NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE. 1. IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT ON THE IRON-CLAD STEAMER PASSAIC. 2. CAPT. ERICSSON ON THE PASSAIC'S TUrret. IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT ON THE IRON-CLAD STEAMER PASSAIC. A FIFTEEN-INCH GUN FIRED INSIDE THE TURRET SUCCESS OF THE EXPERIMENT. THE first actual trial trip of the Passaic, the new iron-clad on the plan of the Monitor, lately launched at Greenpoint, took place November 17. The vessel had been from her dock before for the purpose of experimenting as to certain results which Capt. ERICSSON desired to accomplish. From these trips, which were not intended to try the speed or general capacities of the ship, many naval men predicted the conclusion that, in many important points, the vessel would not come up to the standard expected and required. Capt. ERICSSON, however, well understood the merits of his own inventions, and only awaited an appropriate opportunity not merely to convince them of their error, but rather to astonish them with a degree of success that the most sanguine had not anticipated. Not satisfied with building a vessel that is utterly impregnable, and placing on it a fifteen-inch gun-a gun never before used in naval warfare he has now consummated an invention by which this gun is fired inside the turret, the muzzle not protruding outside the shield, without danger or inconvenience to those inside, and worked by only four men. It is also proved that the vessel will be able to attain a speed of at least nine knots an hour. All the navy men were incredulous that a gun twenty-one tons in weight could be fired inside a turret twenty-one feet in diameter without having its muzzle protrude through the port-hole. Alone among the faithless, with only one engineer to join him, was Mr. ERICSSON. At 10 o'clock the Passaic was reported ready. She had come from Greenpoint to have her boilers cleansed-divested of the filthy coating which builders deem indispensable-and the job being done, her steam began to rise. A large number of scientific officers-men who could never see anything until everybody could see it-congregated at the iron works. The wharf was crowded. The privilege to witness the great experiment-that which is to revolutionize naval warfare-was granted to a chosen few. Among them were the following: Admiral GREGORY, general superintendent of iron-clads. Captain Drayton, who commands the Passaic, and whose brother, the rebel Gen. Drayton, got some iron messages from him at Port Royal. The vessel left the wharf at the foot of Thirteenth street, between ten and eleven o'clock in the morning and steamed up the North river against a strong ebb tide and a heavy northerly wind. Her speed, from the start, averaged over seven knots through the water, and her screw making only fifty-eight turns, which is twenty-two less than she has the power to give. But, the boilers foaming, it was not deemed advisable to drive her to her maximum speed, the trial being more for the gun than the vessel. Passing down the bay and up the river, the vessel was the observed of all observers. ulous ones. Arrived at the Palisades, opposite Fort Washington, the vessel was headed in toward the western shore and prepartion was made for firing the great gun. The cap missed. This gave confirmation to the incredAnother cap missed. It was just as they said, they exclaimed; it could'nt be done. A third cap failing to touch the powder, they became sure that the gun was a failure. But suddenly the firing of the gun checked further remark. The ball struck about 300 yards from the vessel in the water, glanced off, and struck the rocks, causing them to fly like so much chaff, followed by a terrible echo, which, in its force, resembled the explosion of a powder mill. The noise outside of the turret was terrible while inside there was no concussion of any account, and the noise certainly did not exceed that which would have been produced by the firing of an ordinary pistol. Every one was surprised and unwilling at the first trial to say much; all were anxious to see the effect of a full service charge of thirty-five pounds of powder. The gun only recoiled seventeen inches. The very first fire, then, results in no smoke to speak of, no inconvenient concussion, and the complete success of a grand idea. The first charge consisted of 20 pounds of powder and a hollow shot, (330 pounds,) fired out of the 15-inch gun. At the second shot the entire charge of 35 pounds of powder was put in. Captain DRAYTON pulled the trigger. Once more the echoes of the Palisades rang out. The recoil and smoke were reported "insignificant," and the shot-a hollow one-buried itself again in the beach. Cheers