The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-06 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY E v iN G, AUGUST 6, 1866.

Akers, the sculptor. His studio in the City Hall was en-
Airely destroyed with all its contents, including not only
his finished and unfinished works, but letters from his
brother Paul, and many other memorials of friendship and
travel which can never be replaced.
General 'Webster, formerly Chief of Staff to Gen.
Sherman, has purchased an interest in a large iron manu-
facturing establishment in Alabama.
Senator James Lane died at Leavenworth, Kan-
sas, July 11.
Mr. Arthur Sketchley intends taking " Mrs.
Brown" to America. Mr. Sketchley's illustration of a vul-
gar old Englishwoman is so perfect that it will be proba-
bly thoroughly appreciated by intelligent Americans who
have read of Mrs. Gamp. That thole is no such personage
in existence in the western hemisphere proves nothing—
we Lad never seen anything approximating to a " Yankoee
gal," and yet Mrs. Barney Williams had no need to com-
plain of
.her first reception or her ultimate success.
It is stated on apparently good authority that Mr.
Jefferson Davis has expressed displeasure at the tone and
many of the statements in the work recently published
professing to describe his prison life ; and that hn has
authorised Captain Titlow, who superintended his "shack-
ling," to contradict several of the most melodramatic points
in the account of that event.
it is said that Mr. George Peabody intends pay-
ing for the erection of a fine building in connection with
Yale College for a geographical cabinet, with accommoda-
tion also for a chemical laboratory and a philosophical
lecture-room.
Great excitement exists in the 'Western States
concerning the charge brought against a German named
Masson of having deliberately spread trichinae amongst
his hogs in the State of lowa with the hope that a re-
ward would be offered by the authorities for every hog
so diseased.
The Judiciary Committee of the House of Repre-
sentatives, it is said, will soon make a report declaring that
they have found nothing implicating Mr. Jefferson Davis
with the assassination of Mr. Lincoln.
A company is distilling turpentine and oil from
the pine woods in Mississippi. From one cord are distilled
25 gallons spirits turpentine, 50 gallons oil, 100 gallons
pyroligneous acid, 5 gallons alcohol, 11 barrels pitch er
rosin, 1 barrel tar, 800 feet illuminating gas, superior to
that made of coal, and 50 bushels charcoal.
HEAT IN NEW YORK.— rhe New Ycrk Board
of Health report that in the last week of June the mean
temperature for the entire week, night and day, was
nearly 78 degrees. The thermometer reached 94. The
returns made by the Board showed 12 sudden deaths in
the city from sunstroke, and 12 from congestion of the
brain and effects of heat.

"The Edinburgh Review" on the American
Navy.

We had occasion lately to allude to an article on Ameri-
can matters in Blackwood's Magazine, written in that pre-
judiced, one-sided manner, so much to be deplored in

notices on America by foreign periodicals. The article
now before us is of a very different stamp. The subject

begins by a remark of the Prince de Joinvillo, showing the
_ _ _ _ _

enormous magnitude of the task to be undertaken by the
United States Navy when the Government became fairly
entangled in the great war, which by every means in their
power they had tried to avoid. The American Navy was
unprepared, and a less energetic people would have given
up the task in despair. The few ships in commission were
nearly all abroad at foreign stations, and the difficulties

were increased by a wholesale desertion of the service by
the trained officers, who were mostly Southerners, casting
in their lot with the States in revolt. Capt. Fox, who had

retired from tho navy, was the first officer who submitted

a plan to tho Government, and this was for relieving Port

Sumter, then held by Major Anderson against the militia
of South Carolina. Finding little encouragement and
great vacillation from the Executive, under President
Buchanan, he laid his scheme before some merchants at
New York, where it was well received, and much encou-
ragement given. Although President Lincoln sacrificed
this officer in carrying out another plan, the energy and

•-•
pluck exhibited by Captain Fox so won the President
that that officer was appointed Under-Secretary for the

