The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-19

out change in prices. Dealers were inclined to
await the receipt OF later news, due by the Baltic
Flour declined l2sc. per bbl all round. Wheat was
In good demand and quite firm, with sales at full
prices. Corn was also firm, with a fair amount OF
sales. Pork was inactive, while prices were I'M
changed. Sugars languid, with light sales at pre-
vous prices. Coffee sold in small lots at about
previous rates. There was slight reaction in
freights TO Liverpool and London, especially far
as breadstuns were concerned, while they closed at
6rmer rates for Hayre.
Oar Sea Coast Def.nces--Thc Art of Fortia-
cation.
The bombardment and reported destruction
OF the Sweaborg works by the Allied squad
rons, have enabled great many people to abuse
the old system Of defences and to thrust into
prominence world of underlined inventions
and improvements in the art OF fortiiica-
ton. The public is inc lined to look with favor
upon new theories They are startling and
novel. A failure Of an old work is q signal
for condemning all that has been done in the
past, without considering the circumstances.
The Edinlury Rcriesc gives an elaborate
article to show that the system of modern
Notifications is unworthy of confidence; and,
without waiting for facts, our own press, on the
strength Of the reported success of the Allies
at Sweaborg follows in its wake and pro-
nounces our great works at New York,
Newport and other places as unworthy of
public confidence. 1t turns out that moth
ing was effected at Sweaborg beyond the
blowing up Of some magazines, not proper
~ constructed; the burning OF some build
ings and the destruction Of considerable
amount Of property; and that the forts and
other works of defence, are in as good, or
nearly as good, condition, at this very hour, as
when the Allies began the commandments How
happens it, then, it may be asked, that the gun
boats Effected even what they did? The an
swer is by no means difficult. The Russians
draught, may have left some points unguarded,
trusting to the shallowness Of the water, and
their Internal machines, for security But the
latter proved to be Of little use, and the for
mer was no obstacle to the gun boats, which
undoubtedly were able to take position where
they We're safe from the guns of the forts, but
still could play upon the town. If the works
damaged, q landing would have been made;
but this the Allies did not even attempt to do,
well knowing that without an army and siege
train they would soon have been forced either
to embark or surrender.
The writer in the EainIlug Reoieae, generally
copied and adopted by our press, takes up
many Of the important operations of the war,
IL %b, c,ol y
| differences, and then assures us with amusing
| boldness that new principles have been disco
! yered in the science of ngineering-insinuat-
ing at The same time that the delay of the AL
lies before Sehastopol is to certain extent,
attributable To the ignorance of the French
and English engineers, who apparently arc
blind to the new lights which Russian genius
is developing. lie lavishcs great praise on
Montalambert's system, but tells us how ii
| crumblcd before the English and French bat
teries at Bomarsund; and he complains Of the
" obstructiveness Of the administrative de-
| partment, because they would not adopt Fer
| guson's theory Of defence, which has never
| yetreceiyed the sanction Of experience.
| Montalambert's system when first published
| gave rise to much discussion among the French
| engineers. and was never fully acquiesccd in
by them arnot being the only person OF emf
nence who believed in its soundness. 1t has
| since 10 some extent, been adopted by the
| Germans; but the late experience at Bomar-
sund tells heavily against it, and justies both
the French and American engineers, who have
generally followed other systems. il is not
contended that art has exhausted itself and
left no farther room for improvement: but
when il is considered that in this branch Of
science how thoroughly every principle must
| be tested before it can receive the sanction Of
profound thinkers, and that two centuries have
been employed in perfecting the present plans,
il is little less than absurd to pretend that q
| discovery has been made which rightfuly sii-
| persedcs the whole labors of the past.
Even admitting all The facts rs stated re-
| specting the siege Of Sebastopol is there no
| other way OF explaining why the Russianshaye
| been able to make so noble defence than by
| jumping at the conclusion that they possess
| some concealed art of ratification? There
| certainly is, and we have only to regard at
tentivciy the circumstances attending that
| siege TO find it.
In all ordinary cases the besiegers begin by
reducing the besicged 10 their own resources;
and therefore it seldom happens that the gar
rison is large enough to repair even lie da
images done, much less to undertake. the con
| structon Of extensive field works. That any
new principle of engineering has been deyc
|oped before Sebastopol there is yet no good
reason 70 believe; and while too much praise
cannot he given to the Russian engineers
their success is due not to their skill alone,
but to the possession Of vaster resources than
have ever before been placed at The command
Of other engineers. The value Of earthen
works has long been acknowledged as well
as the important part they could be made to
play in defence; but the difficulty usually en-
j caitnilrcd A. Ito ar...A = :