Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-01-02

since since more or less intimately connected with il.
When, IN 1901, an appropriation was made by
tnc federal government for the improvemont of
Charleston barbor, and at the request of South
carolina, commission OF navy and army Off
GERS was appointed to superintend the work.
!, Capt. Davis was one of the commission. and
ior lhree or four years was engaged in these
operations.
!. Over the bar at the entrance of the main
ship channel, is a narrow passage. tbrongb
winch vessels may carry eleven feet at low
waterj about seventeen at high water. This is
the place that Capt. Davis has filed up with
the stone ileet No other channel now existing
Will be closed, at least for the present for If
such plan were carried too far the formation
OF new channel would be inevitable. More
over, Tor the purposes of the blockade, the oh.
struction of the main channel is entirely sulfi-
| cient. Maflits channel is so difficult that the
Nashville failed in an attempt to escape by It.
| although made at daylight and with two pilots
on board, and if it should be rendered more
easily navigable in any way, it can be efIectuay
| blJckaded by force which is upable to watch
that and another exit at the same time. And
as to sinking vessels in the narrowest portion
of that channel it would only be done by first
silencing the batteries on Sulivan's island, if
not Sumter itself
There was excellent weather and the difficult
JOp VI sIIlhilB lnB vessels IN the llglt position
was accomplished with the most perfect success
The masts and rigging were then cut away and
set ahoat, and the work was DONE There was
| a. rebel steamer in sight, watching the opera
| llon, but 1t did not approach near enough to
| interfere. a letter from the Cahawba accom-
panying the expedition, says :-"All the opera
tions Of the fleet were in full sight of Moultrie
Morris and Sullivan Islands. and Sumter, but
not man cou d liit finger to imperil or arrest
] l..
city was trivial misfortune compared with this
final disaster Its distant results it is impos-
sible to foretell with certainty, for it is neces-
sarily an experiment. An effort to blockade
tidal harbor like this, presented a wholly new
problem, which was worked out by Capt Davis
with great ingenuity aud scientific skill and
for its present. ssuccess it is enough to know that
all access by the main ship channel is efectually
closed. The bar is paved with granite, and the
harbor thing Of the past"
The Mortar Fleet.
The principal naval'recruting in New York,
at present. is for Commodore Porter's mortar
fleet. The two rendezvous are thronged with
brawny sailors of all nations but chiefly Ameri-
| cans. Applicants seems to be attracted rather
than repelled, by the prospect of hazardous
service. Every kind of sea-going talent is
wanted tor this expedition, and sailor can OBJ
tam the position of masters mate gunner's
mate, seamen or ordinary seamen, Just accord
ing to his qualifications. The recruiting is con-
Quoted with the more care and deliberation be-
cause OF the delay to which the expedition is
subjected by the non-arrival of the great NOR
tars from Pittsburg. Less than hall-a-dozen
OF them have yet been delivered and the
whole number wanted is about twenty-five.
The mortars weigh 1900 pounds each inde-
pendent OF the bed plates, on which they will
rest, and will throw shells of 22O pounds.
They are made expressly for the expedition,
and their production and delivery are necessa-
vii? q elo" work. Besides one Of these gigan-
tic engines OF death, each vessel will carry two
enormous smooth-bore guns, for batterng SER
vice, which will be supplied BY government
from its large stores Of that species of ord
nance. The schooners and brigs composing the
sailing part of the expedition, are now nearly
lifted in ship-yards about New York harbor
Miscellaneous War News,
Notwithstanding the drain to supply the ex-
pudit:nnS, there are yet over two hundred and
lily thousand men on the Potomac.
Ni'din the past four or five months not less
than 10000 stand of arms have come to the
United states from Europe.
Tee article for the initial experiment of re-
trenchment is horsehesh. The war Office is sad
died with the expenses of sixty thousand horses
for cavalry purposes, or twenty thousand more
than are wanted, and the mortality and damage
are equal to dead loss of two hundred thou
sand dollars a week.
The navy department is receiving thirty
Dahlgreen guns of the heaviest caliber every
week, which are Immediately mounted on board
the new gunboats and other war vessels.
Orders have gone from the ordnance depart
ment to the three largest cannon foundries in
the couniry-the Fort Pitt in Pittsburg the
West Point, and Algers in Boston-to manu-
tacture to their utmost capacity l0-inch coum-
biads tor the next twelve months Their pres
ent make would in that time yield eighteen
hundred guns. Contracts for immense quanti-
ties of small ordnance, arms, and shot and
shell, have been made this week.
Letters from Havana state that two rebel
steamers, the Theodore and the Isabel (the
former is the vessel which carried Slilell and
Mason from Charlcston), were some days ago
at Nassau coalinS, by permission of her majes-
tvs vessels at the government yard The same
letter states further that our vessels were not
permitted to coal from our own ships at that
point.
a government spy reports that merchandise
and mails for the rebels are constantly passed
from Maryland to Virginia at various points on
the upper Potomac, and that secessionists go
to and fro with mpunty number from
Virginia passed Christmas with their Maryland
sympathisars.
The navy department has received nforma-
ton from our squadron that the stone fleet had
effected its object, and that the harbor of
Charleston is completely plugged.
Mr.. Stanton, brother of T.. p. Stanton of
Kansas, arrested for completely with the re-
bellion in Tennessee, has taken the oath of al
legiance and been released from Fort LAFAYETTE
The Louisville Journal says it is a thrilling
fact that in all the fights which have taken
place in Kentucky the Union troops have been
signally victorious. 1t would seem as if the
mere contact with the soil of Kentucky par
alyzed the sinews of the rebels arms and
strengthened the muscles of their legs.
Tillman, the negro who, by killing three rebel
pirates, brough. the schooner S. J. Warning
safely into port has been awarded-in con-
junction with two others--a salvage of Sl7, 900.
On Dec. 81, one hundred contrabands ar
rived at Leavenworth Kansas, from the camp
OF the first Kansas cavalry.
The DUKE OF NEWCASTLE has placed at the
disposal of Trinity College two Hong Kong
cadetships. The successful candidates - of
course students of the college-must he between