Navy. The great fertility of resource developed by him in
conjunction with his chief, Mr. Welles, quickly made the
American Navy a Most formidable instrument in the
hands of the Executive. The extraordinary rise of the
United States Navy is faithfully detailed in the Review,

and the services performed by the fleet are briefly and
truthfully noticed. It would require volumes to give in
detail the series of naval actions —the attacly, bombard-
ments, blockades, river fights, and combinations with the
land forces, which have added so vastly to the renown of
the United States Navy during the four years' war. One
of the earliest and most important operations, and one
solely due to the fleet, was the capture of New Orleans,
and the consequent occupation of the Mississippi from
Vicksburgh to the sea. The Edinburgh calls it " the
greatest success, as a purely naval engagement, of the
whole war—the greatest in naval history since Exmouth's
victory at Algiers." Captain Farragut, whom Welles had
especially selected, as fitted, by his resolute character to
take charge of the active operations in that quarter, ar-
rived at the scene of action on the 20th February. The
Western Gulf squadron, hitherto under the command of
M'Kean, had been gradually increased from a few block-
ading vessels to a powerful fleet of 6 steam frigates and 12
large gunboats. To these a flotilla of 20 bomb vessels,
under Porter (raised to Commander rank for his earlier
services), were added by the 18th March. But the obstacles
to be overcome were of the most formidable character.
Two strong forth—Jackson on the west bank and St.
Philip on the east—were connected by a huge boom of
rafts and hulks, the approach to which, to be made against
a powerful current, they swept with a fire of 80 guns,
and seemed thus to bar wholly tho way up the stream.
Above this obstruction a flotilla of gunboats was ready to
support the fire of the works, and ironclad rams were
known to have been some time in preparation, in order to
employ in the coming warfare that use of the blow of the
prow, disused for so many centuries but now revived by
the power of steam." _ _

