The New York herald., 1863-09-15
L III f N A v Y.

ton has some very remarkable history hand down
the future Her SIZE the very heavy battery
she carries, has made her the special mark for The
rebel gunners. To disable this ship would worth
them inconoevsbs She throws al broadsds one
thousand four hundred twenty five pounds of meta
and with such rapidy that she often sienced Fort
Wagner for hours time.
That she is invulnerable Is proven by the fact that
not gun has been injured during the time she
has been engaged in these operations.
She has close to the rebel works. and has beer
hit scores OF times. and to-day good ever That
she Is easily managed is proven by the that since
Captain Rowan has had command OF her she not been
aground once She is In naval
the Navy Department would TO order immediately
half dozen vessels just like her.
In the opinion OF many naval officers she equal 10 eet
Of Monitor batteries OF the number OF guns provided
she could throw the weight OF metal In reducing
an earthwo the number and cabrs Of her guns put
ahead by the rapdity or her fire prevent the
enemy from serving their guns. The New Ironsides has
been rather overlooked In tho late openations all
who have carefully watched her join giving her great
praise for the she has rendered and the
markable degree Of invulnerabity which she has
eyinced
is to be hoped that we shall have ordered at no dis
tant day number OF this valuable OF ships The
pattern ship has gven such good account OF herself
we have no fears as TO what feet Of would
worth.
MERCURY, 2-The side.wheel steamer Mercury
was LAUGHED yesterday morning at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard One feature OF the launch that she was slid
down the launching ways for distance Of oyer three
hundred and fy feet She 10 A4A Ytse, Of tho follow
ing Dimensions s-Length, one hundred 6hd thirty ono
feet nine inches beam. twenty three feet doph Of hold
eight eet Her engines and boiler onos formerly
in the tugboat Mercury. which was lost at Port Royal
The Philadelphia Navy Yard Fire-The
Loss Estimated ae scventy.nvs Thou.
sand Dollars, &c., sc.
PHmAsELPHa, Monday, Sept. IA, 1858.
The upper part Of the sorehouses in the northwest
The loss is estimated at seventy five thousand dollars
The ship houses had escape.
Tho Philadelphia Inquirer has tho following details in
reference to the con1agraton -
Along the upper side Of the main avenue entering
the yard is row OF three story and half brick build
ings These formed block Of storehouses four being
comprised in building, separated by bukhead parti
tons Connecting with these soreh0uses running all the
way down to the main ship houses, four buildings
used timber About one hundred and fty feet
OF these had been removed bcore 70 allow the consruc
In the block OF buildings tho main entrance in
store room No. 2 the fire was discovered while tn guard
was being relieved about two O'clock The sentinel
post the st0rehouse discovered IT, The different Off
GERS Of the yard, Commodore Strbling, Captain wehs
Major Doughty, OF the Marine Corps Lieutenant cock
officer Of the day, were promptly on the spot
The first thing that done get the aprara
tus OF the yard. There four hand engines. with
several thouaand feet hose and hook ladder in
the yard There hurried to the spot and placed
service The watchmen and the marine guard assisted in
attempting TO quel the ames aud for about half
nobody was admitted into the yard.
The alarm in the meantime had sproad outside and the
se @ Telegraph CARY ing the sngs snroIsnon. the city
Sher Hose FASTENED to the and first upon the
ground. About the same time the weccaoe engine, with
lrril nd hnIt thnrn
but not allowed T. enter the gates The emen and
Large body OF The employees Of the yard including many
Of the workmen oil the departments in the burning build
ngs gathered around the gates and clamcred for adms
sion
the ire refused to admit any from thcoutsde The
the sh.er Hose attempted to force an entrance when
the guard charged them and hurled them back into
the street The weecacoe at last succeeded tearing
down temporary fence Prime street. and at on CO
street sde at the'tlpnt street end, and from the
gable cnd next the chasm which yawned nherc the old
building had been torn down.
The lire communicated to the lofts filed with tarred
rope gbreechng rigging canvass and all sorts OF com
bustibc ,'eras and the wind blowing freshly rom
the northwest, driven right through the whole
block in southeastery direction. Before could be
subdaed tue whole OF the upper portion Of the block Of
storehouses tho roof down the second story
destroyed Everything below entirely saturated
with water and considerably damaged
The officers Of the yard ndipg they could not master
the flames, called in the hrenen but the fire had made
such headway that u could not be cxtusuished. The
morning, when the and goods consumed were
removed and dried. The steamers OF the Hope and
Wcccacee engaged until last evening in pumping
the water from the cellars.
The block Of buildings at the was nlled with
Offices, aud the along tho rest OF the
block forming large apartments The fourth story was
occupied gunners storage loft, with the carpente
shop and cloning room in the ront street end On the
third floor guDners' oco and the gunners'
ing room, hllcTi with the most valuable materials aud
gunners stores. Here the work for making the brcech
ings and aekngs lor guns Is done.
The second floor occupied mainly a
It the time Of the fire full Of valuable
the story. here also lot or tiuware
ships anterns &C. The first floor is divided uto several
with naval Stores hardware and the like The ba
was filed With provisions principally meat IN barrels All
these flooded with water but most Of the naval
stores ou, before they suffered much loss.
In the fourth story was choice collection Of the most
improved re arms quantity Of rites OF the Dahgrcn
pattern, the best firearms in the world cutlasses,
vovers and pistols.
In the gunners working large amouat
Of storcs consisting principally of cartridge bags
used to contain powder for cannon charges. and
the material for making them. There also in the
building valuable nautical instruments In different rooms
at the west end compasses valuable charts books,
oncry, &c The official papers OF the officers OF the
others were saved but all The rest Of the articles emu
mcratcd above we're destroyed
Among the property destroyed in the buildings was
large collection OF valuable patterns designs plans
drawings which had been collected for years The plans
OF the Old ship Pennsylyania were among them These
was incurred by the nre 10 tle loarth story was a
valued aud rare collection Of works of taste belonging to
the widow OF the late Commodore Hull. consisting Of all
kinds Of and choice curioses from
top the seas and quantity OF mellow old wine In
bottles, fifty years old These entirely consumed
The conhgration became threatening that at half
psst three a general alarm sounded About that
time fearful panic was caused In the yard and the large
shphouses with gunboats building each the dry and
sectional docks the anyards the stays the whole
property IN the yard made an exceedingly escape
While the police and fremen removing the naval
stores cnsstng Of urpentine, benziue copa varnlsb
and mixtures equally nfammable the spigot Of barrel
started and the contents were spilled the ground
The roof OF the building fell at the time and the
burning flakes falling among the benzine set the whole
in blaze, which instantly spread 10 the barrels and
boxes OF varnsh aud turpentine. There deep gutter
the south side Of the main avenue and the engines
directing their streams the blazing mass the water
carried down the gutter towards the ship houses at
fearful rate The first thing touched pile OF Inm
Der, which was Immediately In blaze Further down
the pile Of boxes containing solid shot and
| empty shells, which was fire.
There about three hundred cases OF shells and
the rumor spread through tho crowd that the nhe are