New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-02-05

makes n stubborn resistance. 1t is maintained
hat it will take not less than ten, if not as many
Is twelve men, to serve single gun, which VIII en-
,ble Fort Sumter to operate not more than TWO
batteries of four guns each-not one quarter OF
her armament and capacity. There VIII be no
men to spare, even at that. These men, u is
maintained, will not be able to work the guns
longer than from three to four hours at TILE
at the longest The conclusion in the casemstes, II
is said will render it physical impossiSility for
the men to serve the guns even hall tnat
time without resting. This is taking into tne
account nothing from casualties by when 'he
number will be diminished In this way 1t is De-
lieyed the garrison in Fort Sumter viii in time fe
compelled to strike their flag aud surrender. The
defeuse it is believed though it may be desperate
one. and destructive to the ASSISTANTS, must end in
surrender if the Fort is not earlier taken by
breach ard assault. Two days is the utmost, it
is said the garrison can hold out. The front
where the breach is expected to be made, ia on
the side facing Fort johnson, where the entrance
is. H. is the weak point, it is said, and capa-
BILE of being preached. The success OF
this plan is spoken of with the greatest
confidence by military men in the service OF the
Reyoutopists. 1t has been carefully concocted,
and every step has been carefully taken, SO q"
TO leave no doubt of the result. They have III
their eye what an exhibition South Carolina
would make of herself should her attack by three
or four thousand men on fort defended by only
seventy fail. i do not think the magnitude OF
these preparations and the skill and determine
ticn with which they have been carried on have
been sufficiently considered by the Federal au-
thorites If by delaying reGnfOrcements for Fort
Sumter, they giving chance to make COM
promises-comprOmses by which, under no CIR
cumstances, will South Carolina be bound, they
are ut tie same time giving her the time and OPP
portunty TO enable her to resist the government and
compromises both. UltimateIy-withln twenty
DAYS, perhaps withith ten or even shorter time
the Federal Government will find itself caAed
upon to either reinforce Fort Sumter, or zee its
garrison placed in a situation that viii reflect
shame on tie Federal authorities. j repeat the
belief that the attitude, plans preparations and
purposes, and means of executing them, OF S0uh
Carolina, have not been sufficiently regarded
employed by her to more effect than by the COM
promise makers or the Federal Authorities The
result Of their iorbearance will be turned against
them. The policy which prevails at Washington,
though they are improving the time which II
affords them to mature their plans, e1cltcs The
contempt Of ths Reyolutionists. 1t is cow
aIdly and unmanly to be thus kept at
bay, and leave the garrison in Fort Sumter
TO undertake impossibilitcs. l do not be-
heyc, hs | have before said, that Major Anderson
has ever Represented that with tr,rnty men he
could hold the fort under all circumstances He
may have said, and this vii turn out to b. oil
he has said, that his force was large enough il
not attacked, or it may be, for all that Carolina
could then do. What she could do month ago,
and what she Wiz be able 10 do at the end Of
ten days more, is quite another thing. The war
gs rrison of Fort Sumter is six hundred men.
Carolina is doing thi1cs on war scale and IN
respect never contemplated when Fort Sumter
was constructed; that ia, she is besicgiEg
it from all ponts, on The land, with fort
Moutrie, Fort johnson, and Castle fmckney,
in her possession, beside the formidable bat
teries seward. Her appointment. are quite
complete. She has been able TO command fkilL
She has all the fighting mcn she wants.
On what ground then can It be expected
that seventy men cen make succcssful defense
Why say that six hundred men are the proper war
garrison, when only seventy men are put to tie
work. To be sure, the ReyO,utiousts have no
ships to operate on the fort, but they have every.
thing else, and what is far better, floating bat
teries, with surrounding forts and batteries. The
idea of the impregrabiiIy Of Fort Sumter, was
never intended to rect on the state of things
which at present surrounds her, with only sey-
enty men inside.
IL were better for the Federal Government TO
send reenforcements tomorrow, with an engage
ment the consequence, than 10 delay TIL Caro-
lima is fully prepared and chooses to commence
the engagement. Unless all signs fail, this re-
mark will be- verified. j do not undertake
to reconcile this view OF the case with the
fact that Major Anderson, nevertheless, does
not ask for retniorcements lie may not be fully
aware of what is going on around him, or he
may have plan, yet TO be developed, requiring
no mole men.
Yesterday, some half-dozen mechanics deserted
from the ranks Of the Reyolutionsts. Under the
excitement of a month or two ago, and for the
fun of the thing they had joined military COM
panies, gone to the expense of uniforms, and,
two or three weeks ago, were ordered TO the
Island, where for ten days they were compelled
to the hardest sort Of labor-carrying bags Of
sand, with 10 pay and poor fare. Having been