The Princeton

The following vivid and picturesque account given by a correspondent of the Ohio Statesman, of the circumstancesattending the experimental shots made with the "big gun during the first excursión of the Princeton on the Potomac - will be read at the present time with deep interest: "The mannes were discovered drawn up in a line on the upper deck, as we mounted through the port hole. When the whole compnny of visitors were aboard, (some three hundred persons,) the ship was put in motion by her invisible, and almost noiseless machinery, in the the hold. We found the Princton armed with twelve 42 pounders, and two f remendous pieces of ten tons weight each, (of wrought iron, carrying a ball of 230 pounds for two miles with the precisión ofa rifle) all on the upper deck. The two great guns are fixed at the bow and stern of the ship; and are called the "Peace' maker" and the "Oregon." These two "busters" are as bright as Aunt Peggy's pewter-plates on Saturday evening, shiningalliuarow on the.t shelf of the kitchen cupboard. Wheai the ship was under wny Captain Stgfkton, mounting one of the guns, said, "Now gentlemen of the House of Reesentatives, fellowcitizens, and shipmates, we are going to give asalute to the wasdom of this mighty Republic, (God blether) in Congress assembled - staud firm, and you will see how it feels!" In rapid succession the pieces were fired, the ship thrilling, and the distant hills reverberating with the thunder peáis. The instantaneous combustión of forty pounds of gunpowder in a discharge from the "Peace-maker," closed the round of twenty-six guns. The deck of the ship was enveloped in smoke. We carne near fallingover the venerable Ex-President Adams in the momentary darkness. Captain Stockton's voice rose high amid the din of the battle. "It's nothingbut honest gunpowder, gentlemen - it has a strongsmell of theDeclaiation of Tndependence, but it's none the worse for that. That's the kind of music when negotiations fail. It has a litíle of the ring of the earthquake; but it tells handsomely on salt water." Some one asked Mr.bpeaker Jones what was the mam question before the House. The Speaker promptJy rejoincd that "the main question was the Navy, and that it had been carried by the casting vote of the Peace-maker." The ship passedbelow Alexandria, till he hill of Mount Vernon, and the sacred residence of Washington, loomed ino view on the right, and the frowning attlements of Fort Washington on the eft, whon she turned about and returned. everal experimental shots were made f rom the "Peace-maker," during the trip, ( nd those solid balls of 230 pounds skunmed the surface of water for t ral miles, with the lightness of an row.Nearly the whole of the Ohio dëlegation were on board, and we were gratifiee that Gen. Moore was sufficiently restored to be present. Capt. Stockton goes for Oregan. He says if the question is brought to the fug of war, he will undertake to defend the mouth of Columbia with his single ship. A nobler and a hardier man - aman whose appearance more favorably impresses you with his qualifications, as a man and a sailor, is not to be found than Captain Stockton."