New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-05-11
THE ENGLISH PRESS ON FORT SUM
TER


TER.
| The news of the fall of Fort Sumter created a
great sensation in England, and as was to be OK
pected called forth from the press Of that coun-
| try its usual display Of misconcepticn Of Amerl-
| can affairs. In the first place, The London Hmes,
with singular credulity, accepts in full faith the
Charleston accounts Of the siege; and, though
amazed at the story of furious lombard
ment of forty hours without the loss OF q
single life, does not appear to have suspected any
deception or suppression in the report. Next it
declares that no ono credits President Lincoln
with any plan, apparently simply because no
knowledge of any such plan has reached The
Times Ii does not seem TO have suspected that
a discreet Government might possibly have plans
which were not communicated to the pewspa-
pers, and that in military matters very active
operations arc sometimes carried on without
sound of trumpet. The polite moderation OF the
Administration, which has given to its cause
moral force worth more than hundred regi-
ments, 10 ascribed TO wayering or vacilation.
reasonable critic might have surmised that q wise
and humane Government, conscious Of its strength,
might DO justified in patiently avoiding every cause
of irritation in the hope that reason and refoc-
ton would in tho end bring peace. rather than
civil war.
In regard to the forces Of the eonteudng sec
tons, The London Tines sees clearly that the
preponderance Of power is immensely on the
side Of North. The North, il says, has an army,
q navy, and money, has greater numbers, with
out the incubus OF Slavery. has also the tradition
| of th. Usion. and thu authority Of Government,
and, above all, has credit by which it can raise
a hundred millions moro easily than the South
can raise ten millions. Moreover, it grants that
the North has tho manufactures, tho building
yards and the dock.yards tho whole apparatus
Of national wealth and strength.
But the North, though rich, is lukevarm and
unready, while the South is prompt and fiery.
There never was greater mistake than this.
The sole foundation for such q notion is, that
the South, which has had the Government for
twenty years, and for half that period at least
has been preparing for rebellion, which the loyal
North never dreamed Of, sprang to arms nearly
six months ago. prepared for action, and has
with all its eforts-done what Captured an
isolated fort, defended by seventy starving men.
The North, on the other hand, did not get
possession Of the Government till March 4, and
when tho last news that reached England left
our shores, had been in power just SIX weeks.
1t received the Government in denoralized and
disorganized condition, with treachery in all de.
partments not man of Northern principles in
any branch Of the Administration, even TO the
lowest grades. 1t had to reOrganzc everything,
to get rid OF the swarming traitors, and to col
lect the forces and the resources which had pur-
posely been put beyond its immediate reach.
For four weeks, for six weeks, nothing could DO
done but to purify the public service. But when
that was accomplished, and the attack on Sumter
gave the wishedfor signal Of action, with what
promptness the North sprung to arms--with what
energy and devotion it poured forth men and
money men by tens Of thousands aud money by
tens of millions Where stand the North and
South nowi The North is on the Potomac in
the East, and the Mississippi and Ohio in the
West, with armies before which the 30 lately
boastful and arrogant South at once falls back
into the defensive. Witness PROSTATE Maryland
witness Virginia covering at Richmond and
shrieking to JEFF. Davis for aid. The South has
been arming for nearly six months, and where is
her armyi The North in twenty days, though
taken by surprise, has hundred thousand men
in tho field, as many more on the way tbithor,
and has Llockaded half the ports Of tho South.
Tho Times, with moments reflection, would
have seen that the same energy which could
create ships and ship-yards, manufactures and
material wealth Of all kinds in time Of peace,
could not fail in time Of war to assert ito supe.
riority over those who can do mono Of these
things. Tho same qualities which have made the
Free States populous and wealthy will also make
them active and powerful in war; As The Times
truly says, modern warfare cannot 90 on without
money. and the North Is overaswingly rich in
both money and men. ...