The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-10 00:00:00

THERMOMETER.

This mowing
This day at Two o'clock 6O

Barometer-29.85.
Wind—Westerly; light, and cloudy.

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LONDON, THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 1863,

The Fall of Sumter does not by any means neces-
sitate the capture of Charleston. The demolition
of the Fort is certainly, at the same time, a
step towards the occupation of the city,
Yet, when this has been said, nearly all
has been said : for it is really and truly
little more than a step ! Writing after the de-
struction of Fort Sumter, one of the most intelligent
of the correspondents upon one of the principal of the
New York newspapers, penning his remarks under
date Morris Island, the 24th ultimo, observes —" The
work before this army and navy is more gigantic
than any abroad, or than many here, seem to com-
prehend." Ominous words, those, beyond any doubt
of it, in their most grave emphasis ! But words
That the correspondent thereupon immediately
hastens to justify, while yet farther emphasising,
thus—" Because," he writes, " the rebels in 1861,
by reducing to surrender a garrison without pro-
visions gained possession of Fort Sumter, thereby
depriving the United States of its military power
in this harbour, it does not follow that the United
States, by regaining possession of its ruins, deprive
the Confederacy of Charleston. There are," he
goes on to say, " yet other and far more formidable
works, corn e on shore, others in mid channel
which our troops and ironclads will be obliged to
overcome and reduce before they can make a com-
bined attack upon the city." Observe—before they
can get at the city, for the purpose of sub-
jecting it to a combined attack, they will
have, according to this informant, who writes from.
the spot, who is himself an eye witness of the
obstacles that will have to be overcome, those
obstacles, those other and far more formidable
works, that the writer thereupon goes on to enume-
rate, will, as he observes, have to be overcome one
after another, by way of a preliminary. Referring
in the enumeration of these same obstacles, first of
all to the situation of the Federal navy, now
engaged in threatening Charleston through its
outworks, this correspondent of the New York
journal says " Fort Moultrie is not yet taken, nor
have the monitors directed their energies against
that stronghold. In order to get fairly by Sum-
ter, they must not 'only pass or reduce Moultrie,
but they must partially destroy and run the
gauntlet of the strong line of obstructions which

reaches directly =roes the channel from the walls
of Sumter to the shore of Sullivan's Island. Here
is an immense labour at the outset, requiring not
only great strategy and courage, but in all pro-
bability much time, which is now of serious import-
ance to us. The character of these obstructions are

said to have been correctly ascertained a few
nights ago by young Porter, and are now in
the possession of Admiral DAHLGREN. What
means will be employed for their removal are not
yet announced." Ugly enough, even that, to begin
with! But he adds, " Accepting these obstacles
as past, however, others in the shape of
a vast bed of torpedoes will have to be floated
Over near the junction of the South Folly Island

and Hog Island Channels, about half a mile from
the water battery, at the head of Sullivan's Island.
At this point the monitors will be subjected to a
concentrated fire from the water battery, from Fort
j"..°l'lle°ll, from the mortar battery on Middle Ground
irom the batterypleasant and
from at Haddrell's Point near Mount
just belowus two other batteries nearer still,
unt Pleasant. Unless the monitors
prove actually impregnableto any fire, this trial
inge F cort sore
Moultr- perhaps
a disastrous one. Con-
!eased and silenced, together
with the obstructioue
the route which
and the line of torpedoes,
a mostta Dahlgren has still to
pursue will will be
, will be Unpleasant one. His
approach, therefore
dangers." The writer afterwardsvir
eued with terrific
nue
into consideration the three takes seriously
which, according to him, the-Feder:'ve routes by
nn-clads may
yet approach Charleston. Each
of these 1
a most
appearing, as we read, more formidable
have last been. than the
one about which we
Even when he supposes the Northern assailants
t
have got, so to speak, within reach of the be°
leagured city, what are his remarks in regard to the
defences of Charleston ? They aro these—" The

city itself is known to ba strongly fortified
and defended by hea7y ordnance. No one," he
"Ys, " who will glance at the map of Charleston
harbour can fail to be impressed with the truth of

ti-,ese statements, and those here who have watched
with en impartial judgment the career of the moni-

tors, and the means and courageous defence of the

enemy, aro rally convinced of it." TowardE the

close of the communication, he remarks, indeed,
quite frankly, as bia own assured conviction, " Our
final success is—in the distance ."' Meaning, in
other words, that, as we here set forth by remarking,
the Fall of Sumter does not by any means imply
the immediate seizure of Charleston. He tells his

brother Felerals in New York, through the jonrn al o
that city of which he is the correspondent, " We are
fighting agl:inst an enemy that is not easily scared,
with whom the destruction of the city will not be

held sufficient to cause its surrender, unless that
destruction also includes the troops and the navy
with which he defends it. We may approach near
enough to pour shell on Charleston, as on Sumter,
but unless we destroy also in our course the batte-
ries and forts along the way, we shall still have an
enemy to fight whichever direction we turn." So
that, after all, according to their own showing, the
Federals have not gained so very much by the bat-
tering of Fort Sumter into ruins. They are only
yet stammering over the first two or three letters
of an alphabet of difficulties requiring still to be
conquered, one by one, before they can even "get
at" Charleston—to capture it.

