New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-30
TEE BIRssEDE EXPEDrrrCN.

TEE BgRsSEDE EEPt:DrCrCf.
While we earnestly hope for the success of
the Burnside Expedition, it is useless IN At
tempt TO disguise our anxiety lest 'he diia'ters
which meet IL nj the outset should still attend
ts onward progress. II is better to be PIE
pared for such tidings and receive ia place Of
them more cheerful news, than il is TO look
for success. and be thrown INTO the depths Of
despnir because We hear Of disaster. We
know the energy aud ability Of Burnside. aud
that he can overcome ols'acles Of 40 ordinary
magnitude; he has under Ais command for
midablc body of men, large proportion Of
them picked regiments. with courage capable
OF facing anything. II is nevertheless posi-
biiity that the expedition may turn back, a
failure in everything but most desr-bought c,-
pcrience. 1t is well enough to contemplate TIE
possibility, and make up our miads beforehand
tha. We will not lay tire blame on the wrong
shoulders. nor defpair over another disaster
I'll we are quite sure that it Was anythiot
more than prodgious b!uader.
We believe in pluck, and grit, and all that
sort of thing, bat We de- not believe they ever
did. or ever WILL make ship drawing nine
feet sail in eight feet Of water. IL seems to
IA that that Is about the whole stor!--in other
words those who planned and prepared for
this expedition did not know what they were
about. a blundcr 20 fragrant as TO send a
feet in VIGOROUSLY shallow water, aud to tie
notorionsly most dangerous point Of The whole
| - I'll 4 tr.f
aseertaining whether some Of the most import
ant vessels IN that feet did not draw from one
10 two feet too much to come to any other
end than almost certain shipwreck, IS a blum
der 30 enormous az 10 prepare us for ANYTHING
that can follow. Wind and water are two thngs
which seamen take 10 be worthy OF some consider
alton in matters Of navigation, aud so when sea-
men in vessels fit only FOR nshOre sailing in smooth
waters found, at Fortress Monroe, that their
destination was the storm-yeNed coast OF
latteras, they declined to start on such n
wreckng expedition. 1t was undoubtedly vel.
that the mistake of providing such yessols for
such voyage AT this season was stopped at
this point, for seaiafng men ire not inclined
10 be timid; and we take it Tor granted that
their declining to go further Was wise deter.
mnaton on their part. Had others OF the
expedition known the depth Of water at Hat
teras Inlet as well a. they know the sort OF
weather that prevails there, we should have
been saved, doubtless from hearing Of The
distress and sbipwreck, the news OF which has
already reached US, by other captains declining
to take vessels drawing nine and nine and q
half feet into eight feet of water on lee
shore. That there was not the most positive
and the most recent information on such Q
point as this obtained by tie Navy Depart
ment, seems almost Incredible.
Readers of the public journals cannot fail Il
observe singular discrepancy between Tie
facts in the so-caed official report of Geu.
Burnside and those which cone from other ano
uumpeachable sources. The former authority
is made TO say that our only iofs was the City
of New.York. Not word IL said about thC
POcAhontas, TO whose aged hull were intrlated
more than one hundred horses, and which wa
positively wrecked, totally Lost. Here il a d.
ltCt OVhhCV VI t'sNinVhy w oLS lDlnt, nOb !,
mention others The public have just now to,
vivid remembrance OF the manner in which
tho Balls Bluff disaster was Ut first misrepre-
seDted TO allow themselves any very lively iall
in the official dispatches which profess to Civ,
accurate information of trouble or check. III,
matter needs explanation. 1t is certain thai
Gen. Burnside could not have been ignorant o.
the loss Of the Pocahontaa if i. occurred. II
is equally certain that he would not have sup.
pressed the fact in his Dispatch.
If, however, the rest Of tho expedition, thai
ia not, or shall not be shipwrccked, shall gel
into the Sound by some fortunate conjunction
of wind and tide, and if the pressing nece,si-
lies Of the trOOps. now mado Known. shall be