An attempt of this kind had already been tried for the
first time in modern warfare by Hollins in-the Confederate
ram Manassas, with partial success. Though General
Butler with 18,000 men was present, the navy, unsupported,
were to effect the capture of New Orleans. The War
Department, with Pakenham's failure before them, set
aside all thoughts of employing troops, and gave to Farra-
gut the following instructions :—" When you are com-
pletely ready . . . . you will proceed up the Mississippi
River and reduce the defences which guard the approach
to New Orleans ; when you will appear off that city and
take possession of it under the guns of your squadron and
hoist the American flag therein, keeping possession till
troops can be sent to you. As you have expressed your-
self satisfied with the forces given to you, and as many
more powerful vessels will be added before you can com-
mence operation; the Department and the country will
require of you—success." Had the Confederate resistance
been as perfectly organised as was then supposed, this
success would have been all but impossible. The official
reports laid before the Richmond Congress show that not
only was much of the material preparation left undone, but
that the commanders were wanting in the vigour, unity, and
activity of .their formidable assailants. Farragut on the
eve of the action want the round of the fleet. He saw
that each ship understood what her part was to be, and he
picked up ideas from his contact with the commanders,
which he carried into practice. The first of these came
from the engineer of the Richmond, who proposed that the
sheet cables should he stopped up and down the sides in
the line of the engines. It will be remembered that great
credit was given to the Kearsago for adopting this plan,
which in England was supposed to be original, in her con-
flict with the Alabama. Every expedient the commanders
could think of was adopted.to cover the crews from the
fearful fire they looked for. Hammocks. coal-dust, &c.,
were used to strengthen the defences ; some rubbed their
vessels over with mud to make them less visible at night,
the period for the desperate passage ; some whitewashed
their decks that the men might see the better around them.
The assault was preluded by a bombardment from Porter's
heavy mortars, the flotilla being towed into position on the
morning of the 18th of April, and on that day 3,000 large
shells were thrown into the forts. The Federal prepara-
tions and the decision and vigour of their attack contrasted
strongly with the divided counsel and insufficient arma-
ment opposed to them. The Confederates appear to have
oeen auve to tho US. 01 iron-clad vessels, of which two
large specimens, intended both for ramming and carrying
guns in shot proof batteries, were being prepared at New
Orleans. Happily for the success of the Federal fleet, the
mechanical means which their foes controlled were by no
means equal to their powers of conception. These iron-
clads designed for the Ist February were unprepared when
the fleet, three months later, burst its way through to the fated
city. A storm, accompanied by a flood, parted the chains
and damaged the raft as an obstruction, but the continued
efforts of the commander of the forts obtained three 10-
inch and three 8-inch Colombiad hollow shot guns and
five large mortars, and these were just mounted before the
assault. For six long days the garrison endured the piti-
less fire rained on them by Porter. The casemates were
injured and several guns disabled by the 13-inch shells,
and the unprotected barracks almost immediately de-
stroyed. But the vast expenditure of Federal ammunition
determined Farragut to hurry on the endeavour to pass
the batteries by main force in the hours of darkness. On
the third night, under cover of a furious fire, two gunboats
assayed the destruction of the barricade by means of
petards. "This duty," says Admiral Farragut, "was not
thoroughly performed in consequence of the failure to
ignite the petards with the galvanic battery." At this
time no officer of the American services had been trained
to the use of the powerful engines of destruction to which
they afteriwards so fully attained. " Still," he continue;
"it was a success, and, under the circumstances, a highly
meritorious one." A schooner in the barricade was grap-
pled by the Itasca, boarded and detached from the chain;
and a way was then laid open. She was seen, and a
heavy fire from the forts forced her to retire. On
the following night the garrison were cheered by
the descent, from New Orleans., of the Louisiana,
mounting 16 heavy guns, one of the two ironclad rafts.
The junction of this vessel, however, only brought out
more prominently the split in the counsels of the Confede-
rates. Of course, the military and naval authorities were
at loggerheads. Nor was this all. The Navy was divided
against each other. The Volunteer officers refused to obey
the commander of the regular service. In vain the mili-
tary urgently advised that the Louisiana should be brought
prominently forward to take part in the action. She was
still incomplete, and her motive power was insufficient, so
she was carefully kept in a place of safety. Even the fire
ships,- of which there were abundance, were not sent
against Porter's fleet, as the tugs allotted for the duty were
still under repair. General Lovell writes as follows:
" The river defence fleet proved a failure, for the very rea-
son set forth in my letter to the Department of 15th April.
Unable to govern themselves, and unwilling to be governed
by other; their almost total want of systems
vigilance, and
discipline rendered them useless and helpless when the
enemy finally dashed upon them suddenly in a dark
night." The garrison, hoping nothing from the steamers,
did what they could under Porter's withering fire to repair
damages. The 23d April broke warm and clear; but as
night drew on the Federal fire slackened, and Duncan in-
terpreted the omen correctly, and earnestly pressed Mit-
chell to move the Louisiana into a position where the guns
could aid the defence. Ile pointed out that the enemy
were marking by a line of white flags what he knew must
be their advance, and received the fatal reply—" that disas-
trous too late;"' theironclad would bo ready the next even-
ing. Before that evening arrived she was prepared to be
blown up by her commander's orders, and having boon
kept carefully out of harm's way, the only damage she did
was the injury caused to the garrison by the explosion.
At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 24th Farragut gave his
pre-arranged signal, and the advance began in two
columns. The gunboat Cuayaga led the right under
Bailey, followed by the steam frigate Pensacola and five
other gunboats in succession. The gunboat Sciota led the
left, followed by the Admiral in the Hartford, two other
frigates and five gunboats. They had no knowledge of the
divided counsels of their opponents to give them confi-
dence, and the attack was considered ono of great despera-
tion. A general order had been published to the fleet,
which ran as follows :—" When, in the opinion of the
Flag officer, the propitious time has arrived, the signal will
be made to weigh and advance to the conflict. If, in his
opinion, at the time of arriving at their respective posi-
tions of the different divisions of the fleet, we have the ad-
vantage, he will make the signal for close action No. 8, and
abide the result—conquer, or be conquered—drop anchor,
or keep under weigh as in his opinion is best."
At half-past three the fleet approached the barrier which,
severely damaged, gave way to the rush of the leading
gunboats. The bomb-vessels maintained their heavy fire,
and now the forts opened on both the columns, and one
of the most fearful scenes began which naval annals re-
cord. Tho darkness of the night, the closeness of the

action, and the tremendous calibre of the Federal cannon,
made it hopeless for an officer to do more than control the
movements of a single ship. The energies of the flag-
officer were soon tasked to the utmost to save his own
vessel. A fire-raft came down ou him, and the ship was
run ashore in the attempt to avoid it. The ram Manassas
guided the raft, and before the Admiral could back off the
frigate was on fire half way up to her tops; butwith his ship
in flames his battery never ceased, and Fort St. Philip,
opposite to which he had got, was almost silenced under
the fearful cannonade. Terrible as was the position of the
forts the gunners bravely maintained the fight. Driven from
their guns the slackening in the fire brought them forth
instantly to reply with their feebler pieces to the storm of
grape hurled at them from 9-inch and 11-inch guns. The
combat was one of giants, and both North and South gave
conclusive proofs of that dauntless gallantry which was
destined to come out so brightly hereafter, and almost to
cover with its dazzling brilliancy the great crimes perpe-
trated by this wanton rebellion.
The gunboats Itasca, Kennebec, and Winona became
entangled in portions of the barrier after the frigates bad
gone by, and unable to endure the fire of the forts were
compelled to head down stream and thus separate them-
selves from the fleet.

