The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-24
GENERAL SCOTT In NEW ORLEANS.


sstiOn Of he FJrtsNe,O Orleans the 8as y Oief0ohs
Aya.na Cuba--Geneyal Scou and Major Bed"'ga'd Dr.
Ths "signs OF the times" are warnxe. Inc rres'aen'
Ugn6ts " the crowd from the White House; the Vice
President oliow up With stronger iose the two rival
giapta in the Senate Sdc and Douglas each soun the
notes of coming ste and Lieutenant General S;ott is
personally inspecting our sea coast defences If tnese
aduInb atoms are real snaows can bat look Ia one
direction for toe of oouc eyes full upon tn,
SuH Of Mexico.
Tue gallant chief Of army has not probably under
taken this Of inspection without purpose he
sees clearly that should the Uuted States become in
volvcd with any leading naval power of Europe, IN y
have but 0f effective attack, ami that by sud
den descen,s upon rich seaports wth the character
Of people, and our mnluudinous railroads. Capable
Of concentrating half million Of men ~ less than week.
enemy would think OF extensive invasion; but the
paucy o, naval force Our extended seaboard aud
wealthy ports oner great Inducements for them 10 re-
A,seup, what the British succeeded in at Washington, and
made such dsastrous failure Of below this city General
Scott clearly percevos that bes. means Of defence
against aucl he found IN coast ortca
sio1s with those terrible Coumoiats and manned
with volunteers thrown into the forts At flew
hours warning This seaboard defence has been much
neglected by Congress- but General Scott will report upon
the best means for lis immediate completion.
OF all the narbors Of the United States, New York en-
Joys the greatest advantages for defence against
naval attack. With but two water entrances-one high
y DANCE forts have almost impegnable positions
and even Mad Charley Napier would venture the
passagc of tue Narrows the Harl Gate Not 30 with
for OF all seaports her position makes her
the most exposed TO the dangers Of a naval ncurson
SITUATED on a swamp between the Mississippi and Lake
Fotcharran, has tasxed our best engineer talent 10
frame any system for her whatever In 1914
eniv VaSp u-t0
after capturing our guLboats that CALAMITY attempted
the AXE defence had army The shores of
Lake Poncbartrsn Immediately 10 the rear OF the city,
III Of Jacksons SKILL and all the bravery OF our hemen,
ceud have prevented the fuihment OF that boast sig
uidsd by the British ratchword, Booty aud Beauty"
Or had they rendezvoued Baraara bay and advanced
up the bayous, taking the role b. which we now obtain
our OYSTERS they could have met jackson on the
of New Orleans instead of on the plains Of Chal-
loette
Its by no means likely that enemy would know SO
little OF topography at ihe present days aud viii now
speak Of the system Of defence which engineers have
adopted TO much as possible the natural
exposure New Orleans. To defend tue principa! ap
pfoach.hat by the Misssspp-two forts arc beng con-
uucted opposite banks, lower down the stream
the other, that their batteries may not rake Fort
s., Philip reconstruction upon the foundation Of the
old Spanish fort which held the British feet al bay 1914
With the addition OF exterior batteries. II bsng
n An irregular form, and will mount lbs guns bar
bette of which ten will be Coumbads The scap walls,
a. OF all here, made Of brick, with easthen
parspeis and glaciers. 1t can be completed III few
Iaonlhs.
Fort Jackson, commenced in 1927 being constructed
the pen,agon pan viii carry $50 guns 100 barbette
and 90 IA casense. Of the former z6 70 be Coumb
ads tpe rest AZ, 81 and "A pounders with furnaces 10
heating reahot shot THIS fort compleon and it
exterior battery could be finished IN month Be,weea
UrSs systen oil Two nes Of chained RATS has bee
perfected and could be carried lninediateiy upon
declaration the appearance of hostile feet
of the mouth OF tic river The principal aporoach to th,
City is then, amost well deonied the Narro
New York.
