The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-02

SOUTH cAROLIsA's ULrIxATUM-FINAL DEMAND FOR
FORT sUMTER-wARLKE PREPARATIONs-rHE
STANDING ARNY-A FLOATING BATTERY
STRENGTHENING OF SUMTER, ETC.
Correspondence Of the Baltimore Americana
REPUBLIC SOUTH CAROLINA
CHARLESTON, Jan. 20, 1851.
For the past four five days we have been without
any great excitement, although the city was In slight
ferment yesterday OF the transmission Of the
correspondence between Colonel Haype envoy to Wash
pgton and Governor Pckens and President Buchanan to
the legislature The papers were all considered in
sret session and will not be published until 1t consis
tent with the "public welfare"
FINAL DEMAND FOR SUMTER.
Enough however transpired TO inform that the ult
matum OF Governor Pckens had gone forth with the
sanction Of the legislature south Carolina has made her
final demand for Fort Sumter Mr.. Hayne Is instructed
10 wait 10 the demand reasonable tme and
IL is not acquesced in, arms must be resored TO- Rest
assured Of the people Of TINS s,ae WIZ never suacr
in charleston will suffer the last drop OF blood 70
flow from their veins before they would submit 70 this
The people have cut the last ties that formerly bound
them the old federal Union. They will listen to no
compromises, and in future will treat the North only as
foreign State.
Within the city itself, blacksmths, wheewrights
and iron founderies have been quite busy for several
weeks past in mending and making heavy gun carriages
and in casting heavy shot and shells. From abroad we
have been supplied with large quantities of POWDER and
several Armstrong guns in England. On the citadel
green and the battery (promenade) Of Charleston
With svra bombs and howtsers These are ali noant
ed and furnished with Timber wagons, &C., ready for ac
tive service.
THE STANDING ARMY.
At the arsenal the recruits Of the standing army are
undergoing thorough training as fast as they enlist
They are retained here and INSTRUCTED into c 1T Of
war until company is formed wh1n the whole lot "a
transferred 70 one Of the military posts in the harbor
where they become acquainted with the pleasures Of
soldiers life in the trenches The most OF the enlisted
difficult to restrain them from drunkenness and riot
This fact is so notorious that Mr.. Cunningham, Colonel
Of the regiment brought the matter the
not If ia
embroied himself in personal difficulty with Lieut.
Wagner Of company Of enlisted men, stationed at the
arsenal Mr. Wagner who Ia also Senator, denied that
the troops were beyond restraint, licentious and
drunken. Col Cunningham, on the floor of the House
Representatives, asserted that they Mr. Wag
ner aaid il was a "misstatement" Col Cunningham
called for explanation Lieut. Wagner said he did not
mean to mpeach Mr. ,S,v yeracy Mr. Gun
TO say before the Senate. Mr. Wagner complied,
and the personal difficulty settled; but Col. Gun
niDgham still maintained that his statements were true
and called for O committee of investigation, but the
atenees Of the hour precuded the examination OF the
numerous witnesses, SO the matter continues over TIL
The floating battery OF which you have heard so much
through the medium Of the Philadelphia papers s not
yet completed and from the ncpient stage of the work
Lshoud Judge it will take four or five weeks TO be
only in the brain of some Philadelphia imaginary writer.
At the time he gave account of the work 1t was not
and up to yesterday nothing more had been
done to than putting together of five six beams of
heavy wood The speculation that the battery is TO be
sixty feet high and to be constructed Of cotton bales
all bosh. How in the Of wonder, could such
continuance be managed? Before attack be made
with will have TO possess several floating bat
teries comparatively light and easy TO manage. The at
tack will be Desperate and celebrity of action the part
Of Carolina troops is absolutely requisite
STRENGTHENING OF SUMTER.
Major Anderson, Ia believed here, adding greatly
to the strength Of his position He has dug mine under
the causeway leading to the gate of his donjon, and
This he can easily do without injuring himself or his
fertilization Al the points, however, that bear upon
Sumter South Carolina still continues to concentrate her
forces, and when the stAugge does come II will be ter
rible.
From the Brooklyn Times, Feb. IL
gentleman residing in South Ninth this morn
Ing hands letter bearing date Charleston, January
90 and written by intimate friend Of his family who
has been employed in Charleston TO be in the very
real views and intentions Of the leaders We
do not wish 10 give minuter particulars lest the writer
should get into trouble by the furnishing Of the nforma
ton
"Thc state Engineers will on about Friday or satur-
day night report TO the authorities that preparations for
the reduction Of Fort Sumter completed. demand
will Immediately be made for the surrender of the Fort
which if not complied with fire from the batteries will
be opened at once Andersons shells do not reach the
CITY, he cannot hold out long UNLESS reinforced The
youtioniss have masked battery aud two Columbiads
and four "a FOUNDERS bearing the weakest part Of the
fort II is stated by Mr. Rhett that Col Hayne was sent
to Washington 10 delay the action Of the administration
SO give South Carolina time TO complete
There is an understanding with Alabama that Fort Pick
ems 70 to be attacked at the same time"
II is but justice TO say that during this gentlemans
his opinions has his correspondence been subjected
to- any surveillance whateverthough he is known to be
Union man.
Correspondence Of the Providence Journal
CHARLESTON, s. c., Jan q, 1861.
Charleston has been unusually quiet the past week.
With but little business and but few telegraphc de-
patches, were 1t not for the soldiers moving about
streets, would not think that anything unusual
going on Major Anderson has been to the city but the
result Of his mission has not been made public.
Although IL has been strongly urged by the hot
headed secessonsts in the city that Fort Sumter should
think advsSe and and active prep
have been going on ever since prevent the land
ing Of any forces at Sumter 70 reinforce Anderson and
consist eff four land batteries and floating battery
with an available force Of about fifteen hundred men.
small battery of 24pound guns. 1t is constructed Of
barrels and bags Of sand and intended to protect the
north channel On Morris Island there are three bat
teres On the extreme east end Of the island is bat
terry Of "a guns Intended TO protect the main ship
channel This channel also obstructed by four sunken
vessels so that ships drawing thirteen feet Of
cannot enter the harbor At middle and west end OF
the island are two batteries Of heavy guns and morars
bearing directly On Fort Sumter They constructed
Of palmetto logs and bags OF sand. I should suppose
that bags Of sand formed their chief material for
structon as one firm in the city has contract for thirty
thousand The floating battery TO be built the shape
Of wedge Of palmetto timber foot in thickness and
cased with ron and also having inner casing of ron
with three feet space between the casbgs which is 10 be
filed with sand. How is TO be armed and how used
am unable to learn as Ia kept secret possible
With all the armament and forces here which can be
military authority that 1t viii be impossible 70 take IT, II
Andersen Is disposed to defend II.
To meet the expenses Of all this warike preparation
the taxes are enormously high and people little
disposed 10 grumble at the burthen The on gold
watches Is one dollar on silver ones half dollar,
pack Of cards twenty five cents and all other ar
tcIes are taxed In nearly the same proportion This
heavy taxation Is having creator tendency towards
conciliaon than any otner thing for the OF mode
rate means clearly see that the taxes always be
enormous to support separate State government, or
even q Southern confcderacy
THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE.
BosroS, Jan. 81, 1851.
In the Senate the Committee on Federal Relations to
whom was referred the Virginia resolutions proposing
Convention at Washington, presented majority and mi
norty reports. The former dissens from the method
proposed by Virginia, but willing TO compare opinions
with the loyal states in effort to strengthen the Union
and promote tranquility, and authorizes the Governor
10 appoint Eve COMMISSIONER subject TO the Of
the Legislature.