St. Mary's beacon., 1861-09-12

ScENs OF rHE LATE ENaAaEMsNT.-
Hafteras Inlet. the s.eue Of the late eu-
saR-ment. in which lien Butler won hrs
victory. is situated aL',ut twelve miles
from Cape Ha.teras lighthouse 1t u
known to the mariner by a l"S ssnd island.
which was formerly round hammock.
covered with trees en- the east Size Of the
entrance. The breakers seldom extend
entirely across the entrance to the cove
or harbor. but at nearly NJ times max"
on each side. and between them lies chs.
channel. The bar shnmld no approached
from, the northward and eastward. and
vesscls sh.uld keep in four or five faith.
ous OF water along the breakers until
up will tue opening. The least water on
the bar is fourteen feet mean low water.
and the rise aud fall Of the tide but two
feet Once inside the inlet the mariner
finds good anchorage. in hard sand bot
tom: except few sticky spots ut the head
Of the channel. The anchorage affords
protection from all winds except those
from the south ward aud westward.
As an entrance to Pamlieo, Albe'narle
and Currituck Sounds, the possession ut
Ilatteras Inlet is of vast importance 10 the
Federal government With Ocracoke aud
Hatt.ras Inlets closed. North Carolina may
be said to be completely shut in from the
ocean. Privatcers can TO longer be sent
to sea through the DISMAL Swamp Canal
aud Albemarle Sound, and all cdmmuni-
cation between Virginia aud EUROPE Is
effectually cut off. Newborn, OH the
Neuse river; Washington. Oh the Pamiico
river; Elizabeth City. on the Pasqnotank,
and 4 number of other ports on the Roam
oke and Chowan rivers, will also be III
Guided in the blockade. Pamlic" Sound
Ian inland sea. 80 miles long aud from
ten 10 twrnt, five miacs wide, conn citing
with the .Altcmarle Sound on the north
aud the Panlk:o and NeuSe rivers ou the
vest can no longer be Of any service to
the Contedcratrs Of North Carolina. now
that its principal inlet has been closed
Albcmarle and Currituck Sounds Will also
be eficctually closed.
Ocracoke Inlet, which is about twelve
miles southwest OF iiartrras Inlet, is d.
fenucd by battery OF .s2-poundcrs. six III
number. In n military p"iut Of view its
possrs>ion is equally AS important as that
OF Hatt,ras Inlet, As it affords an easy
entrance to Pamlico Sound and its nun,cr-
Gus tributaries. Through this inlet YES
sells from Tsrborough, Greenville and
Washington. on the Pamlco river. and
Waynrsb"rough. G"ldst or"ugh and New
bera. Oh the Ncuse river. have been III
the habit Of proceeding to sea.
TaE PalsoNERs OF WAR.-Almost all
the leading journals Of the North. even the
hottest Of the War organs, agree i'll stle-
nuou<ly urging upon the Administration
the moral necessity for allowing an cx-
change of prisoners The utter absurdi-
ty is admitted everywhere Of clinging t.
a puncrilio that can effect nothing but an
aggravation IF those sutferiugs which are
crowding thick and fast upon, US Yet the
Government seems as inscn.ible to the re-
monstrances and counsels of its own organs
as ii is to the most natural dictates of hu-
mainly and of common sens. 1t is diff
cult to conjecture what reasonable ustiti-
cation can be offered by those in power to
the unfortunate beings who are thus made
the victims Of .AdiriuiS trativc obs'inacy.
They were prompt to answer the call of
the President. in his emergency, ana now.
in their hour of need, he deserts them
Is this heartlcssncss, or is it insanity The
Administration knows that should h,stili-
ties be protracted through one vigorous
campaign. there mus, be ultimately IN ex:-
change of prisoners; why then roat and
falter like headstrong schoolboy about u
concession that is inevitable Every
hour Of delay is an hour of discomfort,
pain and anxiety to numbers of worthy
people. who deserve the especial consider
alton Of the Government, since in its ser
vice their mi>hap occurred. Yet they
are left to languish in prison, bccaus., some
miserable bubble or point Of etiquette
stands i'll the way Of negotiation for their
release. This is carrying folly to the
verge Of eri'aiuality. L. Daily
Meas.