New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-10-01
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.0FFlClAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
! VISIT TO THE pRUssIAN FLEET.


the Expecte0 Nav0I enlargement.
Bremen Correspondent London Globe j
Armed with letters to superior officers, |
left Bremen on the second instant by rail.
MY only companions on the coupe are a
Young artillery officer, who cares for moth
ing; an engineer, belonging to one of the
ir0n-clads; and landwehr captain, who
has something to do with the administra-
tive departments at Wilhelmshafen. 1t was
dark when we reached the last station on
the route, called Reppens, which l was In
formed was mile distant from Wilhcmsh;,-
fen. The rain now poured in torrents; not
a vehicle of any kind was at the station ex-
cent an immense concern fully twenty-five
long, u sort of Noah's ark, which l sup
posed was travelling hospital, or some
such affair. We united our efforts, and
after much negotiation succeeded in launch
ing the Noah's ark, which was the only
thing it seems to be had, and started for the
town, drawn by three horses, we three alone
occupying vehicle that I should think
was capable of carrying fifty at least. p
= just as was finishing my supper an Off
him making inquiries regarding "der Eng
lander" Shortly after he addressed me,
and wished to see my papers" l gave
them to him, as also the letters which had
brought. He said, I'VE have orders not
to admit strangers to our lines in this place;
however, you can call in the morning at the
a. post commanders and you will there get
further information" ] asked what hour
should present myself, and he said, "ten
O'clock" He then bowed very stify, de-
clined glass of wine which l offered, and
took his departure. G.
At the appointed time l was at the post
commandment Greatly to my surprise and
disappointment, learned that the host had
gone down to the feet, and the substitute
left in charge declined to take the RESPONSE
bility of giving me a pass to go III the same
direction. l must wait till night, and The
would see what could be done" etc. There
was nothing left for me but to wait. In the
afternoon it cleared up little, and my
travelling companion, the young artillerist,
took me round to see the works.
The Jahde-B usen is a large bay or basin
about sixty square miles in area, formed by
an inuntation of the sea during great
storm in 1923. The dock yard lies on the
west side of the bay, just inside Of its en-
trance proper, although the bar lies nearly
twenty miles to the north. 1t is approached
by a channel only half mile broad, and is
accessible at all times for vessels drawing
twenty-six feet of water. The entrance to
the floating harbor for ships of war is pro-
tccted by piers one hundred and twentysiX
yards long, and shut off from the outer har
Dor by huge dock gate; a second gate and
canal then leads into the inner harDor,
which is 1900 feet long and 700 feet broad.
Adjoining the inner harbor are three dry
docks and two building slips for the con-
struction of iron-clad vessels. Heavy earth
works extend along the shore facing the
channel completely encircling the town and
docks on all sides, except toward the west
and south. .E
1 The sea-face is mounted with some of
krupp's ten-inch guns, which it Is said can
pierce any iron plating in the French navy.
/ did not see many troops, but nay compan-
ion told me that they had plenty to man the
batteries, hut he did not think there was the
slightest fear of tie French ever getting mp
as far as this. The day was well nigh spent
when the officer who had taken my papers
very kindly brought them to my hotel, with
a ''pass," and the information that a dispatch
boat would leave in half an hour for the
fleet. by which might take passage. Sciz-
ing my satchel l started for the basin. az
cOmpanied by an officer who had been
deputed to show me the way and to pass me
by the guard. We reached the stone steps
leading down into the outer basin just in
time for me to embark on board one of the
steam tugs belonging to the North German
Lloyds, which learned had all been
pressed into the government service as dis
patch boats and tenders on the feet.
Wilhelmshafen lies due south by compass
y
course was in a northerly direction: but it
would not be proper for me to state the
channels through which we passed. 1t will
be sufficient to state that we ran about
twenty miles before we reached the Prns-
sian fleet. We then found them lying
quietly at anchor in a sort OF "bight'' inside
of the outer shoals, in such u position that
they protected both the Weser and the
Jahde. The iron-clads had all been "strip-
IN altbouuI hay
presented most uncouth appearance, l
could not but acknowledge the good sense
which it exhibited.
The ships were moored in double line
with springs upon their cables, steam up,
and everything ready for action. The
northern outer line were all iron-clads.
First TO the west was the Prince Adalbert,
then the Frederick Carl, next the Kron
Prinz, and last the King William flagship.
The second or inner line in the same order,
consisted Of the iron-clad Arninius, the
Hansa, the Nymphe, and the Areona
besides these there were large number of
tenders, dispatch boats, supply ships, etc.
it made quite formidable look
ing feet, and l began to feel certain on
seeing them that was just in time to wit
ness the long expected naval engagement
When we reached the Kron Prinz as
,ended the gangway, and had the good for
officers to whom had brought letters At
two bells the men were mustered at quar-
ters, and exercised at the big guns. There
was evidently good discipline and careful
training. The signal officers were very
busy, and seemed to be practicing some new
code different from anything l had ever
seen. The communication from ship to ship |
appeared to be very rapid. 1t was observa-
BILE, too, that in handling the broadside guns
there we're very few words Of command
most everything being done by signs. The
men walked away" with the train tackles
and handled the heavy guns with excellent
rase. Although personally long of opinion
that this whole system of handling heavy |
ship guns is obsolete, / could not but &C |
that the Prussian seamen han |
died them well. lost no time in making |
the inquiry when the fleet would probably |
weigh" but of course no one knew that
but the commodore. However, when the
main object of my visit became known, l
received an intimati0n that some intOrma-
ton would probably be given me upon the
subject later in the day.
New French Army Of the Northwest.
From the New York WOrldl
RoUEN, September 25.-A new army, being
he fifth in the field outside of Paris, is now