The columns were now beyond the barrier, and so far
the way to New Orleans was open, but Mitchell's squadron
had yet to be encountered. The Federals estimated this
force at 13 gunboats and 2 ironclads, but the truth was far
within this, and the action which ensued quickly settled
the points of comparative strength. The Governor Moore
and Quitman attacked the Varuna, which had got ahead
of the Federal fleet while• in chase of a steamer, on board
of which was General Lovell.' The Governor Moore fired
her bow gun and disabled 13 of the Varuna's hands ;
then charged her on the starboard side. The
Federals succeeded in bringing an 8-inch gun
to bear on the assailant, and disabled her in a few minutes.
The Quitman, at the same time, rushed at the Varunk on

the port side, butting twice, and on the second collision
driving in her side. After delivering the final blow, the
Quitman swung round, and before the Varuna sank she
sent five of her 8-inch shells into the now enemy and left
her in flames as she disappeared from the scene. The De-
fiance was the only vessel of the Confederate squadron
saved under the guns of the forts, the others having either
been sunk, burnt, or driven ashore disabled by the over-.
whelming batteries which the frigates had opened on them.
The Manassas continued her plucky career to the end.
When she saw the flag-ship on fire, she turned and charged
the Brooklyn full on the starboard gangway, but with little
effect beyond breaking some of the links of the cables
stopped up and down her side, and driving in three planks
above water line. Wedged in between her huge antagonist
and the bank, the ram found herself unable to get up speed
for a fresh charge, and was glad to drop down stream. She
then crossed over to attack the Mississippi, and struck her
with a very partial effect, inflicting injuries similar to those
of the Brooklyn, then passed down to the fort, where she
lay for a short time.

The grey of early daylight now succeeded to the flashes

of the hostile guns which had lighted up the scene, and
Farragut, discovering the completeness of his victory,
formed and steamed slowly up the river. The little ram

singly pursued the fleet and prepared to renew her assaults
The Mississippi was ordered to turn and attack her, and.
aided by the gunboat Pinola and Sines, charged full at
her. Captain Warley, seeing the huge bows of the
frigate coming straight towards him, steered to avoid the
shock, and ran the ram aground, exposing her to the broad-
sides of the- enemy. From this helpless position the crew
escaped.ashore, and the famous ram was fired by the boats
of the Mississippi. This was the last episode of the battle,
for Farragut leaving behind him the shattered forts and the
relics .of the enemy's flotilla, went upwards on his path of
conquest. New Orleans fell, and was held without a break
by the Federals to the close of the war. The next day
the forts surrendered to Commander Porter, and as Farra-

gut pushed his conquest up to the guns of Vicksburg, the
whole lino of the Mississippi, from that fort to the sea, be-
came a highway to the Federals.
Our space will not allow us to follow the Review
through the numerous brilliant actions of the civil war.
The tone in which these sea fights and river operations are
described is frank and fair to both-sides, and the writer
does not disguise the admiration with which the gallantry,
skill, and energy of the actions inspire him. Before
closing the article the Reviewer touches on the cruisers
which the Confederacy had managed through the con-
nivance of Great Britain to get to sea and maintain there.
This question we have discussed else where in our columns,
but we will add to our remarks those of the Review :
" Long before this affair (the capture of Wilmington) the
efforts of the South by sea had been reduced to what ap-
peared to all tho world rather a mere form of revenge than
any useful warfare. Failing utterly ih the purpose of em-
broiling the North with any neutral nation, their doings
have left a seed of bitterness such as it will need much
enduring patience to stay from becoming bitter fruit in the
future. From the fall of WilMington the advantages of
blockade-runners and the mushroom growth of their trade
became things of the past. For the rest of the war the
Confederate flag only covered what was, after all, an
ignoble piracy, legalised in default of provision made
against it by jurists. The ex-Cabinet of Richmond, which
sanctioriea tills system to time and of their rule, haro left as
a legacy one of the most difficult problems on international
duties ever offered for statesmen to solve. The Alabama,
Sumter, and Florida roamed unchecked over the ocean.
At the close of 1864 the capture of 193 vessels, valued with
their cargoes at 131 millions of dollars, bore testimony to
their activity, and the danger to which, under the new
conditions of naval warfare, an unprotected commercial
marine is exposed. That these losses were not from ex-
penditure being too narrow, but from the peculiar direction.
which it had taken under Mr. Welles, is abundantly shown
by his report of that date. The navy, which four years
before had counted bat 76 ships, in and out of commission,
and of these about one-half sailing vessels, were increased
to a total of 671. Of this number no less than 71 were
ironclads of different classes, 37 of them of formidable
strength, and carrying heavy Dahlgren guns ; and only
112 of the whole were without steam power, being, infact,
used for transport -purposes."—Anglo-American Times. •

IREL AND.

