The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-31 00:00:00

General Grant's Last Stratagem.

A correspondent of the New York Herald, under
date of Point of Rocks, Virginia, Ang. 14, writes as
follows :—" For some time past Major-General But-
ler has been conning over a brilliant scheme where-
with to annoy the enemy and advance the Union in-
terest in this region materially. His plan contem-
plated nothing less than the construction of a canal
at what has been hitherto known as Dutch Gap,
hereafter to be known as Butler's Gap, in the direct
face of the enemy, which, when done, should
among other results, by reason of its situation,
compel the rebels to extend their line of de-
fence a distance of four miles, that is to say, the
l distance saved to us by the digging of the
canal—which is to be one 40 yards in length—is
seven miles of water-course in the James River
Some four days since the proper details of men and
officers were made for this important and hazardous
work, and these men were encouraged to its perfor-
mance by extra inducements. The work proceeded
handsomely for three days, during the last of whice
the enemy discovered our operations, and made in•
stant preparations to open fire, which the result will
show to have been an advantageous one for them,
though the commander, Major Ludlow, nobly and
successfully held his position, still holds it, and will
continue to hold it, until his appointed work is ac-
complished. Yesterday morning two rebel rams,
believed to be the Virginia and the Richmond, ap-
peared at Dutch Gap in the James River. The
James, at this point, forms a promontory which is
very narrow at its apex. Its shape is in the form
of a ler g tongue, and verging to the northward and
westward makes another turn which forms a point
similar to the first, east by north. Hence the river
bends yet again, and forms a third angle running
north-west. Under cover of this angle, completely
and literally sheltered from our gun boats by the two
(
rebel rams, their position was such as, taken in con-
nection with the Howlett-house battery of ti e
enemy, to subject our forces to a severe eefilading
fire, which was borne throughout the day with
manly fortitude by our men. It was one of our
advantages to keep up a cross-fire, which we made
to bear most heavily upon the enemy, our artil-
lery
having excellent range of their batteries, in.
eluding the famous Howlett-house battery, from
which work our fire dismounted and disabled a gun
early in the day, finally silencing the battery as
well as the enemy's batteries situated in the bot-
toms. The Union monitors and gunboats, as be-
fore stated, lay wholly quiet in their positions at
Crow's Neat, in the James, not participating in
the action of the morning by reason of the peculia-
rity of the enemy's position. The successful con.
struction of the canal, of which there can be no
doubt, will, it is alleged, enable our gunboats to
wholly overcome the formidable obstruction of the
James River, and possibly ultimately be the means
of their engaging Fort Darling and other rebel
strongly-fortified places adjacent to Richmond, and,
perhaps, before the end comes, operate largely in
the reduction of the rebel capital itself. These are
glowing anticipations, but nevertheless they are
capable of realisation by patient and indulgent
waiting for, Any one of these results added to
the necessity imposed upon the enemy of lengthen-
ing his line of defence a distance of four miles, re.
quiring several thousands of men to man this pro.
longation of their lines, will certainly be regarded
adequate compensation for the time, labour, and
men bestowed upon the accomplishment of the
undertaking. In every view the substantial results
of the day remained to us at nightfall. There can
be no manner of doubt that we administered a
severe lesson to the foe, and punished him stoutly
for his temerity in killed and wounded. The work
upon the canal will go on to completion, and we
shall insist upon all its contemplated advantages,
though we shall not probably realise them fully
without further dispute of a similar character to
that we have encountered to-day."

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS.—The weather
has again become fine and warm al the eastern counties.
On Sunday there was rather a considerable amount of rain,
which will greatly benefit the root crops, but Monday was
favourable for the conclusion of harvest work, and yesterday
morning the skies were again unclouded. The harvest will
be pretty well closed in East Anglia this week.
EXTRAORDINARY ABUNDANCE OF WASPS.--These
insects have multiplied to a most unusual extent
this summer, owing, no doubt, to their being a good
" plant" in the first place, which has been fostered by the
exceedingly favourable weather. Not only are the banks
thick with nests (says the Chelmsford Chronicle), but large
colonies frequently infest ground cracks in the cornfields,
causing great annoyance to tho reapers. Farmers have
been obliged to adopt systematic means of extirpating the
pests by the liberal use of combustibles and boiling water,
but even these stringent measures are not always successful
where the nests are built in the ground, while the danger
of retaliation is much increased. Tho scarcity of plums
and wallfruit has caused a serious attack on pears and
apples, which have been attacked long before being
ripe, and the intruders have in some cases actylly
held the rightful owners at bay, while even indoors there
had been a " tight" with thu insects for the quiet posses-
sion of dinner. The present cooler weather, however, will
more effectually than any other means tend to keep the
enemy in check. "A Beemaster" (Dr Cumming) writing
to the Times, mays—" Lot me beg all that value their
lives to examine well every apple, pear, an 1 peach they
eat, fer those ween-m. 3 inserts, wasps, T,t'.y ho seen
this year ensconced under the skin, end if admitted
within the month they will sting the throat, and, as
in several recent cases, the sufferers wilt die. Do not
conclude lam uncharitable. It is no charity to connive at
theft and murder. I am satisfied that killing wasps is no
murder. Had Peter the Hermit or 'Walter the Penniless
lived in my garden, and witnessed these wicked vagabonds
trying every hive, worrying my bees, and stealing my ho-
ney, they would have preached a crusade against wasps. In
one respect they are unfortunate; they have no queen, no
subordination, or reverence for law end order. They are
genuine Red Repnblicars—Maratf, Vob-3spierrrs,
riehly,,deserve the worst they get."