New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-05
IMPORTANT FROM NEW-ORLEANS.
AFFAIRS IN THE CRESCENT CTTY-CONDITIoN OF
TRADE AND BUSINESS.

IMPORTANT FROM NEW-ORLEANS.
AFFAIRS IN THE CRESCENT CITY-CoNDITIoN OF
| TRADE AND BUSINESS.
From The Philadelphia Inquirer.
i On SATURDAY. we had an Interview with gentle
man Who has Just arrived in this city from New-Or
eans, by way of Fortress Monroe. lie is q North
erDer bv by birth, and man Of great intelligence
and the highest respeetabili,y.
| He left New-Orlesns on the 18th Of January, and
he has given full detail Of affairs in that city ny
to that time. His narrative is exceedingly interest
ing, although i, would be imprudent for particular
reasons, % publish all that We have learned.
Considerable mischief has been already done by
inoiscrest publication of facts, which have inter
fered with the plans Of our Government For in
stance few week. ago New-York paper gave q
description of the defenseess condition Of Berwick
Bav aud on the paper being received in New-Or'
leans, the War Council gave orders for piles and Oh
structions Of logs TO be placed in It's entrance. But
for as, a Union feet might to-day be riding in thai
capacivus haTbor.
We shall, therefore, refrain from publishing apy.
thing that may react upon the vigorous efforts OF the
authorities at Washington, and give simple state
ment OF such facts of interest, and 90 not find
their way into the Southern newspapers. Our friend
is strong Union man, and although his sentiments
were known, vet his mercantile staading and blame
less life protected him from violence which, how.
ever was often threatened. Our Government Will
doubtless avail itself of his knowledge and observs
iion and with that view he has been invited 10
Washington.
THE MILITARY FORCEs.
A large number Of troops have been sent from
New Orieans 10 threatened points in Virginia and on
the Atlantic coast, and the reserve force IL
ceedin,ly email. In the city number Of irregular
companies have been formed into regiments, num-
beriog less than 1000 Tbese met occasionally for
drill, and armed with ordinary slor,ine riiies
and sbot-gun.. system Of signals has been ar
ranged 10 call them into service Immediately. In the
mean time they are engaged In their ordinary buri-
ness avocatiops.
There is one regiment Of free colored men, who
are well drilled, but not armed, their arms beiug
securely kept while they not in their arnory
OF this the company officers are colored men, and
The regiment;.l officers white strong effort
has been made TO organize the militia, but wing To
their unwlllngness 70 come out, 1t has been aban
doned In fact, there are no afus 10 give them the
supply having been entirely exhausted
OF the Confederate troops, there are between four
ana five thousand stationed at various points around
the city, in camps Of instruction. They are well
aimed and equipped, and are frequently moved from
point TO point around the city.
hAsUFAcTUEE % ARMS.
Cannon are being manufactured ut the Pbopix
Iron Works, but the process 10 slow and the quality
inferior. The testing Is imperfccily done, and
rious consequence will take place when they come
TO be uscd III actual service. +. w. Z. Cooke IL
manufacturing mu.kets and listols Mt bis machine
shops, but the quantity turned Out weekly is small
and the quality inferior The prices OF arms are
very high and the stocks held by dealers are EN-
tiIely exhausted.
Tie greatest scarcity Of metals Of all kinds pre-.
walls, and the qualify Of iron used for cannon brings
almost fabulous prices. They aIe dependent for iron
on Tennessee, and the supply is not near equal to
the demand. a small quantity OF lead had been
brought from Mexico through Texas, and old pipe
is being melted 20 supply bullets Copper lie exceed
ingy scarce and high. In some shells used By the
batteries at Columbus, and which We're manufactured
at New-Orleans the fuses made of lead.
The firing caused the melting Of the flses before
leaving the gun, and a number were wounded while
standing around. Since then orders came TO make
the fuses Of copper. Powder brings from ~ TO -
pound and is Of miserable quality at that.
The greatest secTcsy is observed in all the military
operations Of the Gov eTnment, and strangers
cluded at the point Of the bayonet from the ship
yards aud Notifications The newspapers are not al
lowed to publish any thing in reference 10 them.
The newspapers are short of paper, and they make
their appearance half sheets Of brown paper aud
many are suspended.
| FINANCES.
The only money in rse is Confederate notes, and
corporation and individual shipplastes. These lat
ter are Issued by everybody and Of the rouehett
appearance The most popular of these are omni-
bus, bar.room and BARRIERS tickets, as they are re-
deemabie. The city is flooded with them, and gold
and silver have entirely disappeared, and command
a premium of 40 per cent. The increase Of the de-
potts Of Confederate notes i'll the banks is from five
to eight hundred thousand dollars weekly. They
are made legal tender, and are called par. There
If no new business paper being made and old paper
| is renewed by the banks "a fast as it natures.
Property, under these fictitious vaneP, has risen D
price 80 per cent while rents have fallen from 10 to
iO per cent.
TRADE AND BUSINESS.
Stocks Of merchandise Of all kinds are exhausted,
and there is no trade doing in anything but sugar
aud molasses. OF these the crops are heavier than
ever before. The price Of good common sugar is
from TO 2ic. per pound moasses from ID to Doc. per
gsllon Pork is $50 per Dbl, and very scarce. Bacon
is $40 per Dbl. Lard is 30c per pound, and butter
from 7jc. to 81, and Of very inferior quality. Salt
s. TO $40 per sack. Coffee 75c. to 81 per pound.
OF Flour there is a moderate supply, mostly from
Tennessee, at $l2 per Dbl. Ordinary Texas Beef
from ID TO 0c per pound. Corn 81 per bushel.
Woolen and Cotton goods, Silks and Linens, are
bringing from two TO three prices. There are several
factories Of coarse cotton goods but the prices are
scarce, and bring three prices.
The whole country bas been raked for supplies for
the army, which seized and appropriated by the
strong arm of force.
The ievee is entirely deserted Of shipping, except
few vessels that were seized and soms steamers
which are in litigation. Many of the stores and
warehouses closed, and some of the business
streets are almost deserted at midday. Notwith-
standing the orders given TO store the crops Of cotton
and sugar on the plantations, there now in New
Orleans 600 baies of cotton, 1900 hogsheads of
tobacco, and immense quantities Of sugar and moas-
ses, which ARE constantly being increased.
SLAVE COysPIKAclEs.
Notn outstanding the most active exertions, the
slaves beginning to comprehend the cause OF the
war; and the part that their owners have assigned to
them in their new form Of Government. There
have been numerous slave conspiTaeies and nsurrec
tiona In varona parts of the South and MANY of the