A niter in a contemporary says :

Last week, with some letters from Dublin before us, we
continued our remarks on' Ireland ; but a gust of wind
whirled the manuscript from the desk of the compositor,
and the route described was away over the Thames. From
the Gresham Hotel a gentleman writes to us on the sub-
ject of our previous article "on Ireland :—" The county
Wicklow abounds with lovely and romantic scenery from
one end to another. The furthest point is only 40 miles
distant from Dublin. Excursions can therefore be made
while the traveller maintains his head-quarters at the
hotel. There are points of interest enough about Dublin
to fill the time of the tourist for many days." We can
fully endorse what our correspondent says about Wicklow.
Taking the county all in all, it is the most lovely in the
United Kingdom. After varied' travel, embracing every
quarter of the globe, we can deliberately say that the
view from any spot from the mountains separating the
counties of Wicklow and Dublin, that look down upon the
city (say just above Killakee), has scarcely an equal in its
varied, extensive, and lovely landscape. Our correspondent
states that Killarney, of course, is the first point of interest,
embracing as it does the most exquisite scenery of Ireland,
but he recommends the Royal Victoria Hotel, as command-
ing a view of the lakes, at- the same time that it furnishes
to the traveller every comfort of an establishment among
the finest in any kingdom. He adds that a very delightful
route, either going to or coming from Killarney, is by the
Cork and Maccroon Railway, through a district magnifi-
cent in its scenery. Going north from the Gresham to
Scotland, via Belfast, the Giant's Causeway should be
visited, and tho best hotel is the Antrim Arms.
From another source a new route has been triced, and
to judge from the description, the scene opened out on
Lough Erno is one of those too long neglected, buried for
ages in obscurity, though possessing attractions equal to
the most celebrated spots in Europe. Indeed, for the most
part, Ireland is a terra incognita. However beautiful the
country, however numerous its attractions for picturesque
scenery, for boating, fishing, and bathing, for a summer of
perfect weather, unless there be means of getting to the
place, and, when there, of living in comfort, it cannot be,
said to be open to tourists. On the Ist June the Rosselare
Hotel was completed and ready to receive its guests. It
stands near the centre of the Lower Lake Erne on that
point where boating ends and yachting begins. The lake
is 20 miles long and 9 broad, full of pike, trout, porch, and
white fish. Around are spots celebrated in Irish story.
Close by aro the picturesque ruins 'of the Castle of Per-
tora ; the view takes in the lichen and ivy-covered walls
of the Castle of Tully, standing up like those of Portora,
from the very edge of the v,aters. On the other
ide
of the lake aro the turrets of Castle Archdale,
surrounded with their forests of oak and ash. In its
vicinity is an interesting relic of antiquity, the Castle of
Termon McGrath with its battered walls, as Ireton left
them in the Parliamentary Wars. The eye wanders over
a lake covered with wooded islands, where stand ancient
and ruined abbeys. The banks are clothed with wooded
dosniesnes, and near the bygone castles of other days, with
their histories of sieges and massacres, stand the modern
mansions of the landlords of the soil. Chief among these
is the residence of Mr. Mervign d'Arcy Irvine, the owner
of the land on which the hotel has been built. Castle
Irvine is no mean object of interest in itself, either in its
own architecture or the lovely grounds around it. The
castle is built in the Elizabethan style, and though some of
the towels claim an early antiquity, its chief architectural
features owe their beautiful proportions to the father and
grandfather of the present possessor. The hill of Rossclare
is but 22 miles distant from the Atlantic without a moun-
tain between to intercept the fresh breezes. The soil is of
the purest rock and gravel, without the slightest alluvial
deposit to taint the rich scarlet of the trout. It is im-
possible, says Hall, in his work on Ireland, to exaggerate
in describing the loveliness of the whole locality. " How
many thousands there are who, if just ideas could be con-
veyed to them of its attractions, would make their annual
tour hither instead of up the hackneyed and sodden Rhine,
infinitely less rich in natural graces—far inferior in the
studies of character it yields—and much less abundant in
all enjoyments that can recompense the traveller. Nothing