, 1862-01-28


A correspondent writes from Cairo to the
Boston e1,ui7,a7-
Tic naval force here is under command d
Commodore Eoote, q trlve, efficient officer,
an agreeable gentleman, highly educated, WHO
stands high i'll his profession. Eli, il will bc
remembered, chasiised the Chinese in 1856,
think it Was I hsd an Interview with him
to-day. He WIS It leisure, and talked freely
Of 1niltters Evla;i my TO The Organization Of the
fleet. HI has had 10 contend with great dill
culties. The Department has rendered him
but little service. He las done his best to
obtain 1nortaTs; Las sent officers TO Pitts
burgh, where they are cast, but they are all
sent East for Commodore Po1ter's neet. He
regrets it exceedingly, for with them he thinks
it will not be / difficult matter 70 reach New
Orleans, though, as lie naodestly remarked,
quoting Scripture, "It becomes not him who
Ing in mcn. lie has had officers at Chicago,
Cleveland, Bufalo and other lake ports at
tempting to recruit men, but they have sig
na11y flied, because the Department does not
pay any advance to those in the river scrvice,
willie On the scaDoard advances are m,de.
Hc has not nl1n enough to man his .,unboats,
much lass the laortars, provided 1e had them.
Tic Department has furnished him with but
few new guns. He has been obliged to take
those which were at saclett's Harbor-old
guns, far Inferior 10 those with which Com
ll;ot,orc Dupont knocked Tybec and Hilton
r:Ga-cs manufactured i'll Cincinnati, other
things at st. Louis, others ut Pittsburgh nut
: le las, notwithstanding this, lett which
. will throw i tremendous weight Of metal.
He IS not ready to move, yet Ic will move,
whether ready or not, whenever the word is
given. He will do his best. lie believes i,r
1i.htin4, and 1T close quarters. Every lar is
adding to his strength Every day his mrn
arc l.cconing more efficient. His bouts arc
not all in commission, but will be il a few
days.
/ He spoke freely Of the defects Of the gun
! beats. They are too low in the water :a.ll the
engines arc Of too limited capacity. They will
:; not be able to make much lvadwav against the
! str:'1n- HI considers them an experiment,
and, like NIL experiments, there arc, Of course
F! defects: It remains to be seen whether or not
| they will be effective.
| III personal appearance, Commodore Foote
! j. short, thick set, and muscular. He, like
! sigel, is Il close student, devoted to his pro-
! 1c>soD, and btar5 the marks Of severe thon lit
; in the wrinkles Which :trt deepening Oh lis
, brow. Time has begun to silver bis Lair and
! whiskers, but he walks with firm step. He
has rare. conversational powers, and linparts
Information as If It were pleasure. Lie is
thoroughly conscientious, anu has a deep
! sense oil lis responsibility. He knows how
| much is depending On this fleet. He
!, is aware that his own reputation and standing,
! as well as the interests Of the public, are 1t
! stake, and r,.rets that he has rol received the
+: mortars l"ng ago promised him; but nutwitll-
. standing Ill this, he will 80 Whenever lie is Or
; aercd. It is his duty to obey orirrs. lie is
{ greatly behaved, hear, by his mrn, for lie is
. humane and has these positive qualities which
: inspire confidence. When til. time comes for
; action, Il it ever does, he WILL l doubt not,
! show the coun!ry that the confidence in him
; LAS not lcyn mispacttt.H