The Portland daily press., 1863-04-20

above the surface of the water, pointed at both
ends, with one immense turret rising ten or
Twelve feet above the deck, surmounted by
low pilot house-all iron within and iron with
out The turret contains two guns, one an IL
inch Dahlgren, the other a rifed two hundred
FOUNDER. The port holes are contrived with a
curtain to shut as the gun recoils on being
fired; the pieces are moved by nicely adapted
machinery, and raised or depressed as occa-
sion requires. Her screw and rudder are en-
tirely protected by the iron casing of eleven
one-inch plates, and her solid, flush iron deck,
as well as her sides and turret, would seem to
be proof against even the ponderous metal
discharged by Sumter or Vicksburg. But
while the inventive genius of man discovers
protecting armor, it also invents corresponding
missiles, capable Of crushing or penetrating
what had been deemed invulnerable. This
civil war, the most stupendous of history. has
raised TINS inventive genius, and invented in
ternal elements of destruction, beyond any
thing heretofore achieved by the ingenuity of
man. May 1t have the effect of rendering
war too diabolcal game for human indul-
gence or pursuit.
The Girard House has lately been the scene
of an affair which for time rufled the duh
level of Its history. Mr.. Lee, of the Virgin
Ia family, has been residing in the house some
time with son about five years old. He had
UCCh a iCutctidilt TIE navy, DuL OH maTTy-
ing Miss Griggs, daughter of wealthy mer-
chant on Walnut street, he resigned his office
in the navy, receiving an equivalent from his.
father-in-law. The newly married pair trav-
eled In Europe, and child was born in Paris,
great disappointment to the mother, who
was beautiful, accomplished and fashionable
woman. The new responsibility did not suit
her convenience, and interfered with her pleas
ures. The duties of maternity were not agree
atl Ia 20 har r.
women she got rid Of them, and of her hus-
band too, who was the cause of "all her woe.
They separated. The husband got possession
of the child and took him with nurse to the
Girard House, while the wife, declining her
fathers house as well as her husbands, seated
herself at a hotel in New York. Thus mat
tiers remained until three or four weeks ago,
when carriage drove up to the Girard House
containing two ladies accompanied by man
on the box with the driver. The child was
just returning with his nurse from walk as
the carriage drove up; one of the ladies
stepped from the carriage, seized the child,
while the outside man held the nurse, and the
carriage with the child drove rapidly
from the door. The father hearing Of
the abduction was greatly agitated, and with
the police at his heels set out In hot pursuit.
He found the child in New York, and there
Instituted proceedings for conspiracy, and for
the recovery OF his son, who, he found, was in
custody of his mother. Under writ of ha-
beds corpus the mother claimed her child. al
leging the unfltness and incompetency of the
father to take care Of and provide for him.
His moral character Is called in question. and
his disloyal sentiments to the Union and an
intention to carry the child to Virginia are al
legged on the part of the mother as reasons for
her right to retain her offspring. The child is
bright, intelligent, and was quite ayorite in
the house. Evidence Is being taken by the
parties in support Of their allegations, and the
wife has also applied for divorce He is
about thirty years old, and very communicate
i've on the subject Of the complications in
which he is involved. So you may well judge
that the house is enlivened by the gossip. We
wait impatiently for the result. w.