Richmond as a reserve
Even the rebels accorded to Mcclellan the
greatest praise for his mastery retreat. On
the I'd of July the Examiner announced that
he was surrounded, driven into swamp, and
his stores, ammunition, artillery and wagons
captured. jackson, it is said, was in his rear
Huger on his left, Hill and Longstreet on his
front, and Magruder on his right, and the next
day it was confidently expected, he would be
escorted through the streets in cage! Next
day, however, the tune had changed, and the
Examiner began its display head to the news
with this line, 'The bird has flown! The reb-
els were out-generaled, and Mcclellan all
right"