New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-12-17

country, but there Is such thing as any V
hobby into the ground. 8 H
There is much talk on our flags about the effects
of the arrest OF Messrs. Mason and Slidell. The
majority of our English citizens are sanguiae that
Great Britain viii take immediate steps and resent
the hsult. Many of them were sanguine that the
blockade would have been forced or broken ere
this, but John Bull takes it cooly and calmly, and
Lancashire, up to the 10th Of November-the last
regular dates--was sure of supply OF cotton
through the opening of cotton ports. About the
first of March they will fully understand the great
cotton trade yea, March, the ides OF March, they
can remember. They will then ascertain if they
can reach the month of May with the supply on
hand. In the meantime, there is some little cotton
coming to market under special permission, just
sufficient to bring up little talk.
There was talk about the salt market. This sub
jeot is about talked out. We learn that some of
the works in Bienyile parish are turning out 200
bushels per day. and with supply of kettles, 500
bushels could be readily made. So far as Texas
and Louisiana are concerned, there cannot be any
real scarcity Of the saline. There was some falling
of yesterday in the activity at the sugar depot.
The inland communication, that is. the railroads,
are blocked with freight, and cannot for the pre-
sent afford transportation for the quantity offering
The total interruption of communication with Mo-
bile, via the lakes, throws on the railroads the en-
tire carrying and transporting trade. The Florida,
Georgia, Carolina and Virginia markets have all to
be furnished from here; but as there is no cotton
transported inward, the railroad cannot be greatly
over taxed or overrun over previous seasons. But
very tritiing part of the sugar crop has come to
market; though the receipts thus far are largely
in excess of last yearsay As AT hogsheads against
3l,560 hogsheads-it forms very moderate per
centage of the anticipated yield. The recep of
molasses have been about twice az much as last
year-say 154,500 barrels against 76,600. The
wants and deficiency in transportation will have
sensible effect on general prices for some time.
There was considerable talk late in the day
about battles and fights, bombardmen"~ J, and so
on. The timid ones remark freely about the arri
val of Yankee troops at Ship Island and inquire
about the means of defence on the Lakes; inquire
about Forts Pike and Macomb. At the time these
two forts were built, such a thing as steamships
and batteries were not dreamed Of. These forts
were located and designed by General Bernard,
the distinguished engineer who came from France
after the dethronement of Napoleon in 1916, was
received into the United States army as Chief of
Engineers and served for several years. After the
return of the Bourbons in 1880 he resigned his
station, returned to France and diedn the service
of Louis Philippe. Had a war followed the de-
mand of Gen. Jackson for the five millions indem-
nifty, Louis Philippe would have had in his service
q General acquainted with every fort, battery and
fertilization in the then, now defuhct, United
States. There are many officers and engineers in
the Yankee army acqusinted with almost every
brick and stone composing the Southern forts.
But they are mot yet acquainted with the efficacy
and virtues of Southern rosin tar and turpentine,
fire flats and fire vessels. We are asked, are these
materials ready on Pearl river, to be employed in
the Rigolets when the Hessian squadron makes its
attempt to pass Fort Pike-which may be calcu-
lated on shortly? And are they in readiness for
the contemplated invasion via the Balize? The
grand success Of fire-boats on the 18th October
last at the mouth Of the river shows that the
greatest reliance can be placed on them that
they are more dreaded and feared by the Hessians
than the batteries of hundred guns. Push on
the fre-sbips, use tar pitch and turpentne, Com
modore and General We shall have no Hatteras
and Port Royal results to talk about in the Ores.
cent City. "a