The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-03

LII. d., OF THE LONDON TINES, IN New o.
IEANs.-In such war as this, and indeed in
all wars, the commanders in-chief on both sides
find 1t necessary to employ secret agents, or
spies, to 60 into the eDemy's country, ascertain
bis weakness or his strength, and obtain details
to his numbers, Munitions, provisions, sup.
plies and general condition. The services o.
aud upon the information obtained through
>uch sources the able commander bases his
ans and conducts his operations
Now, just such service az this Mr. W. H
russell, the LII. d. of the London Times,
aas been undesignedly performing for the
North. He went South at time when
20 Northern man could venture there with
afety. He had facilities and opportuni-
les for observation which would probably
AVE been extended to no other man. He had
every chance to make good report OF what
% saw, and he had NO disposition to under
stimate the strength of the South or to write
elightiDgly of its resources and preparations
or war. If he had any bias, it was in favor OF
he confederacy. His letters, therefore, are
ssluable, because they contain the best that
an be said of the South, and because they
have information which we could not other
wise obtain. We have before published Mr..
Russells letters from Charleston, Mobile,
Montgomery and New Orleans, and we copy to.
Gay extracts from another batch of letters from
he latter place.
These extracts will repay perusal. Among
ether noticeable matters, Mr.. Russell treats of
me fear that masters have of their slaves, and
quotes-as only an Englishman could-from
Ohio papers to sustain his arguments. He
hints that the South would resent the mediation
of England for compromise; and in this he
peaks truth, though he throws doubt upon his
iormer assertion that the South wished an Eng
Iish prince as q ruler. He finds that JEFF. Davis
mas great trouble in getting recruits for, and
mas to force men into, his army that, out of
tfsy thousand fighting men, Louisiana only
furnishes fifteen thousand that men will not
enlist for the war, but idle about the
streets, and that of the companies al
ready formed many have disbanded rather
than enlist for long period. He thinks JEFF.
Davis is afraid of his own volunteers. He says
hat the Southern soldiers are only "ball stop
pers," undisciplined, and without uniforms,
equipments or commissariat Their muskets
are old and bad, and powder is 80 scarce that
salute cannot be fired, on the score of econo-
my. Better still, no powder can be made
there. He draws dismal picture of New Or
leans blockaded; says that not only do South
ern merchants repudiate their debts to our
citizens here, but that employers refuse to pay
heir workmen. Ex-senator Sidell, he re-
ports, is alarmed at the dispatches from the
North. By the way, sketches of Southern
privateer, q company of professional gamblers,
Southern hotels and scenery, and of the 10000
Indians offered to the South, fill up these very
interesting letters.
According to Mr.. Russell's authority, then,
the South IL in very bad way. He carefully
reviews every point of their condition, but
gives them NO encouragement upon any. He
still says that they will fight, but adds that they
are undisciplined and without arms. This is
eery good news, indeed, for the North. After
he publication Of such letters as these, 1t was
hardly necessary for Mr.. Russell to write
card to prove that his correspondence was not
tempered with. He had better not 90 South
sgain, however. English correspondents are
at large discount there. After this date they
will fare no better than their brethren of the
Northern press. So let them take warning and
stay away.
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