The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-02-13
THE MISSING STEAMER.
Supposed to have been seen the
second day out.
PHILADELPHIA, February II,


PHILADELPHIA, February II.
The barque W. E. Anderson, Capt. W.
II. g, Drummond, from Prussia, reports
January 10th, while blowing strong gale
from Northeast and q heavy sea running,
passed large barque rugged man.ot.war
steamer standing southwark under close
reeled top sails in latitude 80, long. 1880
stcamlng slow. The Captain is sure II
was the Tennessee.
The Vessel declared Seaworthy.
New York, February 1l.Sss
Commodore Alden, one Of the most
experienced officers Of tho navy, who
superintendel tho vessel, authorizes the
following statement:
"That the Tennessee, formerly tho
Madawaska, Is one of the staunchest aud
most seaworthy vessels in the navy. That
she Is comparatively new, having made
but one trip since she was launched,
which was her trial trip, three years ago,
when she weathered q severe gale and
came out handsomely with one.hall the
sailing power she now has. She has been
thoroughly over-hauled during the past
year, and strengthened by the addition OF
u new deck, while her smiling power has
been doubled, so that she was stronger
and better when she went to sea this time
than ever before. A third OF the weight
of her machinery has been taken out by
relieving her Of useless boilers She has
Ericsson engines, and in case Of their be-
ing disabled has sailing qualities that will
take her all over the globe. 1t is not true
that any officers asked TO be relieved from
going out In her because they mistrusted
her sea going qualities. One engineer,
only, who had snug berth ut the Brook.
lyn navy.yard, which he didn't want to
leave, made this request. Several OF her
full complement Of officers were taken out
Of her to make room for the Commission
crs, their attaches and the correspond.
ents."
There is no anxiety felt by the officers
Of the navy and the Department about
the safety Of the Tennessee, for the follow
ing reasons: No intelligence, either from
Samana or San Domingo City, ofa sufl.
cicntly late date to have announced her
arrival, has been received anywhere.
Regular communication by the Tybee Is
but once month, and she Is not due on
her return trip until the Esd of the present
month. Admiral Lee, whose arrival at
Havana is announced, LEFT San Domingo
City, January II, five days before the
Commission left New York, and lefl Port.
au.Prince, in Hayti, January II, for ia.
maica; so his failure to bring any intelli.
gence Is fully accounted for. II Is 800
miles ina straight line from Samana to
Havana, and over 1000 miles from San
Domingo City to HNvana, so that II would
require four days to reach that telegraph
station. Jamaica Is the nearest cable
station, being little less than 800 miles.
Description OF the Tennessee.
Tho Tennessee Is n wooden steam fri
gate, OF 5000 tons burden, built at the
Brooklyn navy.yard in 1864. Her arma.
ment consists Of twenty.one guns, and her
engines are Of the Ericsson pattern, Capa.
bic Of being worked up TO S00hOrse pow.
er. She was originally built for one Of
tho fast cruisers, to look, Alabama wise,
for English sr foreign commerce in case Of
war. She was designed expressly for
speed, and was filled with machinery,
boilers, and coal.bunkers, leaving little
room for tho accommodation Of officers
and crew. No use being found ior her in
this condition, she WINS greatly altered
-Four boilers were taken out, the coal
bunkcrs on the berth deck were removed,
and light spar deck was added to her,
making her doublc-hankcd frigatC. She
is good sen boat, tolerably fast under
steam, and clipper under sail. Her bat
tory Is very heavy, consisting Of sixteen
nine.inch guns, in broadside, on the gun
deck; two eleven-inch guns and two one
hundrcd.poundCr rifles, in broadsidc, on
the spar deck; one sixty.pounder rifle on
the forccastlc, and two twenty.pounder
DahlgrCn rifle howtzCrs ON the poop
twenty-five guns in all;
Sent Out in Search.
WASHINGTON, February II.
The President, although he wishes It
distinctly understood that he feels no
alarm, has, for the purpose Of using all
means to insure the earliest intelligence of
tho whereabouts ot the Tennessee, sent q
telegram to Admiral Lee, at Havana, in.
structing him not only to send q steamer
TO San Domingo City to make special in.
quiry, but to use any other vessels on hand
in cruising between the nearest telegraph
point and San Domingo, in order to inter.
cept and hurry with any news that may
be on tho way.
A Agentleman in New York, who has op.
portunitics Tor procuring correct intorma-
ti0n on the subject, writes to Mr. B. D.
Whitney, Of this city, Private Secretaryto
General Butler, that 1t would take the
Tennessee seven days to reach Samana
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