The New York herald., 1862-04-09


ekiftsu OPINION or THs FIGHT BETWEEN THE MERRI
MAC AND NOEI.oR-ALL PRAISE TO TIE fEDgL
"a si.AAsK AND yTHJNG OF THE UNION vEssEL--
co FUSION AND s.srAKEs OF THE LONDON JOUR
MAILS.
from the London Tirnos March 25l
Tho campaign in Virginia has at last begun. A naval
tb pionsc the events which rrcrrd to day
1hr cfhseis If the most ;nsres.ing inci,'ens tha
Aar, l~-i dhe war. For tie first time the newest
Ci,c.iioD. Of scencr have been tes ed fight botweer
foss of e,ua Who would have thought IL 30
ssoe TINT after T. siand and France had sheoi.ed s.
long iron plate and proved YES els the frs,
y~ni h7A shv'd be made by ths iahab,ants
OF the i'eaccfnl New Word met in strife.
and, thcrnare, that victory should rest with M.
party loss versed m naval tactics and rstrurto on
Tnoigh for long time thero has been mcatiou Of the
Msrrm'c in the Soathorn spsrs, we prepared
Tor tho achievements in tho river. The Cnnfee-
rate rgaie ns TO have gained easy victory owe
her Vr den pSne,'s The accounts =" the action are
rster vague but it appears that she dssbIed the Cum
b'r.sn' and the Congress in very shor time. lGlus
An III" mat ccmieto manner the expectations tha: have
bcen formed concerning iron -pis,ed vessels. she
ceivcd the ,atsides O. two OF her opponents ore
hurdred ads without sustaining NY damage. She
thch into tho Cumber and with her iron PROV and
lsi open her 81 cs. Thus botn in cfencc and X
tbs Merfhnsc has reazel the calculations Of Euro
pean constr ctors II must be- looked npou a.
pr,vei tha en- vessels go sure aud speedy de-
plated adversary. Th.sc wh1 object TO iron sides
.hst they are not invuine' inasn ch
however strong the ship may b.. cnnon can
be cicd powerful enough 10 p,r-ce IT, must
thios. ab .udon thor too capt. us criticism VIC see
inurlns-a'ic 70 TIE heay guns ,aaica are al
frr inue Not,ng remains for orr Ad,e,rcity
os q d.ron inae the bdIdin9 Of eod,' ressc and 10
uer oil tsIl wiu b.or tno maeh'ns Of resen.otn,
Ap Cnfzisrat 9atr. I've only real opponent which the
M' -rimac found vas another iron psed frisate
an had 1t not beon for this ve~sel il Is
pu lille that the Merrilnac might have de
st-y,d the whole feiersl Squadron. fh McrriInac
in dose ibed covered with sioping IRON pla.es
extenre two feet below the water lae and meat Y
aboy" lk tie roof OF house. This pcc Is-ty Of con-
ssrncton may possibly not be nee ~sary 10 efcioncy
4 n 1v afa
c~s. IL would be worth while frly to examine tho
principle before constructing any moro Of
The equipment OF tie Nernmac shows thu, thero arc
god ,ca.s In the Navy c2ar mont nf tho South, and
che gallant manner 10 which she hafdie in is
tien that tic c'nfc ieste courage is st,l high
Hrt |: not ID 500 lights that the fortunes the
now rep Bile arc 10 be dctcrnned Tho brilliant flair
OF tbs James river viii! no rbt. do much N rsnate
th So,rbe after their successive defeats, but in
i,sct t Is . little importance.
sCIyS III: D.aUcTfoSs FROM THE RESULT or THE
BArrLS--;H KEcOSsTRuc rIvN or THE ENoLrsH
NAVY WORK or sECEsSifl.
Fr'.m the london ifncs, March eel
Wien p sid mt Davis in hs rccei message ~ hts ca
stu ed ths sitt Il of iL southern
rscy expressed ho. mat 40 IVY vf the seeding
St-tes wonlh 81, contribute sorcug JwaTs ..e
cess " ~" cause. These expoctsiis have cert nly
beer ;us;itsd b. ths naval victory winch yesiertay
repot 80 vmcry gained ov'r federal rosce of
gre.L 'uhgth and vet1;s Shpre IA. Northern rs
p.otea cd hat tho prern,cv vas on rssa,lby
tnes oFh rhsec frigates anu hoa wy sA'oy ar non
tiod A. sth9r trk,ng of sn..,vorr. n tnts n,-, An
rates. ard fufi' or ad ", p e ci, rerr. ient az
tsrwarb s'riveo In the shape vfa lt.nx batter
From 10 repcr's Of thc a,tior = aDp,er n liza; tha
Marrnnu Eoul b mount x only w ei,, gyrs sd ,nt
,.--ts'S pr, soed IN company wrh The two ,thsr
.s., .. -ch ~ an encounter IN such ,,,d,en
.s -, 3as, d scribeJ aboyu IA. Congo and tsa
Cur. !, la,s a between thsm seventy var cug
I'D .b. Ji.o-tta and lhe 81 law srcc ninety no q
rho Nnneso, a lever .rt aground. ard could there
r,r,. ber CO. up e'sel nor tcw tho s.. L renee
int, ae.n The N.rrmae shd her attendants h,l con-
ss ~ " only ere rignte sn. ioo 70 doai wa, aud
Il seems hat ste took tn sfrp 10 herss md left
ifr he other steamers ghe tuinseraDf had nc
chaocs sgsi schsf. Size received two fdAdcs Que
> 'rw var 49, Distance witb~rt ssaining ar mare
te, iei' srstev iaio abe sloop viii
coastru cd % this special Joss snc vut her sides
open tel shiB she poured bradsiae INTO her an
'agou,st dan a. ner o1cs moro. and th,n y ssr 70
mk Noihuk p,d be more SUCCESSFUL o. dsstri cave
'a3 her r,snnuvres.
Next mnfnpg however, fhe found an snsDy more
wcr by 0f hcr. IJfng he night the new fDating bat
terry csed tho Monitor round retrieve the honor
OF tie fsdora dag This ssss designed BY Mr.. j.
Er.cssoH OF New YOk and 70 of the three Iron ,ad
ztruct,dss rec c.mmended Sy he To-, as
for adoption iD August last. assuming that sns nas
che srpy foafrg tel.rY worei'ed b. q ,tJD
rae dsd mot qua Ned TO- rah b yond coast errice "a
smo IA wrier. So 10 of ,OJ hrr,ien oply 10 t12
fsct loor and has Al feet Ia breadth M beam The gene
rel plan Of tLs vessel was 90 10 surprise even
people accustomed 70 daring Inventions but she seems
o. have ssiaisd ths sooss y the prslsstsr whs,