Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-05-31

Late and Interesting from Pensacola
Jefferson DavlA's Visit There and It's OBJ.
ject-A New Improbable fortress De-
vised-The Government Force ut Fort
Pickens.
A correspondent of the New York Times
writes from Pensacola, on board the frigate
Pophattdn, on the 18th inst, as follows:
But President Davis's visit was an impor-
tant one. He came here, | understand, to
canvass the practicability of erecting, nearer
the navy-yard than Fort Barrancas, a new
impregnable iron fortress, said to be the in
vention of some Mr.. Hall, an enterprising
EDglishman, who sends journeymen around
the world to build "indestruCtible forts for
the best bidder" l believe that three
of this gentleman's assistants are, while |
write, in the city Of Montgomery, deVising
means by which the new invention may be
made available in Florida. As the blockade
will doubtless interfere with the importation
of the affair-it certainly could not be MAN.
ufactured in provinces, where COnnon can
not be ritled without destroying four in ten
the conclave may not amount to a great deal.
A somewhat peculiar way of ferreting out
| secrets has enabled me to discover the pri-
mary cause of Jeff.'s visit, although there
are others, and hardly less portentous ones,
that led to it, of which more bye-and bye.
D nj " Nv I a. " Olhk
| so far advanced in literature as to be able to
put one ineligible word on paper-I have
failed to obtain o very clear idea Of it. AS
near as l can Judge, it, in its external view,
partakes of the para6Olic form, being circu-
lar at the base, and two hundred and forty
feet high, growing narrower gradually, mon
mental fashion, as it reaches the top. The
thing must rest on a rock, but queerly i'm
~pregnable things are said to have been con-
$500 - laE - laA- 10 ta A. a1W.H
eighty guns, twenty of them being so ar
ranged as to bear on one object at a time.
From an hours conversation on the subject,
this is all the description | can give you of
the brilliant fortress that is TO make Barran.
cas- q PickeDs, and PIckens q SILENT lone
and melancholy square,"
There was a grand military Board of In
vestigation held at the camp headquarters
during the stay of the polite and digni6ed
JEFF. Colonel Chambers was sent for; Col
onel Clayton was sent for; Colonel GLADDEN.
was sent for; Major Bradford was sent for
and every body who is any body in War
rington-snd that is nobody but of epau-
lettes-wss sent for TO talk over the " situa-
tion.n My"Friday" could not get a glimpse
of the meeting, nor a hint as to its mode of
prosecuting business. However, Pickens
was not so much a matter of debate with
the Generals as Rosas Island. If there is
one eye-sote in Florida for the South, it is
Rosas Island. When the morning flag goes
up, the banner of the Stars and Stripes is
hoisted at Rosas Island, and floats there all
day in a most provoking manner; when
night comes on, the "chivalrous enemy
Federal camp on Rosas Island-the whole
island, from the center all round to the
sea-" where the United States il the only
authority, Every day we see more and
more what incalculable advantage Rosas
Island is to us.
The "PIesident' reviewed the troops and
made a speech. He said that 'the Montgom-
cry Government looked sacredly to the in
terests of the brave men in Pensacola, and
would take care that no unnecessary sacrifice
of human life there would ensue." Directly
after his departure rumors were rife that It
wa decided not to attack Pickens or the
island These umor are very busy in the
fleet. They mean nothing. Even the iron
fortress affair may be only a blind. The
Washington authorities should bear well in
memory that not q day passes without the
re enforcement, in some measure, Of Bragg's
command, and that the only change mode in
our forces must necessarily be q reduction.
The Philadelphia takes some men from US
to day, and they need rest and furlough,
The current sick Inst averages nearly one
hundred men, end there can not be less thar
two hundred and forty other non. ~combatantl
in the feet and companies.
Our available fighting material, then, Il
less than one thousand men, if ] even include
thep portion Of the ships crews that could b,
safely transferred, for a time, 70 the shore
But il is questionable whether it would b,
advisable to remove the sailors and marine
nj all from their vessels. In the Ward.roou
of one Of them there was q spirited debatl
I m thia naflar a foW dave rinoa -hfoh -.
suited in the decision, that the practice O
drafting sailors and marines from men-of
war, was only resorted 10 in cases wher
there was no prospect of maritime engage
ment. This is not 80 with US. This shiI
the Brooklyn aud the Sabine, will endeayo
70 engage the land batteries the moment hos
tilities commence, and / am one of those VIII
oppose detachment from the vessels Of an
OF their regular crews. Even now, therear
some Of our hands on the island. and we mis-
them.