The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-23 00:00:00

TIM SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 23 1861.

ing this laudable ambition bf his, can only contrive
by his abilities, his energies, and his presence to
realize it.

The news from the " seat of war" is not of much
moment. Vigorous preparations continue on the
part of the North. Skirmishing goes on in the
usual style. It was, it appears, not the Federalists,
but the Confederates, who wantonly burned down
the village of Hampton, not far from Fort Monroe.
The privateers are as active as ever, and the coast
blockade as inefficient. RCLELLAN seems to rise

in popular estimation in proportion as he enforces
discipline, which, so far, looks well for the North.
A well-trained army soon becomes conscious of its
difference from its former self, and learns to com-
mend what at first seemed a hardship. ,Mr. CHASE

is busy among the New York bankers ; and as
money is thrown back into their coffers by the
stagnation of trade, he may be able to get out the

Government loans on the almost usurious terms at
which they are offered.

Meantime not only they, but we, are feeling the
effect of the war. Besides the injury to trade be-

tween this country and America, caused by the
MORILL Tariff, Liverpool is at last clearly per-
ceiving the difference in her stock of cotton. The
circular of N EILL BROTHERS, to their correspon-
dents makes this very apparent. The stock had
diminished, in about a month. from 860,000 bales
to 639,000. Between this time and the end of
the year in 1860, not less than 843,000 bales
were required ; and hence it is evident that last
year's rate of consumption and re-exportation
cannot be sustained. Indeed the spinners are
entering into an understanding not to " light
up" during the winter, which, of course, means
short time.

None can be expected from America, for the war
threatens to be a protracted one ; and in about a
week we ought to begin shipping the cotton from
America in the ordinary course of things. Accord-
ing to the Messrs. NEILL, we are little likely to:get
any, since both parties think it to be their interest
to prevent our doing so. They write thus :
Strange and almost incredible as it may appear,
it is nevertheless the fact that it is the deliberate
intention of the American Government—both
North and South—to seal up the new cotton
crop, so that not a bale of it (which they can
prevent) shall leave the plantations during the con-
tinuance of the war. The North believes that the
need of money will bring the South to terms ; the
South is just as firm in the faith that the need of
cotton will bring the North to terms, or lead the
European Governments to interfere. How long
these efforts will be successful it is impossible to
say. No doubt some cotton will reach the ports,
creeks, and bays along the coast—notwithstanding
all the recommendations of patriotic factors—and
escape the blockade, in spite of the vigilance of the
whole United States fleet. But it is clear that any
supply that can thus reach us will be of very trifling
importance."

They quote the following card to show how
determined the South is to keep its cotton to itself,
in the belief that it will tempt England and France
to break the blockade:—

" A CARD TO COTTON PLANTERS.

" The undersigned cotton factors in the city of New Or-
leans, in view of the interest of all parties, recommend to
their various customers and correspondents not to ship any
portion of their crops of cotton to this city, or to remove it
from their plantations, until the blockade is fully and en-
tirely abandoned, of which due notice will be given."
This is signed by 141 firms, said to be all the cotton
factors in New Orleans, and who control considerably more
than one-half of the entire cotton crop.
" Office Board of Underwriters,
" New Orleans, July 23, 1861.
With such a temper in both parties in America
it is little likely that American cotton will reach
this country in any quantity, and the suggestion is
that its price will soon be so high as to throw the
spinners on Indian cotton, and to tempt larger
importations from that quarter. We only hope, so
far as the cotton and slavery questions are con-
cerned that the blockade may last for yea's.
Nothing would be ultimately better for Manchester,
for the negroes, and for us all. There would be a
little difficulty for a time in Manchester, but it
could be for a time only, to be followed by depend-
ing no longer on American slavery, but on inter-
tropical free labour for our indispensable cotton
supplies.