April 12, 1861;
The New York Herald
The New York Herald
Naval And Military Movements.
There was a very large influx of visitors to the Navy Yard yesterday, drawn thither by the fine summery weather and the expectation of witnessing something extraordinary. In this latter expectation the greater number were disappointed, for there was nothing extraordinary to be seen. A few of the visiters, however, appeared to be from the country, and some of them probably never saw a line of battleship before in their lives. To such the walk to the Navy Yard was a treat, and, doubtless, the place had an air of activity not so perceptible to those who are more familiar therewith, and on their return they will have a great deal to tell those whom they have left at home of the wonders they have witnessed–the North Carolina and her big guns; the little Perry, with two masts, and the huge Wabash and Roanoke, with no masts at all. Among the visiters yesterday there were an unusual number of ladies, who could walk about the yard and view everything of interest without shivering in the raw, bleak wind that had been blowing for some days past, or being enveloped in clouds of dust, to the destruction of their dresses and the filling of eyes, nose and mouth with the almost impalpable particles.
The work on the several vessels is progressing. The Perry has nearly all her rigging complete, and the workmen were engaged yesterday reeving the ratlines to the shrouds. The huge derrick had completed its task of hoisting the water tanks on board the Wabash; but its services will be soon called into requisition again to hoist in the masts, which were being placed alongside for that purpose. The engines of this vessel are nearly completed, and it is understood that Chief Engineer King is making such alterations and improvements on them as will add materially to their efficiency. In a few days time they will be taken in. Nothing is being done to the engines of the Roanoke, and there remains considerable work yet to be done to the upper part of her hull and her interior before she can be fitted out as a seagoing vessel.
The work is going on with considerable speed on board the Savannah, but as it is all inside, what has been accomplished is not apparent to the visitor.
There can now be but little doubt that the Wabash, the Savannah and the Perry are preparing for sea, and that the latter may be placed in commission at any moment; but the officers, like the old boatman of the river Styx, who would not take passengers across free if he could, and couldn’t if he would, either cannot or will not give any information on the subject. It is only by that and that together–to employ a vulgarism–that an outsider can arrive at a tolerably correct conclusion.
Among the things worthy of notice are a number of dahlgren guns, of heavy calibre, that are being painted in glaring red, and rendered quite smart in appearance–a circumstance trivial, considered separately, but which becomes invested with significance when taken in connection with the other unmistakeable signs of war preparation. Alongside the wharf where the Perry is lying was a lighter, from which a large quantity of provisions were being landed, and a number of hands were engaged housing the barrels.