The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-11-21
THE NEW YORK SUN
THURSDAY MORNING, NOV. 81, 1861.
The New York City Press.

The Times Of yesterday, under the head Of
Provincial Growlings, takes the same common
sense view Of the Slidell and Mason affair that
we have already expressed, and cnerseticdly
replies, as We have, to the snccrs Of the Cana
dian Press. In reference to English and French
armaments for naval engagements, IL has the
following
The succcss Of the French A1ating batteries,
Ia Devastation Ia TOnnantc, and IL Lave, at
Kinburn, Crinea, has been the signal Of revo-
luton in the great nayics of Europe which does
not seem TO STOP short Oi complete transtOrna-
tion. No sooner was Ia Gloirc built, by orlrr
Of the Emperor OF the French, than Englanl,
seeing her superiority over wooden vessels, inn
medatcly set hersclf to work and tried to outvie
her'powerful rival. The result Of that COM
petition produced the Defiance, tho Resist
anCc, the Warrior and the Black Prince, four
steel-clad vessels, now ahoat. Eleven vessels
Of that description are said to have bcrn ORDER
ed 10y the Admiralty within the last sixty days,
and an amount Of twelve and a halt million Of
dollars has been voted by the English Pa'lia-
ncnt for that purpose But a. every one of
these vessels cost above two millions, and aS
tho amount voted is merely sufficient for the
construction Of five Of them, an additional ap-
preparation of about fifteen millions Is neccs-
suy for the six remaining vessels.
The activity displayed by France ia renew
ing her navy ia not less rcmnkiblc. In I've
Erglish paper, We see that she has now eleven
iron-clad vessels aioit or in commission, aud
seventeen building. The construction of these
vessels hiw been distributed to the nlvy-yarts
Of Ioulon, Brcst AMI Rochciort, and ii their
power Of reel tanco J. as great as II is now sup
INscd. France will soon have on the ocean fleet
Of uncOaq ,rIbl, Heating tprtTessca. The ere
alton OF this iron navy is due mainly to tho fear
caused to the French Emperor by the English
naval review held at Spitheah, between five and
six years since, aud by the bolsting Of the Eng
lish ON this occasion, that they would beat all
tho combined naycs Of tho world. Louis Ma
rolcon d 'tcrmned from that moment IN render
tho French navy equal to that Of its English
rival, and TO accept the bosstiul challenge by
constructing ships OF war 80 strong that QUO OF
them could hold his own against hall-a-doLcn
wooden English vessels.
According TO the last model supplied hy the
French and English Admiralty, these vessels
must bc literally miil-cl ad--thoir framework
everywhere coated with heavy steel '---mlk-
ng the vessel n invulncrable as Achilles. The
armor- plates used in casing them are Of in-
ncnse weight and substance; they are not to be
any longer tonguod and groovcd, but OF uni-
form thickness throug ghout-cNp show
ing that grOoved iron plates present les rcsls ST.
nncc 70 shot than the plain plucs. Elch plato
is now Ii feet in length by 3 feet 3 inches in
! BREADTH and l-2 inches in Thickness. The
| weight varies from ~ cwt To - cwt. each, and
the plate, instead of being forged, as it was bo-
fore, is now rolled. IL Is against this new kind
plate that the Armstrong l0J-pyundcT has
| II found uowcrlcs- in the last trial at Shoe
| .rtyurss.
WttrAuN iNroRrASCr or roRr ROYAL.
IT, correspondent from Port Royal, writing
10Y. lOth, gives the following interesting ac-
count OF the military Importance Of that place;
The position OF Port Royal is equally all
| mirahlc, whether considered IN a military, nnva
| OF political light. II Il between Savannah an
| Charles stun, and doubtless within 4 few days tn
communication between those important town
| will he easily cut Oft. The pct-work Of inlan
waters that extends in either direction will en-
hSS,. u, ,ctbcr to % savannah or Charleston whou
Going within range of tho guns OF Fort fuiaski
AT the former place, or Sumter or hiouitrie a
the latter. We can thus attak two large town
in South Carolina aud Georgia at their weake:.
,oint besides being able 20 run up into thci'
country and annoy and irghten them Wheneve'
thcy make military demonstration. IN
Island of hilton, on whose northern pom
stands one OF the forts just captured, cNtenu, u
| 4 ybcc Sound and - within sight ol tho hBht
house OF Savannah Harder, not ~ mIes away
Charleston itsell IA distant less than W muoS
Asa naval statioa Port Royal is still more IN
portant il, in fact, indlspenable. L. would D
impossibie 20 maintain the blockade during tn
winter months with any dogree OF effective
ness, without the possession OF port 10 Whis
7 our ships could run IN case Of a storms AMI Oh
depot Of storeS, where they could be ssppneo
but there il still another consideration wno'
| .ignitcancc may vet OvorshadOw every othc
: originating in tlc battle Of Port Royal. ih'
hattie WAS teTmina. ell at about oClo n O
Thursday last; on Saturday, at mo same lou
: | I saw eighty fugitive slaves, con'raDand Oh wa
I. Who hal escaped from their masters and huIrli
within the Federal lines insy rePo's; s;nco ,u Ia
of March they have been waiting and watching
The Yankees And this Is in South Carolina
n this il where the blacks are 10 contented, "ne
thoy were SO attached to their masters, wne
u we were dcfcd 10 seduce them away. tax
n for an hour with various oi them ihr9ul
40 their iareon at first nearly unintelllglble, "
- ablc al last to get at those ideas. They saw u
Y, difficulty in apprehending them and sad IN
OF could not talk nain but 1t was all "here, pon
on inc N their breasts. They said they believ
na the Yankees to lie friends; that they came
M to work, TO do whatever they were biddeni O.
AL hal expectcd us; but not dared TO speak OF u
their masters: they hal seen the hght from
y, the river, and hurried down as soon as II
Ss @ over They all report that since last mt :
ON they have been waiting for US; tney ~ I''i
thai 40 far as they know, all the pIacNs
anxiously waiting for u.s. their onLH Sr5. ~
- ,.as on account of the wives and children u
IaJ Ieft behind but when told they shoulu
,bcsc arain. their fears were at once aliyed
a. 40 here is mighty engine put into our han
-, one that may well be used 10 weaken the {
"a mv. But the panic everywhere spread IN
Re. ncigALorhood will not elevate our notions
q thc palmetto chivalry. Not only was there
absolute and disgrnceful fright in tho Weir
of the bombardmont, but the negroes rel
that. AT the first news Of our coming, eV
. house in the vicinity was at once deserteh'
fore our feet appeared In the harbor the pi'
, y era had lied; and when the ships absolutely
rived even men tainted away.
ANOTHER EXPEDITION PLANNED
The same correspondent, writing Nov. ]
says;
Another expedition IA on foot. This div
will move further south to an unknown, d
nation. Bv saying that two small
K. boats only will remain, you have
rect idea Of the lOIco about to he
LES ployed; nearly the same as was used II
attack here. IT,,
beaufort is entirely destitute Of white II
itants. There are about one thousand ne
NY about us, most ofthem anxious to roach the
while others prefer to remain on the man
For .masters' plantation-''de Ole plnta
they have an affection, and some We IA
cured for our own service on good wages,
for home, where they have one.
NEGRO RoBBERTEs.
The negroes have their cabins filled
-r,,,,gled goods, rice, pork, meal, homin
%arjGIcai They went into their deserted
INV" ters houses. and stole theTeirom every co
rrant allie article OF clothing they could lay ham
ont Of one marcel their kindne y produced,
, and a rich six opera-cloak, that never CO.
-. . "a or a.h and "A lace fringe hall