The New York herald., 1870-03-21
THE MISSING IRON-CLAD.
The Ram Triunfo--Has She Gone. to the Bot
tom Her Career as Blockade Runner
and Rebel Iron-Clad-Descrip-
tion Of the Vessel.

A few days ago the statement was made public
that the roa.clad Triunfo formerly the Atlantal,
which was purchased from the United States gov
ernment by the Haytiens when Sanave was in
power had appeared before Port au Prince shortly
after the Dlctator's execution, and had put about
for the West Indies after learning the fate Of the
unfortunate President 1t would now appear from
intelligence received rrom highly reliable authority
Ill Hayu that that statement wes not well founded,
and that since tue day the iron-eiad steamed down
the Delaware river she has not been seen heard
from. she has now been out over e!ghtyeIght days.
and as the voyage she set out upon could nave been
completed. nnder favorable circumstances, within
fifteen days. the natural inference Is that she has
ioundered ana gone to the bottom with all on board.
When Ihe vessel left the Delaware Breakwater last
December she had barely ten days provisions on
board and sne has not since heen reported as hav-
Ing re-proysioncd at any other port. Her hull. IL
was also noticed, was not over eight inches
above the level O! the water and those who
saw her leave and VINO knew how very
badly she bad always previously behaved
trusted their lives In such craft duriug the stormy
months o winter. Wnen she did leave II Is said that
She was oilcered by young ana inexperienced sea-
men, Az 1t may be interesting 10 everybody TO
know what kind OF vessel the Iriunfo IS descrip-
ton of the iron-clad may not be out OF place:--
The Atlanta was formerly the Clyde hullG steamer
Fngai. and was employed IN the West Highland
trade. ana was'purcnased IN GLASGOW for blockade
runner in 1861. She lett there bound lor a rebef
| pors WltR ammunition anu medical stores Tor The
reDeis, and arrived at Savannah In the spr.ag OF
1892. Finding that she could not 30 to sen again
without great risk OF capture IT was decided TO
vert her into u vessel OF war; Many months We're
occupied IN ciitlng her down ana putting her into q
shape not unlike the notorious Merrimac, ana cover
ing her with what was believed To be an imp!eg
naoie armor, and providing her with huge Deak
or ram which the rebels thought would sink any
vessel she came IN contact With. Her general ap-
pearance resembles very much the United states
ronclads " hich used 10 patrol the Mississippi suca
as the Essex and Eenon, but sue was by no means
syrong formidable Her gun deck rams from
10 stern ana over 1t ~ the upper or spar deck
The sides are about an angle oil foftg-fVe degrees
Tley are built OF oaK aud pine, eight 10 ten inches
thlcx, which Is covered by solid bars OF iron running
from the upper spar deck 10 the water line, ana
anu haf inches Ill thickness These are securely
fastened on by rvet' passing through tho
wnicn Is as hard The bars themselves. The pilot
house IS puiit up trouga aud above the spar deck
about two feet This IL constructed or solid iron,
i've ana a haii inches thick, with two eiougate1
oogouts on each OF the four sides. Her Prov OF
most formidable character extending about two
feet out from the bow attached to winch and down
the cutwat.r Is sort Of an immense saw, the teeth
OF which are made OF the finest steel. Her length
vessel 10 feet she has engines of 800 horse power.
sue was captured from Inc rebels by the monitors
Wcehawken and Montauk III June, 1868, having
been brought to terms after the second shot from
! the Weehawkcn.
| The following communication In relation to the
| vessel viii be Of INTEREST,"
New YORK, March 10, 1870.
| To THE EDITOR or THE HERALD
Alter the ailicting statement contained In the
HERALD Of the 10th inst. IN regard 10 the ram
Atlanta, ana which seemed To have some shadow OF
TRUTH quite an adverse report toucnng the fate
said steamer has appeared IN your Issue oi the 17h
inst ond under sucu favorable shade as to leave
CLEAN OF hope OF her safety TO all those who have
relatives or friends on board and are aboring under
the most crnel anxiety on tneir account II Is not
ollcu however to see the failacy o the statement,
for no iidlngs OF the ship ever having made
her appearance or Port au Prince have, since
lnpt.
nor IL 1t possible thar, even. II such were the
case that the commander. learning the downfall Of
Sainaye's government, would have departed 10
some other place In the Bananas uniil negotiations
could be entered into with saget, the new Presi-
dent Of Hayt, for ,.. her !, purchase, when
ther Sainave is there or not, belongs 10
| the Hayden government aud had left phia-
as "Hayten shlpo!-war." IL ia therefore, un-
plausible to suppose for moment that her gallant
Commander should SO lar forget himself as to be
roaming the seas with ship-ofwar and playing the
part or pirate. Not wishing to malead the public
aud much less all those who have relatives board
OF the Atianta and while synipathizinR with them
In their fear and anxiety, / must candfdiY
say that have the greatest DOUBTS as TO her safety,
considering that that steamer had hardly been prop
ery repaired ana put IN thorough order for after
her purchase by zoe agents OF sainave. She was
crease The evll, laden with coal. Tie crew amount
Ing to about 100 negroes consisted mostly OF COOKS
and stewards, and not IN amy way trained as 1t
sailors Tor shp-oi war OF her description. TneSe
was not even hammer on board TO drive in o nail
IN OF emergency ana all tie PROVISIONS she had
10 last only for few days. In short the whole
ship was patched up concern with all possible
nastc despite the fabulous sum OF money sne cost
III order to SATISFY the thirst Tor or those who
only hao tneir own interest la view. 1T was, at the
time OF the departure OF the ram from Philadelphia,
considered by every one VINO mad chance 10 Visit
her the greatest piece OF iupruaencc the part OF
her commander TO go 10 sea ln sucD condition rs
was the slip.
May this brief statement gnflce TO enlghten the
public as 10 the fate of the Atlanta and rs no inlel-
iigenCe has as Vet been received ABOUT her notwtn
stand The late arrivals from Port Prince !
hope that IT VIII not DC thought out oi place wnen
frankly express nay opinion that she mnst have
10undered with every soul on board soon after she
ieit Philadelphia Time may. however. throw soma
light on the whole matter and unyeu the mystery
with which II is shroaded. X.