There IS but one channel TO enter Barataria bay and
that bee line heading due Gorth, directly upo
Gand rerre Isand. The soundDgs show nine feet wa
YER iato the bay where deepens considerably; but ths
channel Is every year becoming deeper La1tse showed
hs sagacty by selecting this sand the Of his ope
raons against hc customs, landing his cargoes here
sending them 40 the bayous boats to tue city. The
oyster bOa.s up the route % within few
hundred yards OF the river opposite tie Fourth district of
Sew Orleans. Here they attacoed upon rude car,
rnch draws them up inclined plane, over the Leyee,
ihen down into the river, where they again hnd them
selves aoat. THIS shows what excellent base OF ope
reons against New Orleans Grand Iefle Island woud be.
Bat upon the rude fouCaton Of Lattes battery, riking
tna chaDLel, Fort Livingston, commenced isif
progressing amer TIE supernendence or LluJnl1l
stevens Of the Eggncefs Ii IS bn square WITH lanu
CounteTscarp, the tso water s.des playing dlagonaiy
down the enamel Its armament riN cOlss - OF guns
and anb 20 IL bar uee VI Er a.ler ~ VIII be
pouDdeis and ten inch Uollmbtls, Tor l0us range.
zoe approacn by the way OF the lakes Borgnc and
po1tchartran never be thoroughly defended by per
Inanent ioruncaOns II has b,en proposed 10 bld large
works at each eUd Of Ship Island, with armamen's o
Paixhans; but this you'd DC as expensive, dii
cut aud uncertain tue pau Tor defending the oaer nay
q New York by fort al SANDY Hook II tho enemy ~
TACK through the lakes, must rely upon courageous
and strong arms only partially aided by sne small
works thrown up.
Copsderng the enemy at anchor la their transports
ami hgbt within LAe Borsne, We viii look TO tut
most eas ble routes for Their descent upon the city
Isy could Lake POnGharraln by either OF the
passeE--Chef Aonteur or the kgOets--lut land mme
alately iu the OF the cry lDey could pass their
troops boats through Bayou Dupfe into the Mississippi,
Twelve mles below tue ciE through benvenu Canal,
e,ght miles below The latter tie the Engiiah
eeiected 1914 Another route, and perhaps The best Of
si would land their forces Proctor Landing,
Lake Borgne, march INTO tho city along tao ridge
upon which is now LAID the track 0 our Mexican Gud Ran
40 defend the last named fort being constructed at
Pfoctoi's Landing, consisting OF Rofck tower aud exe
roT battery. lIs armament Nh CONSIST oi tNehy niue
guns IN barboe OF when tuFec Will be Columb ads, ana
le balance ortyt@O, thny-tvo anu twenty four pound
ers This work commenced ia 1880, ani could ne
completed IN lew months
Tower Dure guaros the bayou Of the same name,
mounting fourteen guns aud the Benvenu Canal is de
fsndcd by battery of the same strength. These hle
works, however, might be easily carried Dy oetsrpned
enemy ony armed with ignt guns, such as could
ve qulcky handled 10 rake app aug boats Both Of
tLese Compecd but need repairs ~ iec ihem IA IL
ieotiye condition.
Toe Two puscs from Lake Borgnc into Lake Pontchar-
TRAIN arc each guarded the RgJots by Fort Pike aud the
Chef LoJteur by Fort McConb, ats Fort Wood Each VI
these works carry some fory suus Few eson,e, aud
IL s intended 10 nc pace their tbrty two pOantars
with inch oounDiaJs. lu Toe iasI report to tho
chef Of the Engineer Bureau at Waslhg'on, IN response
70 stated queries relative cacn work, the required time
put Pike and McComb IN readiness for "A attack,
VIA gwen as thirty minutes fne 6lrpii8e oi GeuUrai
scott be imagined, tnon, wna1, ol passing through
tho Rgolets toe mail steamer, on his ate visit 10 tns
city nom Mobile Fort Pike unable to give MN th
number guns his rank entitlos him 10, OF
scarcity OF powder.
Ihe long continued stay OF Lieutenant General Scott Ia
New Orleans has probably bceu subject of comment
with many, as he has tlready been win rs six
ue started bis tour with especial Thought 10 the 90
coa4t delences Of our Southern porw f tho Guii o.
Mexico s TO be tho seat OF war, now necessary TO ,h
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