New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-23
A BUDGET OF ITEMS.


A BUDGET OF ITEMS.
BIG GUNS LosT-EoRT SUMTER MUST NOT DE
BLOWN UP-Gov. PICKENs's SECRETARY
BINEs WITH MAJOR ANDERsoN-JEPF. DA-
yIs's NAvY-THE TRIBUNE's CORRESPOND
ENTs AGAIN.
From Our Special Correspondent
CHARLESTON, S. c., March 10, 1861.
The ship Susan G. Owens, which for several
DAYS has been lying on the breakers at the mouth
of the harbor, is likely to become total wreck,
the tenth victim, believe, TO the policy OF the
rebels in destroying the landmarks and other
guides to navlgators. There is an interesting
fact connected with this chip. She is supposed
to have on board two Armstrong rifed cannon,
imported by order Of Gov. Pickens, at large
cost. They are reported to have gone to the
bottom, past immediate recovery. state this
circumstance on what ] believe TO DO good au-
tbority. OF course particular pains are taken to
keep it from the public. The newspapers here
print nothing of 80 unpleasant character, and
as they are in the habit of denying everything
that does not make for the rebellion, they Will
deny this.
The Mercury giving utterance to the current
idea, blows up the suggestion that "tbe military
authorities of the Black Republican Government
should make ruin of Fort Sumter" on with
drawing Major Andcrs0n; and adds further that
our Northern friends may be very sure that
before he is provided with the means of trans
portation from the post with his command, the
condition of the fort will be looked to-" This un-
doubtedly foreshadows TO certain extent the
policy Of Gen. Beauregard, and sustains the view
have taken of the subject.
Notwithstanding the horrid appointments of
war seen at all points, and the threatening state
OF affairs, il is pleasant to note that the fine
offers of hospitality are kept up between the
commander of Fort Sumter and those with
whom, for upward Of two months, he has been
ON the point of having bloody conflict. Col
Watts, Gov. Pickens's Secretary, dined with
Major Anderson IN Fort Sumter on Sunday last
and it is stated that "the meeting was very
pleasant one, reyiving many "reminiscences Of the
past. Major A. and Col. w. are old acquaint-
ances. These courtesies are usual in "a state
Of siege," in which the Major short time since
declared Fort Sumter TO have been IN for two
months, and they go far to smooth the
"wrinkled front" Of "grm visaged war"
1t will have been noticed that two members Of
the Montgomery Congress from Alabama, Messrs.
Lewis and Fearn, resigned their seats, and went
home. Their successors have just been designa-
ted, Messrs. Lewis and Davis. Both these gen.
temen were members of the Alabama Conyen-
ton, and refused to vote for the ordinance of
secession. They are co5perators or reconstruc-
tionists.
The navy Of South Carolina consists Of two
steamers and one sail craft The Lady Davis.
which is the tug-bOat lately purchased from James
Rlyes, las two guns, and is brick enough little
affair, but, after all it "is no great shakes"
The Nina ia u superannuated tub, with one gun,
the discharge of which would do more harm to
herself than anybody else. She is of no account.
About the time Major Anderson went from Fort
Moultrie TO Fort Sumter the Rebels stole a
small vessel used by Capt Hunter as Inspector
Of Lights. This is now stat Oned outside the
harboI a little 10 the north, and has one gun,
believe. This is the whole of JEFF. Dayis's
lazy, unless we add tie nOndescript, called the
Il" Floating Battery" The very mention of the
thing creates a laugh. Of course there are
those who swear the thing is perfect success,
while there is now little or no motive for
disputing the assertion. Probably on q second
trial something better might be done. l AN con-
hdent that Gen. Beauregard would never under
take to make use of the thing as it now is.
When it was launched, it careened over, and
looked as though the next moment it would 90
clean over. To obviate this defect, which would
be very greatly aggravated when the guns came
to be placed on board, platform Was con
structed on the other side, on which sand-bags
we're piled of sufficient weight TO make the thing
assume something Like an upright position. This
was done on the principle that our grandfathers
ised to place q stone in one end of the bag to |
balance the peck of wheat on the other. 1t cor
ainly was just a. sensible. A single shot would
mock this platform to flinders, and there would
70 nothing to prevent the battsry from keeling
'vss, with syeybOdy ,nd everything on board.