The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-02

Case mated battery Of thirteen guns pointing down
the river.
Scattered and unsheltered guns at various heights,
and At various distances from the river
10. Land recently cleared Of forest trees.
IL. Narrow channel Of river.
H. Only navigable channel Of Tres Bocas.
The breastworks are built Of timber filed In behind
with clay The bank fifteen feet above the water At
this point All the guns unsheltered except the mid
die battery OF thirteen guns which ID covered In brick
building The customary evelling Of the portfolios 10
made from tho outside instead OF within, -
usual, inX consequence Of which the walls are
very weak large clearing has been recently
made on the other side Of the river, and 10 sup
posed that a. our expedition sails up may fall in with
guns both banks. Besides, the river 10 very narrow
and the channel narrower, that the fort will be within
stones throw Of any ships passing up the river Should
the Paguayans be pugnacous this point might be found
dangerous one; but the latest from that quarter
that the resent river foods have undermined the
sheltered battery that has been dsmAned The river
has long been approaching the clay bank Of that battery
but below the fort the side Of the river, little
patches have been cleared in the forest Back Of the do
fences the river bank irregular breastworks have
been erected and pointed up and down the river 70 be
used in case Of attempt 10 land. There $4,000
soldiers within easy call Of the FORT Of the best troops
in South America They win be certain not TO run
unless ordered; and the plentiful mixture Of Indian
blood makes them much formidable In battle than
the pure spaniard. There be doubt that the
Paraguayans desire IT, they can make an obstinate ngnt
here as the shps cannot the fortress until nearly
abreast Of IT, The cleared patches supposed 10 be
tended for the planting Of temporary batteries 10 annoy
the shipping in case any attempt made 10 lombard the
fort from distance The Paraguayans not skilled in
the Of heavy guns and though they have succeeoed
in employing foreign instructors TO teach them, these
prudent teachers expressly contracted that they would
engage In actual conflict II 10 supposed that Jadsc
Bowlin will, however, DO compelled to wait below
Humata until negotiations made with Lopez But II
be should pass Huma, he will have obtained possession
| Of the key 70 Paraguay.
OUR ExPEDITIONARY CORRESPONDENCE.
UNITED STATES STEAMER HARRIET LAWS,
RIO JAsERo, Dec. 8, 1858. !
The Harriet Lane Distves-us into Ro-A Chapter Of
Accidsn6, &c.
We arrived here in distress the evening Of the ls
nst The circumstances follows :-Aner leaving
Barbados troubles began We first broke our port
crank PIN but having spare one on board able
repair the damage; second mshap the break
ing Of two air pump crosshead ribs; third getting
Of coal before reaching port Of destination owing
heavy weather breaking parts Of engine, and inferior
quality Of coal taken board at Barbadoes All these
compelled TO the ship hundred miles under
canvass 70 Maranham for supplies After getting coal,
wood, and water, at prces left again for
Pernambuco, where arrived after very rough pas
sage Of Eve and half daysall WELL We then began 70
think our troubles al for the present. with fair
prospect Of making quick passage 10 the river, and left
Pernambuco On the evening Of the 2otn inst but the
aoh we broke our starboard crank pin, about four hun
dred miles from Pernambuco and about hundred from
this place. The canvass brought into requisiton
again. and We arrived here all right side up, in sx days