New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-16

war, no matter how sanguinary giey may be. It s
impossible for me to express any opinion TO the CON
dillon Of the Northern army I'LL see it, but ar
have the means Of examining the Southern troops /
Incline 10 think that they not at present capable OF
any very great aggressive effort; and am dsposed to
the relief that nothing but the instinct of sepseerva.
tion will prove strong enongh to hold them together,
in defensive attitude, for any considerably Pro-
tIacted war.
In cavalry and fed.artillery they miserably de-
| fcient and mere talk about cold steel I" will not
win victories or maintain successful campaigning. !
doubt If Mr. Davis could for his supreme struggle just
now put 3 600 horse and 30 ieces OF light artillery 10
tie field. Ii General Scott is not much better OIL ne
has, at all events, the nuclei of both arms in the
United States cavalry and artillery which remain
to him; and will not have been unobseryed by Eu.
rope that, while the officers Of the United states
army have to an extraordinary extent proved unaith-
ful TO their flag Or at least have gone over 10 the
Confederate States, the troopers and common SOLDIERS
have almost to man. stood by their colore, ana re-
fused to take service under any persuasion win the
Secessonis's As to commssariat suppiies so ong as
the armies scattered in various provinces or states
resting rivers railroads, and towns In the midst Of
corn-growiDg, beefandmutoo making communities,
there may be no very great difficulties felt by ether
but when the armies are massed together or moved
away in rapid marches their deficient organization
vital points will be speedily apparent and cruelty feit
and as the war goes on, the North, having the sea
open and supplies OF food ard other matters accessible
must have the advantage in the long run, il there be
one. Even at this nonent, the Southern troops seize
carts hOrees and stores for which the coDimssarat
officers give receips that at some time or other will
eDtite the owners to payment III Confederate States
money. All this will he severely manf 81 III the
States subject TO these operations when regular cam.
peignug comes on and unless proper transport and
conssariat be organized the country in which these
armies move viii assuredly he Obliged to snbuit to
plage, IlnnGer, unforeseen contributions, au nucn o.
the calamies OF war, which will be intensified just IN
proportion the want Of identity OF sentiment be-
tween TIE Inhabitants and the troops moving through
! their villages.
No one can say, in such conflict, or indeed in fauy
warke operations, what a day may bring forth, but IT
is evident yet that the South has los' ground and
that the North ha gined II since the fever OF excite-
uen which broke ut0 flames Sumter through The
the Union, and devourel il with consuming eagerness
of the fire in stubble. blockade has been enforced,
which, despite all assertions and prctences to the con-
trary, has produced already to my csrtain knowedge,
much Inconvenience, aud wil beeye, cause serious
mischief in the South. AT present the Sou!hemers are
cheered by The hope, almost strong nylctlon
that England and France dare not permit the blockace
to be enforced as Oon a. the cotton crop ready ana
that they Will find means 10 Taiso, resist or force II,
even BY war with The United States They talk, too,
Of the imposstiiiy Of enforcing blockade OF all their
coast and of the Thousands of miles OF coast which
they possess proof that all the nayies OF the world
could not do that which the United States navy called
on to perform. Similar language has been used in In
gland andelsewhee. Bnt it's not nccessayto bloekade
all these many mes o. coast nat nre-the coral reef
the said bank, shallow water, dangerous seas, have
done that most eGectusIly. From Chesapeake Bay on
The northwest frontier Of Virginia, t. Gayes'on or
Idianoa there j. port which vessel OF large tun-
mage would care to enter which is not at this moment
nearly as efficiently blocksded as is usual ia war;
Tie Fortsess MorIoe commands Norfolk, tire beet
barLor and port the Southern coast. Broad liver,
Port Royal and Wilmington OF bttie consequence,
ard can be closed az any moment. Savannah, Charles
ton Pongacola, Mobile, and New-Orleans, are at
pre sent auder watch and ward. Cast yOur eyos over
tbe chart of shallow, tHmulu0us, eGdying waters,
frged with rocks and reels, ard breaking ON outlying
sandbars, which cbafe the shores OF tho Southern
States aud you viii abundart reason for the con-
cusOn that foreign hpOwners will not he anxious 70
rua ia FOR cargoes those dangerous coasts. Is
be stock OF uercbaudife, prOyiaOus, wines, cloth
ing boots tea, colee, aud such articles, now in the
South is exhausted powerful test will lie applied to
the statement that tie South supply tsol and can
produce I'll tha, il wants. AeGdy for example, there
i an GU cry AGAINST the scarcity Of sit. When the
,altpg s,ason comes what VIII become Of the meat
Ani without salt pork what will lecome OF the
negroes They ARE oonentel, itlssii, at preseut
Bat hunger woGld he with Ihem, as with tie Write
race most effective motive OF ling and difsai
faction. 1he people at the South feel lLis they are
"raising" plenty Of corn but thew afraid of tie
results Of e want of sslt without It clckens viii be
scarce about negro cottages next Spring. No mea Is
readily eaten by tie negroes except pork. Ihey do
not consider beef or mutton as meat at all IN our sense
Of the OF almos equal Importance with pors 10
item for many months of the year il ice 10 the negroes
masters. OF course they can do withOs it, but the
abseuce Of the familiar and valued article from their
the habituated which only be understood by those
who are living among the American people
Ihe n md blockade is not very striugenty enforced
The other day, Tor instance, quantity OF machinery
was received IRON Northem nanuiacioFy down the
Mississippi at tie house OF plan NewOrleans,
who woold rot have been abl TO get IL fl sugar crop
this year witLout il. Texas supplies cattle III abnnd-
anee by the uand rivers ard overland ronte- but the
poor white, who are poor enough already Will be re-
duCed tie geatest distress by the nigh prizes OF
and food
Ter the ranks of the army for snbsisence All things
ale dear except the material oil food, at preseo.
For an ordinary black six lat 1 was charged at New
Orleans & 6 6, linen slop coat cost neIIly Il for
making ianuel shirts paid 9I6 apiece, ard the Han
mel alone was as dear as the bert shirt IN LOncon
Common cotton socks sold at 3i6 pair other
articles dear IN proportion. Batter and wheat
-four will be things Of the past on many city tables
As 10 the sugar panters ruin eees certain If they
lind no market for their produce They gay they
would not sel il the North and West even If they
c0nld and lie South cannot consume IL al, and If the
South does it cannot pay the producers except Ia
coin currency which ay not be regCiy convertible
NJ the end Of the year IL the atubuted to the
military authorities OF the United States 10 move down
the Mississippi be ever carried cut there is amount
OF misery which nay not be inflicted on the seceding
States; but the attempt would Oe most tic of exc
cutiop, and i: coull only be made part Of grand
combined operation for marching VIGOROUSLY frcm
Virginia to Louisiana. That sueh operation may
net be IL Is inpoesibleto INSERT lts cor
sequfnces would be terrible both sides, and in the
interests o. humanity of civilization, OF hberty, and
of Christianity IL might be we'll Tor tie great Plwe
OF EuroIe to consider Whether they should not o1er
even press mediation TO which the most furious fana-
tics would I've obliged to listen after they have eatated
| tLeir taste for blood.
Timing from the sea and TO the land, every
step of Offensive character which has been taken
vet has been made ana maintained by the Northern
| troops. The " sacred soil' of Virginia hiss been
lollu,ed nv " I.ucolis mercenaries," by