The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-23 00:00:00

Mobile and its Defences.

The following description of the r and
naval defences of Mobile is given by the Ne w York
World

"From the Gulf of Mexico there are thr,!e c flan-
nels into the harbour of Mobile, two of them (the
most easterly) being defended by Fart Morg an, whi/f
the western one is fu!ly garrisoned by a casemate
work known as Fort Gaines. The Swash channe 1,
which is the principal one by which VC6Se:B of an y
size can enter the bay, runs directly under the gr.; is
lof Fort Morgan, and it is by this channel that near Ay
all the blockade runners go in and out of the ha r.
hour. In r trout!, breezes the sea on the bar is so
heavy that it is dangerous to attempt its crossing.
To aid in the defence of the lm y, end prevent the
Union fleet from pealing by the forts, a chain of
obstructions have long since been placed across the
channels. They consist of a row of strong spile a
driven firmly into the mud.. When the tide is At
full flool they cannot be seen, and only at the very
lowest water are these obstructions visible. SpVes
have also been driven into the Dog River bar, al
Long
the channel line, and on either side of the cut-Lilco
to the river bearing
a difficult matter that name, so that it would be
for a vessel unaccompanied by a
thoroughly-versed pilot to reach the city of Mobile,
even if she should succeed in passing the fortis. A
sloop, laden with stones, rides at anchor at the en-
trance of these obstructions, and at the first signs of
successful invasion on the part of
an enemy would
be scuttled and sunk, so as to prevent
vessels pass•
ing through the obstructions. The entrance to
Mobile Bay is between Mobile Point and the eastern
point of Dauphin Island, and the intervening die..
tance is about three and a quarter miles: The in..
terior of the bay has depth of water sufficient for air?.
vessel that can cross the bar, which has about 15
feet upon it at low water. On account of a bar
formed opposite the mouth of Dog River, verneala
drawing more than eight or nine feet cannot, at
low water, go further up the bar. The bay of
Mobile is about 30 miles in length from north to
south, with an average width of from 10 to 12 miles,
except where it expands on the south-east into the
subsidiary bay of Bon Secours, which extends soma
eight or ten miles further to the eastward. The bay,
in addition to the outlets elsewhere described, b as
one at Grant's Pass, north of Dauphin Island,
which communicates with Mississippi Sound.
Through this channel steamers and other vessels of
light draft formerly passed when plying betty een
Mobile and New Orleans. The whole upper por-
tion of the bay is shallow, and is supposed. to be
gradually filling up with sedimentary deposits from
the rivers which flow into it. Measures were in
progress in 1860.61 for opening a channel to the
city of Mobile for larger vessels than had pre-
viously gone up there. Strong lines of entrench-
ments have been thrown up, encircling the city
from near Dog River around to the Alabama River,
and no less than twelve large independent earth-.
works have been constructed in rear of the line of
entrenchments. On Point Pintos is a nine-gun brat-
tery commanding the line of entrenchments road
one of the channels approaching the city. At Gar-
rows Bend is a five-gun battery, also commanding
the obstructions and the main ship channel for a
distance of nearly three milea. The remaining
earthworks in the vicinity of the city are intended
more particularly to repulse a landing of troops on
the western shores, or a land attack which could be
made at Porterville from the Mississippi Sound,
marching thence up the road to Spring-hill. The
entrenchments are about 15 miles in length, and
were built some time ago. At various points
signal Funs and carronades have been mounted, so►
that they can throw grape and cannister among
an advancing foe. A tract of marshy land has
been made solid by means of epiles and emrtt
and on this has been erected a casemate d
battery, mounting ten most powerful gnu s,
viz., three 100-pounder rifles, four 9-in. Dahlgrens,
and three long 32-pounders. Between the March
battery and the Alabama river, and near the latter,
is a redoubt which aweepa the level plateau over'
which it keeps guard, and it commands as well e,
portion of the bay. Passing further to the north..
ward, another redcubt is met near u small villaf;e
on the railroad, which mounts four heavy guns. At
Three Mile Creek is another redoubt which guards
the railroad bridge, To the west of Mobile arcs a
series of earthworks several miles in extent, further
defended by formidable breastworks and rifle-pits,
extending from the 'Shell-road' entirely round Or)
city to the river. Between the Alabama river an-I
the Shell-road a six.gun battery commands the
position. Fort Morgan, the main protection to the
city, or rather the entrance to the bay is situated
on Mobile Point. It cost the United States Go..
vernment in its construction 1,500,000 dollars, and
is capable of mounting 132 guns, and of garrisoning
700 men for siege operations. It is built upon the
site of old Fort Boyer, which was noted for its suc-
cessful resistance to a British fleet on the 14th of
September, 1814. The old fort was a:sniall red3abt
with an armament of 20 short carronades, and gar.
risoned by only 120 men all told. The Federal
fleet, under the command of Admiral Farragut,
consists of 19 wooden ships, powerful, and with
very heavy batteries, and four of the best of our
monitor ironclads, with five small tugs to act as
despatch vessels, being a total of 28 vessels. The
people will expect much of Admiral Farragut, but
we must impress upon them the magnitude of the
work before him, and that the odds are by far in
favour of the rebel defences. It is probable that
some mortar vessels have been added to this truly
formidable fleet, and that a number of troops will be
sent from New Orleans to occupy such places as
Farragut may succeed in capturing."

>so
ibtjj. SUM
41`

LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1864.

" Save me from my friends r may well be the
exclamation of any leader whose followers are irri-
tated into throwing off their allegiance and telling
the secrets of the prison-house. In no case, how•
ever, have the chiefs more reason to dread such
plain speaking than in the present position of the
so-called Liberal party, and the:letter* which Mr.
JAMES A YTOITN has recently addressed to GEORGE
WILSON, Esq., of Manchester, deals such trenchant
blows at the hollowness and inconsistency of the
specious professions of Wlaiggism, that it must re-
quire a good deal of stoic philosophy to " rest and
13.3 thankful" under them. Mr JAMES AYTOUN
having been invited to accept the office of Vice-
President of the National Reform Union, whose
headquarters are at Manchester, and which may be
reasonably supposed to be considerably under the
influence of Mr. BRIGHT and his associates, ad-
dresses the gentleman who has been selected as
President of that Association, in explanation of his
reasons for declining the proposed honour. As an
old Reformer, having been chairman of the Edin-
burgh Political Union of 1830.31, he is qualified to
speak with some authority, and since he professes
his adherence to the political code of the National
Reform Union, Which sets before its members the
same objects es those proposed by the first Earl of
DURHAM, the loudest professor dares not deny his
liberalism. Household Suffrage, Triennial Perna•
merits, and the Ballot, are as far as most Reformers
go now-amleys ; nor is there much doubt that these
three measures contain the outline of lasting and ex-
tensive Reform, not teat mere apparent alteration,
which serves to point
morals and bring perorations
to a climax on the hustings; but that substantial
change for the better in the administration of our
national affairs, which should produce a material
influence on the wellbeing of the Whole community.
Mr. AYTOUN declares his political creed to be un-
changed, but.lie declines to enrol himself among the
members of a body professing the verysame principles
because he has seen reason to distrust the perform.
ances of professing Liberals, more especially of that
ges Ikr,r BRIGHT as their
section which acknowledges
leader and representative. Mr AYTOUN asserts that
all Reform schemes have been merely designed to

* Real Reform and Sham Reform, a letter to George
Wilson, Esq., of Manchester, by Tames AYtOUrit E'q•
Hardwicke.