The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-24 00:00:00

THE SUN.
LONDON, THURSDAY, OCT. 24, 1861.

The Federal reinforcements which by the last
accounts had left for Cape Hatteras were not an
hour too soon ; putting together the telegrams
which have already reached us, it would appear
that the Confederates had been already partially
succes,ful when the reinforcements arrived. They
had crossed over from the mainland to the long
narrow island on which the forts at Cape Hatteras
are placed, and had already compelled an encamp-
ment of Federal troops to retreat, we presume to
the fort, leaving behind them fifty prisoners ; these
we may suppose to be rebel prisoners, with whom
they did not wish to be incumbered in a retreat to
the fort.

While however the Confederates were engaged
in the attack on the forts, the Federal steamers
Montebello and Susquehannah arrived, and began
shelling them. The numbers on each side are
generally found afterwards to be exaggerations ;
but we are told that the Confederates had six
steamboats, no doubt transports merely, with 3,000
men on board of them, and that by the sinking of
three of them under the fire 700 men perished.
Another account says simply that two of the C2n-
federate vessels were sunk. All that may be taken
for certain is, that though the Federals hold the
Hatteras Inlet and the Cape, the Confederates are
bold and strong yet on the land side of Pamlico
Sound. By the last accounts they had sent out
from Roanoke Inlet, further north, three steamers,
and had captured the Federal ship of war Fanny,
with 150,000 dollars worth of stores for troops on
board. And now they have attempted, though
with signal want of success, to retake the forts.
BEAUREGARD must have many men to spare.

Of some part of the other naval accounts we
hardly know what to make. The leaving of a
large naval expedition for the South, consisting of
20 ships, with an unknown destination, is a distinct
and probable statement, and the telegraph of the
12th from New York mentions the precise time of
the day. We may, therefore, expect, before long,
to hear something of its performances. But
what are we to make of the telegrams three days
later from New York to Cape Race, brought by
the Edinburgh ? They tell us of a naval rout of
the blockading squadron at New Orleans, by a
fleet of Confederate gunboats ; and, that after a
sharp fight, one Federal vessel was sunk, and the
rest driven ashore ! The telegram of the 12th from
New York
As, that " New Orleans is now
effectually bio k
e ausd," that of the 15th to
Cape Rase, appears__ to tell us that this
blockading scluaar'11 is now effectually dis-
posed of. This second account reached New
York from Norfolk, which with the navy yard,
must be still in the hands of the Virginians; it is,
therefore, a Southern account, not that we know of
the less likely to be true. It cannot •
In any case be
the heavy vessels which were in the
golf, on the
blockade service, but must, if the telegram
be correct, be some detachment of smaller
vessels which were watehing New Orleans
on the Missisippi itself, which have been
so effectually dealt with. Our cotton consumers
must not, however, begin to hope for shipments
thence, for we are also informed that the Go.
vernor of Louisiana has forbidden the entry
of cotton into New Orleans, either by
steamer or railroad. At present the South is
anxious to keep its cotton at home. It desires to
punish Massachusetts and still more to compel
France and England to break the blockade to sup-
Ply their looms. A pretty plain proof that if we
recognised the South, it would, relying on King
Cotton, soon become as insolent to us as the North
*has been.

The military positions remain much as they
were. The Federal's have made some cautious ad-