Year: 1864




NORFOLK, VA. March 9th 1854


To The Editor Of the Press:


Maine being celebrated as ship-buiding
State, and large portion of her population
either actively engaged, or largely interested
in, commercial enterprise, | infer that many of
your readers have noticed the recent discus
sions upon the efficiency Of the Navy, raised
by Mr. Dickinson of ~ Y, and responded to
by Secretary Wells, in his challenge to run
the u. S. Steamer Eutaw against the field"
and that few facts relating to the successful
operations of this vessel, similar in all respects
to the one quoted, may serve to disabuse the
minds of such as have been prejudiced by
the repeated attacks upon the Department
and its vessels. That we have had many yes
sells of inferior speed is undoubtedly true and
1t ought to surprise no one acquainted with
the condition OF the Navy at the outbreak of
the Rebellion. 1t was found necessary TO en-
large our Naval force, almost instantaneousy,
TO an extent hitherto unthought of, and all
the resources of the country were called into
play to furnish a Gordon of war vessels that
should cncircle our coast from the Chesapeake
to the Rio Grande. The demand was urgent
and precluded the possibility of arresting the
slow process of construction; hence recourse
to available vessels in the Mercsntc Marine,
and with commendable care In the selection,
and due regard to the first principle of econ--
omy in the expenditure, large number in
cluding some of the finest and fastest steam
ers in the country, were purchased, fitted out
with all possible dispatch and distributed
along the coast


Our first batch of Screw Gunboats were all
that we expected; too small to carry the ma
chinery necessary for great speed, they have
proved we'll fitted to the service for which
they were built and have borne gallant test-
mony to their efficiency in nearly all the inland
waters of the country. The twelve side
wheel steamers soon after put a1oat, were
also constructed under all the disadvantages
of haste, and a constant demand for this im-
mediate service, and 1t Is not surprising that
the first efforts of some Of them should have
fallen short of the anticipations of the De-
partment. They were an entirely new class
of vessels, adapted expressly for use in shoal
water and in narrow rivers and lagoons, de-
pending more upon their facility OF manmu-
vering, and their ability to steam forward or
backward at WILL than upon their speed. Still
many OF them could make thirteen to four
teen miles per hour, and atleast one of them
to which was for time attached, even more
than that, which is certainly very good steam
ing for vessels not built wholly with a view to
speed. The twenty-seven new double-ended
side-wheel steamers. of which the Sassacus
was the first put in commission, was built
upon the same principle, though increased
considerably in size, and furnished with much
more powerful engines than their predeces-
sors, and it was confidently expected by the
Department that they would be able to cope
with the fastest vessels afloat. Much interest
was accordingly felt when our vessel was first
subjected to practical test, by sending us to
sea on the 5th Oct. last for a trial trip. Our
machinery being entirely new, demanded the
most watchful care during this experimental
cruise, it being at that time in charge of the
workmen who constructed it, and one of them
who was intrusted with the care Of oiling the
parts most exposed to friction, being over
come by sea-sickness, neglected his duty, and
allowed the crank pin to become very much
heated, which with incidental difficulties, pre-
vented fair trial of the maximum powers OF
the ship. We were enabled, however, to fully
test her qualities as a "sea-boat" during a
severe S r gale, and found her all we had
hoped; being very dry, and steaming against
wind and sea with ease. On our return. we
anchored near Boston Light in the eyenifNe of
the 9th, and on the following morning on our
trip up the Harbor, we obtained, notwithstan-
ding the trouble with our engine, speed
averaging from l5.2 to 1871 miles to the hour
which for new vessel just returned from a
severe trial of her powers of endurance was
highly satisfactory to all concerned. Being
soon after ordered to New ork. and thence
to Washington, we steamed UP the Potomac
river on the 9th Nov, and by actual obser-
walton, from point to point ON the land, proved
that we were travelling at a rate, exceeding
16 2-3 miles an hour, with neither tide or cur
rent in our favor, which, though not so large
figure as tits customary to claim in news
paper reports, will bear a favorable compari-
son, think, with the actual performance of
the fastest sea-gGng steamers afloat. On the
10Th January last, we left Fortress Munroe
for station where our qualifications both as
'seaboat.' and "chaser" would be subiec-
ted to a thorough test. Cruising off shore,
on an exposed portion of the coast, we had
ample opportunity to try her staunchness and
general behavior at sea, which during the
worst weather was all that could be desired.
At 9.5 A. NJ, on the 2lst, we started in chase
of a large side-wheel steamer, about o miles
distant, standing to the Northward, and con-
tnued to gain upon her in spite of heavy sea
and strong gale from NE which gave a'great
advantage to the other vessel, she being a
large sea-going steamer built expressly for
ocean cruising. At 4.30 2. M, it being then
quite foggy, we had closed up within a mile
and a halt, and ascertained by signal that we
had been chasing U. S. Steamer, "Keystone
State, one OF the fastest vessels purchased by
the Government, having gained on her all of a
mile and halt, proving US capable to over
haul her with ease, under circumstances all
against US.


This in connection with the capture and
destruction of the "Wild Dagrell" two days
later, gave us the most implicit confidence
in the capabilities of our Steamer, and when
on the morn of February 4th' at I, ,45,we sight
ed steamer burning the suspicious "back
smoke, $50 greatful to the eyes of n Blockader,
we started in chase in the full expectation of
capturhing the stranger. She was about II
miles distant, when we headed for her, run
ming from us at full speed in Northerly di-
rection. At Ills P. NJ. We were within a
mile OF her, when she run on shore, fired and
abandoned by her crew in such haste that
one of the boats was capsized, and the greater
part OF her crew were drowned. On boarding
the steamer, she proved to be the Nutheld o.
London, new and built expressly for the
trade, this being her first attempt at fore
Ing the blockade. She was reported one o,