The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-04-09

TIE NAVAL 60xFLICT.
Anticipated Battle BefKeeH the Rebel
Iron Ram SlOpsHal and the UnitfG
states Ships kIagara and SAeFsmflto
- - L fTo-a11

Anticipated Battle Between nc Aess'i
Froa Ram StOpeHa1 and the UnltfG Il
states ships Niagara and SAeFSmfiito
fcorr-soeDdesce Of the \. !. heraid-l
coEUxsA, Spain, March T. 1863.
AoKeAr NAVAL BATTLE IL PeosPEcT
I arrived here a Jew days since II Or
der L, b. near the scene of what, Il II
takes Mace. viii be one Of the most.
II not The most. remarkable contests
in the annals Il ancient or modern "a
val history Every one here IS now ex-
.,ectiug combat. which may take place
II any hour. between the United States
frieate Nisga4a and the Sacramento
on the one side, and the now celebra-
ted rebel rain Stonewals on the other.
The history Of the latter, from the
time Of her departure from Bordeaux
~ 10 her arrival here on the ID Of last
month, have already written you from
PARIS
THE Rkx At ANCHOR,
Herewith l send You . sketch Of her
s. she nov lies Al Ferrol port oppo !
site here and nine miles distant, and
this sketch. with the following oescrip
ton viii, think, convey very cor
rect idea Of the remarkable vessel
She Is hrigrigged, Of about eight hum
dred tons burden, is plated with IRON
Ct the thickness Of i've and a half IN
ches sl,d carries an iron plated spur Of
abeat thirty feet in length on her PROV
ST.. i armed with three guns-ail Arm
strong one of three hundred, and sne
other. one hundred and twenty po0n-
ders The three hundred poanoer Is
forward, in . stationary turrets ana the
others AZ. and rugged in the same nlan
ner--tEe after turret having four port
holes She carries seventy Eve men,
and has eeen endeaVoiBg - take on
board, and still ia expecting, thirty or /
forty more. She is said o be capable
OF rnaking not more than tsn Knots Al /
hour.
TuR RsBEL VESSEL TAXING CREW.
icon her srrisal At Ferrol she pro
fessed 70 be IN very leaSy eonestaoa, /
and 10 have put IN for repairs since /
then. although the Spanish government I
accorded her the privilege Of making
such as were'requisite 70 render her sea-
vorthy. II E has made none Of any Sonse
oaence. and il isfam0ng the possibilities
tpat her profession about being leaky
was i ruse to gain time and gsf more usgn
an9 ,,s,1lsusisioa On board Respecting this
there j. great difference Of opinion
here. many even among tbe officers Of
ous ships believing her 70 be perfectly
seaworthy.
Since her arrival two English steana~
err hase been IN the harbor undoubt-
edlf FOR the plrposs ofputtinq1s ei, ava ~.
.isss9as 81 board, but we're not permitted
70 communicate With her IS the Span
ish government seems really disposed
70 afford her no more aid than y aeoes-
sary tc place her in 8 condition n tof
sea. About two weeks since her com
snander. Capt. Page, formerly Of the
Inaed States navy, went to Paris, and
Is daily expected 70 return.
srRrxorH OF THE uNox cRuIsER
The Niagara arrived here from Ant
werp On the llth OF February. She is
a vessel Of four thousand Eve hun
dred tons, and carries twelve two hun
dred pound Parrot guns, all working
on piross. These guns throw solid shot
and shell Of eight inches in diameter.
The ship IS commanded BY Councillors
Thomas Z. Craven, one Of the eldest
officers in the serVice-one who has Seen
much active service, and who has the
reputation ii the navy Of being oae Of
the mCst skiliul and thoroughly trained
officers init Ihe officers, list of whom
] append, are all "eager for the fray,
and confident of success. She carries
orew Of four hundred and fifty men.
The Sacramento carries ten guns, ak
Of which are sixty-eieh ponnders, three
FOUNDER rifles, and one If
tY-pounder. Her commander is Caps
tsin Henry Wake and her officers eiige
with those Of the flag ship in their dis
position for the combat aud their conf
dence Of success
uow Tnr NIAGARA Will rfGHr
such being the material 10 be engag.
ID, you can form an idea Of the proba-
BILE result hear that Commodore
Craven slases thas his mode of fighting
vgould - 81 once 10 rts dozen un5a ne
lSissecal, bis speed giving hida an advan-
tage 81 two knots "a hour over her.
He thinks by this course he would sink
her, aud a. any rate would avoid the
j4agerof her Immense shells explod.
ing IN hIs resseA which might Be lhe
case if he fought her At long distance
Al Gloss quarters the sheiis would pass
clear through her and do her conpsta-
lively little damage lie would also
endeasor 10 attack her in rough sea,
and avoid q contest in smooth csfe.
ii the former case, She short distance
Of the Stonewalls guns from the ssster
would prevent her from working them
with any great degree Of execution. IT
oae gees cut he vii most ceriainly fol-
low and attack her Corunns sad Fer
ral beine two distinct ports, fks tsoeaif-
fsef k5sF me lro.ildslsi eilplg, and she can
nos get far oat without nis being awasa
Of the fact
VIII tbs RgBFls SHOW Ffenr.
As 70 the probability Of FIGHT fnd
opinions are shout equally divided z
Il takes place it viii probably De soon
after the retarn Of Captain Page frem
Paris. which i IS believed be left res,
terdsy, SO that BE- Nia be here IN iew
DAYS. Captain Page is said to have
frequently asserted When ia Paris that
he should go 10 sea upon his return, and
confidently expressed the opini0n that
he coald sink both The Siaeara and the
Sacfamento IN a very short tine
Shoald The Spanish authorities deter
mine 70 stop him he can pun 81 the
forts 81 the entrance Of the barber L he
chooses without receiving much dam
age from their shot a few days will
probably decide the question II is
my belief thst the StoneEan win 50 10
sea, and that She viii be followed and
attacked b. he Niagara and the SacfA
Anento. ana lay prayer Of course is Sod
project the old Gag
ASoTHER PniyATEEa ExFEcTED
The saetaneoto left forsea this morn
shes ana ne Niagara goes to-night Il
nor probable that the combat viii
l.,sa'naediately follow the departure al
these vessels, as shey have cone cut