The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-19
FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1866.
The Condition of our IrOn-Clods "A New
York Libel Retuted.

utterances by the press of the metropolis on
matters appertalning to Philadelphia, publishes
a letter purporting to come from our city,
descriptive of the condition of the iron-clad
vessels at League Island In this communi-
cation it thus describes the observations of the
correspondent -
"a few days ago our reporter visited the iron
clad depot on the Delaware, and saw the vessels
laid up there. 1t IS not long since the vessels
were removed from point near the Navy Yard
to the so.caled channel at the back OF League
Island. This channel is six hundred feet in
width, and is daily uncovered by the tide, so as
to leave q portion OF 1t more like land than
water. There /, a marrow place in the middle of
the channel, of sufficient depth to receive
single MONITOR and in this the vessels are drawn
up in line. AT times, when the tide is very
low, the monitors are to be seen fast in the mud,
and elevated several feet above their usual
height when in the water The bottoms of the
vessels will undoubtedly be much damaged
by a, long continuance in this place,
and the effect of the water there has
been to strip the paint off their
sides already One of the officers in charge of
the Dictator and NetC hOaSideS stated that he
expected, if the stories about the ice true to
find his charge at the bottom before the winter
was over. 1t Is also known that if the vessels
we're wanted Tor service they could not be got
out in less than month. The DiCt0tOr and NeJo
LrOnStdeS are moored out OF the main channel,
and are very secure If security consists in CHAINS
and anchors. The matches Of the Dictator are to
be sealed up tor tear OF being submerged, so
that the only entrance will be through the
tuIret Now is not this rather q dangerous eX-
perm mt? Here are veSs is which have cost the
Government many millions OF dollars placed in
a position where theV will certainly be damaged,
and, possibly, some of them may be Destroyed,
as it is said that when the Ice is IN motion 1t
moves at the rate OF five SIX miles an hour,
and no vessel can then lie IN the channel. Surely
there are plenty OF places within the bounds OF
the United States where our lron'clad vessels
could lie in safety without being subjected to
the damaging influences which are at work at
the iron-clad depot on the Delaware"
The charges here made exhibit falsity and
malignity almost unparalleled. What can
be the morality Of journal which will invent
circumstances tending only to damage a
sister city and at the same time do no good
to the municipality it represents? For should
all the charges against the Delaware be true,
it is certain that there is no probability that
the North river or New York harbor would
be selected as the resting place of our iron
navy. Let US examine the statement of the
Times in detail and compare its fabulous pic
lures with the facts. Tne channel back of
the Island is not six hundred, but two hun
dred end fifty feet wide and is never uncovered
at low water. When the tide is fully out
there is sometimes but nine feet of water in
it, and this is the minimum.
1t is mot true that the iron-clads anchored
there are ever to be "seen fast in the mud,
and several feet above their usual height"
Those of heavier draft rest in the soft mud
when the tide is lowest, but it would take the
eyes of Argus to "see" them in the mud; and
the idea that by any means vessel would be
elevated several feet by any process known to
hydrostatics is too absurd to need refutation
OF course, when the water is low more of
their sides are visible, and the reporter Of the
Times probably mistook the decrease of water
for an elevation of the ships. The fact that
the vessels rest in soft river mud at low water
is quoted as some terrible and ruinous circum-
stance by our contemporary, while, however, it
is we'll known that there is hardly navy yard
in eur country at which the same narrowing
phenomenon does not constantly occur.
1t is not true that since they have come
here "the effect of the water has been to strip
the paint off their Sides" Their long continu-
ance in salt water has subjected them toits cor
rosiye influence, in consequence of which seve-
raj of them want repairing. But coming as
thew did to our city in the midst of cold
weather, it was impossible to overhaul them
until the return of spring. The effect OF their
continual subjection to the salt water of New
York and New London may well be esti-
mated, il few weeks in the sea can so injure
them as to excite the Indignation Of the Times
4, o. of
we despatched a reporter to the Navy
Yard, the officers OF which officially inform u;
that "No officers of the Dictator or Neto Iron
sides ever told reporter OF the Times any
such thing about The anticipated trouble from
the ice, No reporter of the Times is believed
now to have been on board either Of the yes
sells, as no one can visit any of them withou
permit, and no such permit has ever beer
issued at this office" 1t would, therefore
seem that its characteristic energy has le
the Times to think they were writing up
special in war times, and that the reporte
was in New York, and the letter manufaC
tured in the office. Such things are commo
in the offices OF the leading New Yor
journals.
The truth of the matter is that the ice iI
stead of rushing at the headlong rate Of fiv
or six miles an hour, as pictured by the Me-
York reporter, sweeping and destroying all
its path, in reality gently glides down tn
river at less than one mile per hour; an
even then cannot reach with a ripple th
back channel, sheltered as it is by protectin
bar, which throws all the ice out of its courS
and into the main channel. The tale, ther