New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-10-29
TIE NAVAL EXPEDITION.

II is Of course 70 be regretted if tie publ
cation of the character of the great Naval eA-
petition, which hos started from old FONT
Comfort, shall prove to be premature, as tne
importance of the movement ID only 10 DC
measured by ia magnitude. II, however, the
story be true that the Private Secretary OF The
Commodore commanding has eioped with the
sealed dispatches, the charts, ard other papers
relating 10 the expedition, any publication III
regard to the matter will prove altogether
harmless. This Secretary, If he has committed
any such act of treason. has done 50, no doubt
10 crown by such treacbery many weeks OF VII
laipy. and escapes now to put himself hi place
of safety He takes with him some trophies OF
victory. rather than any useful information Tor
the enemy. The whole story, we hope and are
rather inclined TO believe, 10 hei Out
of little consequence except as the evidence OF
previous treacbery. II JEFF. Davis did not
know, before any information from uch a
source could reach him, the destination Of the
armada. then no is welcome to the knowledge.
We believe the feet will have reached ts des-
tined haven and have accomplished Its purpose
in such measure that the rest Of it viii be
easy. long before BeAuregard could reach the
same point let alone Beauregard's army. II
be waited for New-York paper Of Saturday,
or even the arrival Of any traitor from the
feet, to tell him what point he must make
for. then the spies Of the rebels-we wish We
could doubt their e1istence-haye not kept
JEFF. Davis advised Of tho progress and tie
purposes of this expedition; if the in'ursent
troops, which we have been told for the last
fortnight, have gone away somewhere from the
peiehborhood of Washington, nre not already
at the proposed point Of attack to prevent
The laudIug Of the troops under Gen.
Sherman, and if the riled cannon which
are reported to ha7e passed Hrougl
Richmond some days ago, are oot already 10
position at the precise spot where. above oil
others, we moss wish they may not DO; then
We may be quite sure that any information
the Rebels may have acquired within the last
FIVE days will avail them nothing, aud, tue
winds and the waves permitting, We may hope
to hear Of brilliant inauguration Of South
ern campaign. We know the rink attending
all naval expeditions; We know that they have
much oitencr failed than succeeded; but we
will keep Ia sight the facts that this ono has
been great while in preparation, and there.
fore ought to he perfect in every pashcnlar;
that it has only q comparatively few hours
sail to reach It's destination; and thtt--it Is to
be hoped-its secret has been well kept and
therefore will NEE. with no opposition, we
may trust. therefore, that ii may prove q bril-
liant exception in history, may cover our Arms
with glory, aud be- the certain beginning Of the
extermiu alton Of the Rebellion.
Its Importance and tie advantages Of its sue
cess cannot be oyerrated. Hitherto the rebels
have had us at dlsadyaptase in compelling u'
10 remain on the defensive with our grand
army. Without undertaking tho brilliant thing
that have been done in Missouri and Wesserr
VIRGINIA. il must ipe confessed that our suer'
oiss and rosOurces have been devoted to pre-
venting open iusurrectIOn IN the little Stste Of
MARYLAND and the destruction Of Washington.
Impcrtant az both are, We might go on doIDe
both for IN indefinite number of years, and be
no nearer the suppression Of the rebellion thar
we arc now. But it is precsely tfis-the sup
preston Of the rebellion, and not merely de-
f.nse against it, that the people are anxious
for. And, indeed, our foreign as well as oar do
mestic rslat ons render il thing which 1t viii
bs we'll for US to begin speedily. The suo'
cess Of this expedition will be great steI
in the right direction. A campsign IN ths
Southern ter of the Slave States, VII hr
Csmeroh's order in regard to .lavss o. one o.
iss guides, will be- very certain to exercise
mighty influence upon tue Rebel army 10 Var
sinis. 1t must do 0no Of two things--e'thei
march southwark, and thus transier the Sesi
of war to another region where the advantage
will be altogether OURS in driving them away
from our borders; or else they viii remain
where they ere for tho iaDced advantage Of
still getting the better Of US, while our armies
will reduce the more Southern States to ODE
disnco, and leave the Rebels in arms hem'ned
in and ont of from all succor from whore they
cap alone receive IL. We may, indeed, most
feryently hope that nothing las occurred, OF
will occur 10 mar the complete succss 81 ouI
noble fleet.