Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1861-11-27
How to Have A Warm Tent.

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How to Have A Warm Tent.
The correspondent of the Providence
Press, writing from the Second Rhode !
Island Regiments camp, gives the fol-
lowing useful account Of The manner in
which that regiment has protected itself
from cold aud frost while in tents:
We have been getting for at,.w nights
qa;,e !. touch of lir weather: indeed, the
cold las pinrhcl us quite smartly. so that
We not only feel the need of warmer
blankets and more of them, but oi good
fires also. Necessity is the mother of
invcn,ion, and the need OF protection
against the sudden cold has set the inren-
tive wits Of sur Yankee soldiers to work
in good earnest. \ plan was soon hit
upon which answers the purpose most
perfectly. This is a description of it:
ho. is dug in the c,,tre.ofl hetent, about
two feet in depth and diameter. This is
walled with Stones laid in soft clay, and
covered at the top, with the exception
Of Il small aperture for the Introduction
of turl. orthis aperture there must he n
rn>e fitting door or cover, which can be
opened and closed 1T pleasure.
! Across nne side of the tent Il trench is
| laid and covered with wood and earth,
through which the cold air is conveyed
freely to the hottom part of this snhtrr-
ranc;r fire place. From the '"p"f the
Same, and across the opposite side OF the
tent is another trench nlaid and ca aclnliy
covered with stone and earth. through
/ which the smoke and surplus heat is
carried otf.. This is the whole machine.
! Tie merits of it are obvious. 1t is uni
verSally practicable. 1t can be introduced
easily into any tent or dwelling. lhc
ECONOMY Of it; it costs only a few hours
work for three or four men. The con.
vcnience of it; being entirely under
ground. it takes up none of the precious
room of our small tents. The utility
of it: it dries and warns the Garth within,
and even beyond the entire circuit ofthe
test, and thus prevents those damp, cold,
and unhealthy exhalations from, the earth,
which are probably the chief cause ofjll-
health among the soldiers. The tentsare
thus also furnished with a moist and
genial atmosphere, the heat Of which
,.all be easily increased SOFAS to meet the
exigencics OF the coolest part of the sea-
son.
To realize tho importance Of this you
must remember that The walls of our
houses are only thin canvas that they
are so readily penetrated ny cold, or
moisture, that the atmosphere within
follows rapidly the changes in The condi-
ton Of the atmosphere without. Indeed,
so far rs this is concerned. there is but
very little difference between living under
the tents and in. the open air. Without
some such contrivance, what therefore,
could persons do, who, until within q short
time, have been accustomed to live in
close and warm houses? had rather
it is true, take my chance for long and
healthy life in the open air, both by day
aud by night, than in close room. and
upon the bare earth rather than upon
woolen carpets; but then wisdom must
be exercised, and time must be taken for
u gradual change The effects of this
experiment upon this regiment arr easily
traced
The cases ur illness from severe colds
and intcrmitting or bilious tcvcrs. which
have recently sprung up among us, are, |
beielve, all i'll 'hc tents not thus protected.
1t must be also, in part, at least, owing to
this arrangement that our emcalnpment
still continues SO healthy, while forms of
of sickness incidental to these cold snaps
arc prevailing in encampmcnts near to us.
How ovR COMMISSIONERS WE'RE OVER
rAKKH.--La,c intelligence explains how
MessrS. Mason and Slidell were taken by
the lankee frigate San ,lacinto. The
Commissioners arrival in Havana, and
| nature of their mission Was so far from
being Il secret there, that they received
the marked hospitaIiiics of the Captain
General Of the island. Immediately upon
their arrival the Consul Of Lincoln, one
hShmttIdi. sent fast Yacht, The Nonparcil,
to Key West with the news. Thus the
enemy had abundant time 10 mature all
their arrangements for the carp. The
Commissioners had taken passage on the
royal mail steam packet from Havana 10
Liverpool.
On the 9th inst, shortly after leaving
the port of Havana, the steamer was
boarded By the United States lllall.ol.war
San Jacinln. under command OF Capt.
Wilkes, t"r the purpose of arrcsling
M'.ssrs Mason and Slilr'|, whn, with
their Secretaries. were brought orcihiy
oil The parry Of ladies' WHO Accompanied
the Commissioners proceeded oa their
way, a,d took with them, it is said, the
ollinia! letters and dispatches Of the Com.
missoucr* The San Jacinto, on the
evening Of Saturday last, reached Fortress
Monroe, whence, it is said, the arrested
Commissioners will, by permission of
Gen. Wool, send despatch to our Gov
crnment Oh The subject Of their capture.
Property SUBJECT ro Taxation ,rcR
War PrnrosEs.-Eor general information
We suhjoin list of property subject to
the war taX:
Real estate, including all lands and es-
t,trs thnrpiu with f..rr;u lr;,l;,,, ,rJ