Newbern weekly progress., 1862-10-18
Matters and things at Savannah,

AA4ossSAS SsA4N eAAA6o 0v SoV0AAA4ttAs
present Condition Of the Ciiy...Defenees
Completed and la PrcWFess---Thc Aonf-
lag Batteries s'sseorsis" aud Fling alv..-
Obstruction. i'm the River---Frriing of the
PeApie with regusdio she WnR---Probable
Effect Of abe Ema mel pa ion PPociam alton !,
&C., etc. 20 ul lp-ef
Mr.. A. G. Spencer, formerly o merchant Of
New York, but for the last two years resi-.
dent of Savannah, Georgia, which place he left
o week ago last Friday, arrived at New York,
two days ago in the United States transport
George 9. C0lliaS and has kindly favored US
with the following authentic information with
regard to the present condition Of affairs In that
rebel city. The population Of Savannah, U.S.
ually about $4,000, ~ at present something
less than To- 900, and business Is almost at a
stand still. Two out Of i've Of the stores and
other places OF business is closed, and lose
remaining open have very meagre stock Of
goods, and are doing next TO nothing in the
way Of trade. The blockade of the city he
considers almost perfect, and does not think it
worth while for the Government 10 spend an.
other cent to make it more effective All man.
uiactured and imported goods are extremely
high, and scarcely to be had at any price. Or.
dnary boots bring $50 pair, and $40 is
charged for footing old ones Coats worth in
New York Sl5, bring from $40 to $50, and
pants from $40 to S25. Tea is worth fl6 per
pound coffee rs cents butter 81, and other
things in proportion. Flour Is $40 barrel,
with limited supply on hand, as the wheat
crop Of that region has proved almost a total
failure. The crop Of corn however, has been
good this season, and it is now selling in Savan-
nah at 5U cents bushel; though, previous to
the gathering Of the new crop, It brought; 81.
There Is great suffering amorg the poorer
classes Of the city, and their prospects for the
future are daily growing worse, as the contri-
buttons of the wealthy for the support Of the
soldiers families, which were freely given at
the beginning Of the war, are now greatly di
mnlshcd, from the inability Of the contribu
tors, and from the fact that many Of them have
been themselves forced Into the army through
the conscripiion act. The conscription has
been very thorough, and almost every able
bodied mau, from Is to 49, is now IN the army
The second conscription, which is to include
all between tho ages of 30 and 45, bad not
been enforced when Mr. Spencer lett, but be
thinks il will add one third to the fighting
force of the Confederacy, which he estimates al
presen, ia be about 400, 900 elective men.
The available troops in and about Savannah
at the time he lett he thinks did not exceed
3,00O but it was currently reported that the
Confederate Government were about to station
80 0 20 soldiers IN that city Gen. Bcauregard
arrived at Savannah on the 18th OF Septem,
Der, and formally took command Of ihe
defence, of that city and Charlbstown on tbs
10Th. Gen. Pembtrton who was previously
n command at Savannah, was ordered to
Richmond Great preparations have been
alade and are now in progress for the defence
of Savannah and Mr. Spencer thinks il an at
empt is made TO capture the city by land II
will require strong force. Every road lead
ing out Of the city has been fortified for three
or four miles in extent, and batteries have been
erected on the South side Of the river at inter
vals all the way from the city to Fort Jack son.
the high bluff in the city limits, where the
gas works are located, has been mounted with
eight guns of the largest calibre Besides
these lii e of fort6cations is now being
erected. around the entire city, commencing on
The river above the city aud running round
and intersecting the river below, Over 1000
negroes are at present working on these forh
ficauonS.
The water dcfenccs of the city consist of the
floating batte,i3s Georgia ard Fingai, and ob,
structions thrown in the river These oh
structons are placed about o, mile below Fort
jackson, and consist first, oil rows of sples
driven into the bed of the river, andrunning
across from bank to bank, and, second, oil
wooden cribs from fifteen to twen feet square,
tiled with stone and sunk in the bottom of tbs
rlvvr The oribsare forty or Fifty iods below
the sp'lcs.
As Tor the floating batteries, Mr. Spencer does
not think they will amount to much, and says
very little reliance is placed on them by the peo
pie OF Savannah as n defence for the city. The
Georgia is the only one yet completed. and t.is
is generally admitted to have proved failure
Not being able TO procure new engines for her
they we're obliged to use old ones and as none
, could be got that were powerful enough, she has
thus far proved enti ely unmanageabe. They
facetiously call her the floating battery, rom tn,
fact that she floats at random. and pretty mucf
independently Of any opposing force off red BY
h-r engines. Still, she 10 heavily armed with
ten guns os tire largest caibre, lone at each enc
and four on each side, is rooted over with rail
! road iron, and would probably prove formid
able obstacle to any craft coming in the range o
her guns, however little damage she might b
. able to do as a ram, or acting on the offensive
, She is 100 feet in length, and is constructed
!. pretty much on the same plan as the defunt Mbr
Q rimac. The Fingal is not yet completed, but i
q to be finished in the same style as the Georgia
When Mr.. Spencer left, they had got tine roof u
i. but not the iron covering. She is an EngliS
Q bnilt steamer which ran the blockade, and
h being cut down to fit her for battery. She wi
r carry the sama number Of guns as the Georgis
r and will, doubtless. prove n more manageabl
/, craft but she is not built for ram and no fear
4 ne bs entertained that she will repeat the e,
o pioirs Of the Merrimac.
. With .stssenSe TO The ohstruotiOns 10 the riv.
tee SayaauAh people consider tn.n i4pasSa.l