were loudly given for the Passaic. The following The gun was fired twice again, the last time with solid shot, and gave fuller evidence of the success of Captain ERICSSON's idea. is a recapitulation of the shots: The traverse of the gun worked perfectly satisfactorily, and reflects great credit on Mr. ERICSSON's inventive powers; but the ingenious contrivance for deadening the effects of the concussion within the tower, and obviating the necessity of a port hole adequate to the vast size of the gun, was not altogether successful. Mr. ERICSSON, however, feels confident that he has hit here, too, upon a principle which can be developed to all the results at which he has aimed; and, although the consequences of this first trial must entail some delay and revision, he has no doubt of final success. The speed of the Monitors will be sufficient for the purposes for which they were designed. At no time will the guns of the vessel be liable to any damage from the projectiles of the enemy, for the muzzles will not protrude outside of their shield. The Armstrong guns in England have been condemned for use on shipboard, chiefly because a sufficient number of men could not be placed in the turret to work them. Twenty-five failed to do it satisfactorily, and the Armstrong gun weighs fourteen tons. Yesterday four men worked a 15-inch gun, which weighs twenty tons. Here is, of itself, a revolution in naval labor for which history furnishes no parallel. The Monitor's 11-inch gun, when worked with eight men, was deemed a miracle of metallic locomotion. Yet here is a gun, over 25,000 pounds heavier, worked by half the number of men. The appliance to carry off the smoke is simple and ingenious. Another feature is the immobility of the Monitors in a heavy tide. Waves break on the iron margin of the craft, and splash in harmless foam about the deck. They have no hull to strike-no high bulwarks; even the turret presents an angle to angry Neptune at every side. The Passaic returned late in the afternoon to the Delamater Iron Works, where the finishing touches will be put on her, and in a few days she will be turned over to the Navy Department, ready for active service. The 11-inch gun was not fired on this trip, as it was not deemed necessary to use it while the question of the 15-inch would settle all the points required. The success of the experiment will now lead to the placing of two 15-inch guns in each turret. Thus armed, no iron-clad vessel yet built by any foreign power can withstand such a shock and crash as two such terrible projectiles would be able to make. Two guns of this large calibre can be as readily fired in the turret at one time as one; so that in striking, both guns being at the same elevation, the effect would be fearfully destructive. We refrain from giving the details-for the benefit of our foreign friends or the rebels-of the invention by which the great results above explained are accomplished. The credit of it belongs exclusively to Captain ERICSSON, and the benefit of them to the United States.-The World. CAPT. ERICSSON ON THE PASSAIC'S TURRET. The statements of the newspapers that the muzzle-box of the Passaic's turret "was shattered to pieces" during her recent trial trip, is replied to by Capt. ERICSSON as follows: The "With a view of determining certain theoretical points I requested Chief Engineer STIMERS to remove the muzzle-ring, a contrivance which modifies the pressure in a peculiar manner, but not until the trial had determined whether the concussion and smoke had been obviated. success of the means adopted proved so complete that Mr. STIMERS, after the third round, deemed the point fully settled, and accordingly, with Admiral GREGORY's and Capt. DAYTON's acquiescence, removed the muzzle-ring. The effect was precisely as I had previously demonstrated: considerable increase of pressure within the muzzle-box, the effect being that some light bolts, which temporarily secured the front plate, were broken and the plate bent forward a few inches. This, you will admit, is a very different affair from the box being shattered to pieces. 