The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-03

shaii al No. 3s Burling slip. that gentleman replied
az ioows:-.Wc have absolutely no steamers in the
North Atlantic trade except those OF tho limo run
ming from Philadelphia TO Liverpool. These are
good steamships, well constructed, but they
hardly be called fast steamers, have heard
OF any one OF them making an unusually quick pas
sage. As for steam tonnage is mostly employed
In coasting trade ana between here aud the West
Indies, Mexico and South America, and those owned
By tho Pacific Nail Steamship Company on the At
lantic and Pacific sides. could not designate which
or these Is best adapted for ,warike pur-
poses You aware that mercantile marine Is
IN very depressed condition. have no knowledge OF
the steamers State OF New York and City OF Para cx
cept what have obtained from tho wspapers. l
ruth is IN my opinion rnoro Is not in our steam ION
mage mucn that could be made available for cruising
Az Ex-sAvAL OFFICERS OPINION
Another gentleman, whs requested that his narne
might be oihitlcd was found at his ONCE near tns
that he entered the United States Navy in
1896 and served during tho Mexican war
participated in tho For. Fisher assault aud
executive officer several ps OF war; includ-
ing the frIga,e M,nnesola. In regard TO the names
and tonnage of fast Amcrcan steamships he said -
"Wcll, TO begin, there Is the Pacic Maii line. This
Panama, City OF san Francisco, CITY OF Sydney, TO-
getner with Tue Acapulco Co.ima. Coiop, Costa Rica,
Grenada aud the Salvador. These all iron screw
steamers cach Of them moro than one thousand tons
burden, and all adapted for purposes OF cruis.
ing against IN enemys commerce. While they
war ships, US cruisers and transports
they would be very valuable Then there arc tho IRON
ton City OF san Antonio CITY OF Rio Grxnde ana State
ci exas. These AL above ono thousand tons, aud
Mail line, still well suited Tor tho purpose inai
Gated In addition to these l think they MALLORY L
Co.. have three or four wooden steamers that would,
perhaps DO better suited tor war purposes than iron
ships.
OTHER SMALLER VESSELS.
"Then there three steamships OF tho Cromwell
lIne-the Hudson, the Knickerbockeraudi the Now Or
ieans-plying between New York and The Crescent
Guy, a line iron steamers Of 500 tons. Having good
power they we'll ntted Tor purposes. There IL
also tho New York ana Mexico steamship Company
they have ono is0a steamship, the Cty vi Washing
ton large, hoe vessel and Jour other wooden steam
ers-namely the City Of Merida, Guy oi Havana cry
OF Mexico and CITY New York Then there ure TWO
steamers owned by tho Central Railroad and
Banking Company OF Georgia. They have two
wooden ones, o which might easily DO made avail.
able for tho same purpose. Again, there are Two
steamers belonging 70 Tho New York aud Charleston
steamship Company, ana there also other steam.
ers running between boston and rbiladepnia and
between Boston and BALTIMORE, That would mako good
used IN the United Siatcs Navy as cruiser
during orr late civ'i war. VI course you un-
Tor war purposes, but they might be promptly
and easily adapted to uses snd upon very short
steamers Of william p. Ciydo 4 Co., .ne Crescent
CITY aud Columbus The Crescent City was tho Old
Massachusetts IN our navy. She has not great speed
but she can carry enormous quantity OF COAL und
on that account would be able 70 keep ut sea Tor
considerable time The Columbus IS much iastcr
AMERICAS NATURAL ALLIES.
On being asked BY lie HERALD representative what
he thought OF tho rumored intention OF tho Russian
government 10 purchase American steamers Tor prva.
iecripg purposes TINS gentleman said ~ think that
10 The United states Tor the purpose Of purchas
ing vessels, because during our owl war tney
always ieis KINDLY toward US and gave "a, as
would naturally looK to US Tor sympathy IN
tho event Of war between England and themselves.
feeling that would DO very willing 10 return TO
England tue cviliies received from IN at country
tho Vi Aabamas and other cruisers against our
commerce.. For my part have no desire TO see
war break out between tho two countries"
NO VESSELS YkT SOLD To RUSSIA.
