The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-26 00:00:00

FORT MOULTRIE.

Fort Moultrie, which first opened its batteries
upon Major Anderson and his command, is one
of the sentinels that guard the principal entrance
to Charleston harbour. It is opposite to and
distant from Fort Sumter about one and
a half miles. It is, more properly speak-
ing, a huge water battery, without any
guns under cover. Its armament consists of
11 guns of heavy calibre and several mortars. The
outer and inner walls are of brick, capped with stone
and filled with cart, making a solid wall of 15 or
16 feet in thickness. This work has been much. '
strengthened recently, and presents a saucy front
to Fort Sumter. It is now in command of Major
Ripley, formerly of the United States army, who
has under his command several hundred experienced
artillerists.

THE IRON FLOATING BATTERY.
This novel war machine, designed for harbour ope.,
rations, is now anchored near Sullivan's Island, coin.,
manding the barbette guns of Fort Sumter. It is con-
structed of palmetto logs, sheathed with plate iron,
and is supposed to-be impregnable against shot. It
is embrasured for and mounts four guns of heavy
calibre. It requires 60 men to operate it. The first
impression on seeing this machine is that of immense
solidity. The outer or gun side is covered with six
plates of iron—two of them of the T railroad pat,-
tern, placed horizontally, and the other four bolted
one over the other, in the strongest manner, and
running vertically. The wall of the gun side is'
full four feet thick, constructed of that peculiar pal-
metto wood so full of fibrous material that 64-,
pounders cannot pierce it. The main deck
is wide and roomy. In 19 open chambers,
on the port side of the deck, we found a
profusion of shot-34-pounders—while just be-
yond them is an immense pile of sand bags
which protect an overhanging roof, under which is
to be placed the hospital. This also protects the
magazines (three in number), under which is the
hold proper. There are six entrances to the hold,
which will contain, if necessary, over three hun-
dred men. It is kept in place by four heavy wedges,
driven down by a species of ram, which will hold it
fast, and prevent any swaying around by the tide.
The nearest point of land to Fort Sumter
is Cummings' Point, distance 1,150 yards. On.
this point is the celebrated railroad iron battery:
It consists of a heavy framework of yellow pine loge.
The roof is of the same material, over which dove-
tailed bars of railroad iron of the T pattern are laid
from top to bottom, all of which is riveted down in
most secure manner. On the front it presents an
angle of about 30 degrees. There are three port-
holes, which open and close with iron shutters of
the heaviest description. When open, the muzzles
of the columbiads fill up the space completely.
The recoil of the gun enables the shutters to be
closed instantly. It is asserted, on high military
authority, that this inclined plane effectually re-
sist guns of the heaviest calibre, first, because no shot
can strike it except at an obtuse angle, which would
cause the ball to glance; second, because its power
of resistance is sufficient to withstand the fall of
the heaviest shells. The columbiad guns, with which
this novel battery is equipped bear on the south
wall of Sumter, the line of fire being at an angle
of about 35 degrees. This is not, of course, consi-
dered favourable for breaching; but owing to the
fact that the wall is loop-holed for musketry through-
out its entire length, which, of course, weakens it a
great deal, the effect of shot upon it would, we think,
even at the distance of 1,150 yards, effect a breach
within a reasonable time. The work is in charge
of several companies of the regular army of the
Confederate States. If employed to reduce Fort
Sumter, this battery will prove quite formidable.
The Fort Johnson batteries consist of two huge
sand works, containing mortar and seige gun bat-
teries.

These works are one and one-fourth of a mile
from Fort Sumter, and at present manned by two
companies of regular artillery. The position of this
old fort, which is on the side of the harbour opposite
to Fort Moultrie, so that Fort Sumter lies between
the two, is of the utmost importance as a con-
necting point in the defence of the harbour, and
has been considered by the highest military
authority as the key to all the defensive works
in the harbour. Against the attack of forces by
land, or a boat attack by the S tono river, it must be
considered an essential element of defence.
CASTLE PINCKNEY.

Castle Pinckney is a•siiall work, situated on the
southern extremity of " Shute's Folly Island," be-
tween the Hog and Folly channels. Though in
itself not a +very considerable military work, yet,
from its position, commanding as it does the whole
line of the eastern wharves, it becomes of the utmost

importance for it to be held by the State authori-
ties. It is, in fact, the immediate outwork of the
city, useful to annoy an invading fleet should it pass
the outer forts, and to render their landing very
difficult, if not impossible. In its plan it presents to
the south a semicircular face; the eastern and

western faces are formed by the line of rampart fol-
lowing the direction of the tangent to the circular
arc at its extremity, and for a distance of twenty
yards ; the northern side is plain ; at both the north-
eastern and northwestern angles are semicircular
bastions, the outer extremities of the arcs being tan-
gent respect!vely to the eastern and western sides of
the fort. There are two rows of guns—the lower
being in casemates (bombproof), the embrasures for
which are about seven feet above le w water mark,
and the upper being en barbette. The height of the
rampart is twenty, and the width thirty-two feet.
The width of the outer wall and of the para-
pet :is six feet, the depth of the casemates
is twenty feet, height ten ; the diameter (east and
west) of the castle is one hundred and seventy feet.
The entrance is on the northern side, on either side

of which are the officers' and privates' quarters,
messroom, &c. The ascent to the barbette is matde
on the north-eastern and north-western corners of
the terre-paradeplein. In the centre of the latter

is the furnace for heating shot. Around the foot

of the scarp wall is a breakwater, about twelve feet
in width, horizontally, which has its western
side extended in a " tangent direction to the
south, to form the landing. The landing is
protected by the fire of several guns sweeping its
length. The armament of this castle consists of
about 25 pieces, 24 and 32 pounders, a few sea-
coast mortars and six columbiads—the latter not

being mounted. In the magazine is a sufficiency
of ammunition, including shot and loaded shell.
This work has been of late put in as thorough re-
pair as possible. Owing to the want of ventilation
and the reverberation of the sound in an engagement
the lower tier of guns would soon become
uesids,
shot would
restohrits
higher than the
and the occupants would be obliged to
In
entirely to the barbette guns and mei tars.
case the exposure to the enemy's direct
not be great, for the parapet is hi he
hnlks of most ships, and much
use, yet if an enemy
if we possessed Forts Sumter and g
adjoining shore. As to the itn p o rtoaugnihct although,reeireihtuaneolt
be of comparatively little u
poe-
sessed it, its proximity to the city would enable the
garrison to damage Charleston seriously.
OTHER WORKS.
There are other works at Hadril's Point, Mount
Pleßunt, Stone, Muris Island, 4114 fronting the