The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-27

AAc SuutncrH Naval ENpcultlChs
The greatest possible noise has been made
by abolition journals Of this city with
respect to the expedition which was to
have sailed, yesterday, from Fortress Mon
roe, Tor the Southern seaboard, and every
effort has been attempted to Illustrate its
object, by putting the enemy on their guard,
ana seeking to indicate the point it was likely
to attack. Had these mschicvous opponents Of
the administration been aware Of tho precise
place towards which the Union feet was about
to steer, they would have published the fact in
stantiy to the world, and the end which the Pre-
sident has had in view in despatching it would
have been, Of course, defeated. Fortunately,
the military and naval commanders, entrusted
with the destinies of the expedition have had the
wisdom to be perfectly silent, and to admit no
human being to their confidence, so that no other
than the vaguest surmises can be INDUCED in
by any one, nor will any intelligence that may
be given forth be reliable, until bulletins OF
victory shall actually announce that some va
liable point d'appui for future operations has
been acquired between Cape Hatteras and Fer
nandina, or, perhaps, somewhere on the Alaba-
ma or Mississippi coast if il is intended that the
fec. shall 60 round the capes of Florida, which
is scarcely probable.
1t is easy 10 perceive that vessels, drawing
from thirteen to twenty odd feet Of water, cannot
enter into any and every harbor, and that it
must attack some place accessible, at high
tide to all OF the steamers and transports that
may sail. Steamers of light dranght might
sail up the James river to Richmond,
and carry troops enough to damage if not de-
stroy the capital of Virginia, but it is not sup
possible that the commanders of the Union ex-
pedition have any such design. The mean
depth Of the ship channel at Beaufort North
Carolina, is fifteen feet five inches at low, and
eighteen feet three inches ut high water On
the main bar, at Charleston. it is only eleven
feet at low and sixteen feet three inches al high
water and the depth at North Edisto is about
the same At St. Helena the average is three
feet deeper, and at Port Royal foot deeper
still The channel up to the city Of Savannah
is eleven feet in depth at low and seventeen feet
five inches at high water. Doboy Bar Inlet and
ST. Simons are accessible for all ships al high
tide; so, also, are the channels up to st. Marys,
and towards Jacksonville, as we'll as many
other approaches to the Florida coast, inside
the reef Pensacola, Mobile river, in Alabama,
and Ship Island and Cat Island harbor, in
Mississippi, are also open to vessels of the
heaviest draught, and may be entered with ease
by the expedition.
Here are abundant data for conjecture All
Of the places above named are accessible and
it is almost matter Of certainty that some one
Of them will prove to be the destination of our
gallant feet and army under General Sherman
and Commodore Dupont but it will be impos-
siblc for any one to point out with accuracy
which. for some days yet to come Under such
officers, and undertaken with the care that has
been shown in preparing it, its success can
hardly be doubted, and that blow will be
struck by it which will carry CONSERVATION
into the hearts of rebels throughout the entire
South.