Calling Al the Bowling Green Offices ol the Pacific
Mail steamship Company the writer found Mr. Will
tam p Clyde, .. president. and inquired Of him
Gently bcen sold 10 the Russian government, or II
negotiations were on loot having Tor thor object
such transfer. Mr. CLYDE replied that none OF tho
company's vessels had been SOLD TO Rus
neither wcro there any negotiations pending -
that ond. He added that inc statement from
Washington, intn,ating that Mr.. Hueston was thore
Tor tho purpose Of negotiating with the Russian Aims
Tor the sale OF tho steamships City OF Toxic and
City of Pekng Is mistake, ~ Mr.. Hueston there
on totally different business.
ssrs,sAUs. oOnv ~ DDn ME-.
A rumor Is aaoat that the British government has
been sending agents this country to watch tho pro-
cecdngs OF the Russians. who are supposed TO DO
making preparations for privaieorinR OF war;
NJ this side OF tho The statement made BY q
correspondent. TO this paper 49,
That there be no doubt that special ngsnts have
been sont TO this country to watch tho course OF
events. In the s,camers from bermuda lately there
arrived in tnis port number OF young men supposed
10 be cadets in the ROYAL Navy. In the Gamma, on
tho 22d oi April, Messrs SouIhworth, Atwood aud
Paul landed here and are busly engaged In watching
tho steamers most likely 10 be lifted out for prva-
:ccrs, and Monday last hero arrived Ia tho
ship General Meade three officers among them STAFF
Commander Dodds. Perusa oil tho passenger iists Of
announced that the Gin bria was on the coast
OF Mninc Messrs. Atwood ana Paul loft for Mount
Desert large free OF war vessels arc now assem-.
bie Bermud be In readiness to intercept vessels
leaving our Eastern coast
In regard to this statement Mr. A. Emllius Outer.
bridge, agent Of Tho Bermuda limo OF steamers said
thai Mr. b. H. sou,hworth arrived on tho Gamma
April o. according to hts register. and that be did
think he had anything to do with tho British govern
ment; that Mr.. w. w. Paul. Mrs. Paul and Miss Paul,
who arrived by the steamer, were residents Of
Philadc ph,a and had boon down TO Bermuda merely
ON plea euro trip; that Stan Commander Dodds was
In command Of the floating dock a. bermuda ana bis
time being up he had to New York to tsko snip.
ping Tor EpgIund, which no did TUESDAY by tho
steamer Canada. Tho other o0icers OF the British
Navy reported 10 have come hero TO watch
the proceedings Of tho Russians wero Captain silver,
II. NJ, and Lieutenant Hearic, also OF tho navy.
Both gentlemen arrived by Tho General Meade last
Monday morning. and left for England pcxt day BY
tho steamer Wisconsin,, so that they could hardly
come "a mission Of surveillance Of the Russian
designs about pr,vatecring. and Captain Silver had
wife, six children and maid 10 look alter. Mr. out
erbrdgo sad further that Bermuda Is tho beadquar-
Of the Brush Atlantic squadron, Admiral Key
bong In commaud. There are about egnt or ten
ships In tho squadron threc Of which arc ironcads
ana thc rest gunboa,a AZ 70 the chances Q. priva-
| teeriug IRON ths coast, no said, 1--WE havo
no boats running out OF hero that will
steam more than ten knots an hoar Tho Now Orleans
boats hay steam twelve knots. MaIIory's limo 10
Texas cannot steam more than ten and old Mallory
wouldn't givo Of his boats Tor privsteoring Tor
her weight In gold Tncfo "a tho Alexandra line 10
Havana but IL - doing TOO good business 10 sell
for privatcering ana except tue Pacific and the line
from pniiadepnia to Liverpool do not whore you
Ind vessels OF American ownership TO turn into
privaiccrs Of tho requisite specd.n
Mr. Outcrbridge belicvea the whole story Of Rus.
sian scheme TO start out prvatcers from thcso
| TO be hugo mares nest.
THE RUsso-IRIsH ALLIANCE
rood many Irish nationalist in tbis civ road