66 Engineers will understand how trifling must be the internal pressure of the muzzle-box when informed that its front consists of a plate onehalf inch thick, four feet wide and six feet long, without a single brace or support. "The yielding of some light bolts before the muzzle-ring was removed, afforded practical data for estimating exactly the small amount of internal pressure. "I refrain, for obvious reasons, from entering further into detail. I have much satisfaction in assuring you that our success is complete; not a single difficulty remains to be overcome. We handle the four hundred and twenty-pound guns with as little discomfort, and with more facility, than HULL and PERRY handled their forty-pounders. "Yours most respectfully, J. ERICSSON." THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH. Messrs. GLASS, ELLIOTT & Co., the Submarine Telegraph cotractors, have written a letter to Mr. CYRUS W. FIELD, of which the following is an extract: "In reply to your inquiries, we beg to state that we are perfectly confident that a good and durable submarine cable can be laid direct from Ireland to New Foundland, and are willing to undertake the contract upon the following conditions: "First. That we shall be paid each week our actual disbursements for labor and material. "Second. That when the cable is laid and in working order, we shall receive for our time, service, and profit 20 per cent on the actual cost of the line in shares of the Company, deliverable to us in twelve equal monthly instalments at the end of each successive month whereat the cable shall be found in working order. "We are so confident that this enterprise can be successfully carried out, that we will make a cash subscription for a sum of £25,000 sterling, in the ordinary capital of the Company, and pay the call on the same when made by the Company." Mr. VARLEY, the telegraphic engineer and electrician, writes as follows to Mr. CYRUS W. FIELD: "It gives me much pleasure to be able to inform you that the recent experiments which I have made upon our submarine cables have led to improvements by which I have no doubt that we shall be able to telegraph through an Atlantic cable direct from Ireland to Newfoundland at the rate of certainly 12 or more, probably 16, words per minute, the copper conductor not being less than 5 cwt. to the nautical mile." COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS. 1. IMPORTANT DECISION RELATIVE TO STAMPS. 2. REVENUE STAMPS-WHEN MUST BE USED. 3. DECISION IN REFERENCE TO LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES. 4. TAX ON MANUFACTURES OF CLOTHING. 5. DIRECTIONS AS TO REMOVAL AND EXPORT OF PETROLEUM. 6. BILLS OF LADING. 7. TAX ON SAND PAPER. 8. TAX ON LEATHER. 9. TAX ON DIARIES. 10. TALLOW NOT SUBJECT TO TAXATION. 11. WHEN ARE MANUFACTURES REMOVED WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE LAW. 12. INTERNAL AND COASTWISE COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE. IMPORTANT DECISION RELATIVE TO STAMPS. THE PERSON WHO MAKES, SIGNS OR ISSUES AN INSTRUMENT IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS AUTHORIZED TO AFFIX A STAMP. In the last number of the Merchants' Magazine (page 484,) we gave a decision of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, to the effect that it will not do for the person receiving a check, &c., to affix and cancel a stamp. Below will be found another decision on the same point, only going further and explaining the question more fully. Treasury Department, Office of Internal Revenue, } SIR: In answer to yours of the 30th October I reply, that— Section 95 provides, "That if any person or persons shall make, sign or issue, or cause to be made, signed or issued, any instrument, document or paper, of any kind or description whatsoever, without the same being duly stamped for denoting the duty imposed thereon, or without having thereupon an adhesive stamp to denote said duty, such person or persons shall incur a penalty of $50, and such instrument, document or paper, shall be deemed invalid and of no effect." It seems to me perfectly clear that, by the provisions of section 95, the person who makes, signs and issues the instrument, is the only person who is authorized to affix the stamp required by the law; and the person who makes, signs and issues, &c., without affixing the stamp, incurs the penalty as aforesaid, and is liable to prosecution therefor, and the instrument or document is invalid in consequence of such neglect. Section 99 provides, "That the person using or affixing the stamp, shall write thereupon the initials of his name, date, &c. ;" other portions of the law impose penalties upon persons who receive documents or articles subject to stamp duty, from the person who makes, signs and issues them without being duly stamped, &c. I am, therefore, of the opinion, that a faithful compliance with the requirements of the provisions of the excise laws, demands 1st. That all papers subject to stamp tax, shall have the stamp affixed before the same are issued. 2d. That the stamp so affixed must be cancelled in the manner prescribed by the party making, signing or issuing (in other words, executing) the instrument, document or paper. Hence the receiving of an unstamped paper is a violation of the law. The attaching and cancelling of a stamp on a document so received is |