Smyrna times., 1861-04-18
Fort Sumter.

A coiamporaTy thus describes Fort Sumter
lust prior TO the attack last week:
F.. Sumter is modern truncated pentsgonal
(ihst IS, Of five sldes,) which is erected on an
artificial island some 3g miles from Charleston.
This island is composed OF chips from Northern
granite quarres, and of course is as firm as the
rock itself. No better foundation could be
formed. Its cost. and the fort erected upon it,
was a m lion OF dollars. The walls are OF
solid brick and concrete masonary, built close
TO The edge of the water. They are sixty feet
high, and from eight to twelve feet in thick
ness. Il is pierced for three tiers of guns on
the north, east and west exterior sides. Its
weakest point is on the south side, of which
the masonary is not only weaker than that of
the other sides, but it is not protected by any
flank FIRE, which would sweep the wharf. Once
landed, an entrance may, at the present state
of the construction, be easily made: for the
blinds OF the lower embrasures, though six in
ches in thickness, may yet be blown away, and
even if this was impossible, scaling ladders
can reach those Of the second tier, which are
not protected 10 this manner. The work is de-
signed for an armament of one hundred and
forty pieces Of ordnance Of all calibres. Two
tiers of the gH2s are under bOmb-proof case.
ments, and the Ihisd or upper tier open, or, in
military parlance, en- 6arbette the lower tier
for forty y-twO pOunder pa'xhan guns; the Sc.
cOnd tier for eight and ten-nch cOIumbiads,
for throwing solid or hollow shot, and the up
per tier for mortars and twenty-four pound
guns. The full armament Of the fort, howev-
er, had not arrived there when Anderson
took possession; but since its occupancy by the
present garrison no efforts have been spared
TO place the work in an efficient state Of de-
fence by mounting all the available guns aud
placing them in salient points.
ARMAMENT.
The full armament of the fort 10 not in posi-
ton, only seven.y-fvo Of the one hundred
asd forty guns required for it are mounted
L.e.-u Pa'xhan guns are among that number
nine of them comma ndng Fort Moultris. which
is within easy range, and the other two point
ing towards Castle PInckney, which is vel
out of range. Some of the eolumbiads. the
most effective weapon for siege or defensive
operations, are not mounted. Four Of the 81
pouuder bsrbelte guns are on pivot carriages
which gives them the entire range Of the hnrI
zon, and others have a horizontal sweep OF 6r'
Of l60 degrees. In addition TO these welghlie
presentations for defence, the walls are perce
everywhere for muskets, Of which there ar
endless numbers ready and loaded.
AMMUNITIGS:
The magazine contains seven hundred bar
rels Of gunpowder and an ample supply Of sho
powder and shells for enc years siege, and
large amount Of miscs sllaneous artillery store
The garrison ia amply supplied with waite
from artificial wells, which are supplied by tn
frequent showars of rain. In defensive sira
egieal point Of view, Fort Sumter radiates il
Gre through all Gha channels from the sea aI
proach TO Charleston, and has full sweep
range in tie rear or CITY side. The fort 10 su
fcently out of range from a land artillery u
tack,iso that all approximations for preaching
from that source may be put at rest, unless
guns of superior eaIibre. The maximum rang
of the guns from Sumter is three miles; b.
tor sceurats firing. sufficient to hull vesse
ths distance would require TO be reduced on
half Of that figure. The war garrison OF ii
fort 10 Sin hundred men. but only seventy Nil
of that number are within it's walls. with Il
Iaborers--IO9 all told 4.
lsatr THE EXACT DISTANCES OF the PoRTs.
sFor, Sumter is thres and thrse eights mil
~ from Charleston. one aud QUE eighth male trt