The New York herald., 1862-04-20

Agent tiee Cohsui Vi lShso.
Colonel II. W. MERoKR,
Tybes Island.
This note--of which the original is in our pos
session-was addressed by Che Agent Vice Con-
sui of France to the rebel colonel commanding
at Tybee Island, and it shows how eagerly and
minutely the employees of the French govern
ment have sought for information of the inefec-
tiveness of the blockade. France has been
able to find no proofs which could justify the
Emperor in extreme measures, however and
our recent victories have altogether decided
the Emperor Napoleon to advocate the side Of
the North, and settle this struggle by advising
the South to submit and return TO the Union
1t will be found, before many days, that to con-
vey to JEFF. Davis the assurance of this change
of policy is the true object Of Mercier's mis-
sion. Whatever propositions he may make to
the rebels, we are sure they will not be Of q
character hostile to this government rderoga-
tory to its dignity.
Desperation or the Rebels-Their De-
fciency I'm Arms.
Notwithstanding the boasts about shipments
OF arms from Europe running the blockade to
Southern ports, and Notwithstanding the guam
tity Of arms clandestinely transferred by Floyd
to the insurgent States, it is plain that the rebels
are deficient both in cannon and small arms, A
short time ago they had abundance of cannon
for large army; but their late extensive losses,
following each other in such quick succession,
have deprived them, in great measure, of the
aid of that important arm. The recent appeal,
asking for the church bells and the bells used
by the planters to be sent to the rebel foun.
dries, to be cast into field pieces, is palpable
proof Of their deep need of artillery. But in
small arms they are still more deficient. In
stead Of muskets they have to resort to fowling
pieces, which have not the requisite strength,
and for which, owing to their various calbres, it
will be very difficult to provide proper ammuni-
ton. In his recent message Governor Harris, Of
Tennessee, stated that, Of the ffty-nine infantry
regiments he put in the field, only $4,000 were
armed by the Confederate government with regu-
lar arms. To arm the remainder he had to draw
heavily upon the sporting guns of the citizens,
and he thought that one-fourth of the present
militia strength of the State might be armed by
collecting all the sporting guns Of the country.
fee to arm the rebels. These weapons, it is true,
in close encounters, are very effective having
two barrels, one at least Of which is generally
loaded with buckshot; but at q distance they
are useless against the rifle, and in very close
encounters they are equally useless after being
discharged, as they are not furnished with
bayonets.
In order to remedy this defect, regiments of
pikemen have been organized We were in
formed by recent intelligence that pixies were
being manufactured in great numbers at
Memphis, and lately in the Confederate Con-
gress, Mr.. Holt, of Georgia, stated that the
Governor of that State had ordered the me-
chanics to construct twenty thousand pixies and
bowie knives Now, ss there is no machinery
at the South for making pixies, we think it is
impossible to produce them in any large
quantity. But suppose every unarmed man
willing to fight in the cause Of secession was
provided with we'll made pike, having
an ash or hickory handle nine feet long
and blade of ton inches, such a weapon
bayonet, still less for o rife and sword bayonet.
In fact, it would require two men, one armed
with muskot or rifle, and the other with
pike, to be equal to one man armed with mus
ket and bayonet. But as the rebel troops, in
stead Of being double the number of the fede-
rails, are only half their number, consequently
on the field Of battle their strength would be
only a. one to four. How, then, is it possible
for thcm to succeed!
As to the pike there can be no doubt that,
when supported by musketry, rifles and artil-
lery it is O formidable weapon in the hands of
courageous, stalworth men who are skilled in i.s
use and charge with it at the right time. Like
the bayonet, IL requires no ammunition, is ever
ready and seldom misses its mark. Being some
what longer than the bayonet and musket, it has
the advantage Of that weapon in hand to hand
encounter, if the musket should be previously
discharged But much depends on being ac-
customed to t. With the Irish and Scotch II
was long national weapon. and was used with
terrible effect, though unequal to modern arms.
But Americans are unused to this weapon, and
would not be likely to rely upon it at the criii-
cal moment. II is stated indeed, that an
Alabama regiment Of the new levies refused 10
take the pike. It is an obsolete weapon, and
no. in harmony with the military ideas of mod
ern times.
When small firearms were very imperfect,
and especially before the bayonet came into
use, two hundred years ago, the pike was very
important weapon. 1t was more effective than the
sword, battle axe or any other striking weapon.
Il Is the Same a. the ancient spear Of the invnc-
BILE Macedonian phalanx- Neglecting its use,
and depending too much on other weapons, tho
Turks lost the great decisive battle of st.
Gothard, in 1864, and with II their military
pre-eminence in Europe. The Janisssries had
given up the pike, which was one of their
weapons in Solyman's time, and the Ottoman
army was entirely deficient in foot brigades Of
steady spearmen. The German infantry were