Now that the Florida is for the moment at least
safe, it seems natural to consider her wonderful
course during the war. The feats accomplished
daring the late eventful scenes of the American dis-
turbances by this trim little vessel are perfectly
astonishing. When it is remembered, too, that her
exploits have been performed in the teeth of the
enemy, of course additional prestige is imparted
to renown. In fact, no vessel could have done
more than has this solitary ship. No less than
eight times has she run the blockade, which of
itself would be sufficient to stamp any vessel as
marvellous. Her captures have also been most
numerous and important; indeed, the amount has
been calculated to be not less than fifteen millions
of dollars,whieh sufficiently speaks for their number
and value. It is not to be wondered that so daring
an adversary should be the subject of dire ani-
mosity, and no less than seventy armed vessels have
been despatched to capture this wonder of the
waves, but to no purpose. The Florida has out-
witted them all, and rode on in defiance, pursuing
her daring and reckless course the more triumphant
the more dangerous such a venture seemed to be.
The exceeding celerity with which she moves in-
creases her wonders, and adds to the difficulties of
those who seek to capture her. It can never be
premised as to which locality may see her next,
or what country may share the honour of her visits.
With all the trophies that she has gained, how-
ever, the Florida is not of the pira,tical caste; she
fights in self-defence, not for the love of slaughter.
The hardships that the intrepid crew have often
had to undergo are borne without a murmur. Cer-
tainly, it would have been downright impossible
for the ship to have achieved anything like its
celebrated works without the most daring and dash-
ing spirits to carry them out. No one who did not
act for the love of the thing, as it were, could have
succeeded in one instance, much less in so many.
It must be by combination and by indifference to
the claims of routine, that any especial service is
rendered on an emergency. The Florida has certainly
proved the truth of this by her almost marvellous
career as yet, and whatever may be her fate before
the close of this fitful contest she has gained a
name in the history of the war second to none on
land and sea, and long in the memory of the States
she has served will her memory live in admiration
and delight. The Confederates may we'l be proud
to possess such a craft; by her alone have they
gained a supremacy on the seas that at one time
they could never have expected to have obtained,
and ranked themselves high above their enemies
for courage, intrepidity, and gallant exploits.
While enjoying their well-earned repose at Brest,
the officers and crew are preparing mentally and
bodily for fresh dangers and new achievements.
The enemies, whose name is legion, are meanwhile
casting their snares for this gallant little craft ;
but it is to be hoped that her old fortune will still
favour her, and enable her to steer clear of hostile
encounters, and to escape all subtle manoeuvres of
a deceitful nature. It would cause great annoy-
ance and disappointment to many if the scene of
her triumphs was over, if her career was cut short,
and her intrepid crew made prisoners. In England
there would be a general regret, for the Florida is
an universal object of attraction, and it is with
pride that we reflect she was English built. Her
captain has said. they are " two ships against
fifteen hundred," and, paradoxical as this descrip-
tion may be, it seems borne out triumphantly by
the issue. It must be gall and wormwood to the
boastful Government that threatens to sweep
British commerce from the seas to find themselves
thus thwarted at every turn and outwitted at every
move by one small insignificant craft. Had they
been told at the commencement of the war the re-
sult of this ono venture on the part of their con-
temned and despised opponents, how they would
have laughed, sneered, and caviled at the seer who
prophesied such a chance, and been indignant at
the notion of their finding their equals, much lees
their superiors among the insignificant equipments
of the South. The fact of the Florida being well
received at Brest is rather significant at the pre-
sent juncture. There can be no doubt that all
points the same way to the recognition of the
South by France. If such an event does take
place, it will be rather infra dig for England to
follow in the wake of another Power, instead of
co operating in the work. The postare that our

nation is compelled to take at present is in all
respects a most unsatisfactory one. We are now
suffering heavy losses from the course adopted
by our Government at the outset of the war, and
as if this was not enough, every conceivable
annoyance is being inflicted upon us, our mer-
chandise is injured, our honour is insulted, and yet
constantly are there memorials presented to Earl

RUSSELL, beseeching him to do something in the
way of putting a check to the ravages of the Florida,
Alabama, &c. It is quite despicable for people

:o be so devoid of public spirit as to insist on
,heir country being trampled upon to suit the

prejudices of a canting set here, or to favour the

arbitrary notions of an unjust Government on the

other side of the Atlantic. When we read o:

such cruel and wanton outrages inflicted in the
name of civilised warfare, as are carried on by
the Federals, it seems incredible that any so-

called philanthropists and peace lovers should
take their part. The " Greek fire "is a mode of

war that has never been used of late years, and

yet it is ruthlessly and relent!essly emi):oyed at

present by those whom Mr. COLDEN styles our

'aithfal allies. These apologists of the Federals,

who talk against the depredations of the Florida,

had better look at home, or they may lay them-
selves open to the charge of straining at a gnat
411 d swallowing a camel.

There are few of our social questions of more
Pasaing importance than the condition of the homes
of the labouring
matter of ecitil
been
poor, and there is, perhaps, no
onsideratiou in which less has been
done. It has
said so often that it has become
a truism Which no 0
is idle to preach ne ventures to dispute, that it
moralityhto parents and attempt to
edni;ate and elevate
Ciladwelling-place preventnthiferathfreomcohnadvitiino;sanoyf
their
regard to the decencies of everyday
been told us, too, by physiologists life. It has
by men of theory and men of p ractice physicians,
, that insuf-
ficient ventilation, bad drainage, and damp,
draughty sleeping places are evils against Which
frame of iron cannot long contend. Yet, amid the
active exercises of charity that builds reformatories
and hospitals, that presides over schools and insti-
tutions, we look tamely on while all these evils are
the common attendants of our llt ourer's daily