The New York herald., 1862-10-27
Admiral POrtsr's Mississippi River FIO-
tilla and Its Objects. a

tuiaStuo-
Admiral Portsr's Mississippi River Fl0-
tills and Its Objects.
Excepting the unsilenced rebel fortiRcations
and batteries ut vicksburg. the Mississippi
river, since May last, has been reopened to our
commerce from She mouth Of the Ohio to the
Gulf of Mexico. Vioksburg, however. has oon-
tinued and remains barrier which only our
vessels-of-war have been able to pass; and the
running the gauntlet Of those enfilading rebel
batteries for mile or two is q dangerous ad-
venture, even for vessel-of-war unprOvided
with heavy coat ofiron mail. In addition to
these rebel works at Vicksburg, the banks Of
the river above and below, are infested with
guerillas lying in wait for unarmed CONNER
cial steamers. The consequences are that, while
between Cairo and New Orleans there is NO
trade whatever, all the intermediate communi
cations, frem point to psint along the river, ars
seriously interrupted.
Gen. Butler, at New Orleans, with conside
rable army and thousands Of African contra
bands, and perhaps full one-third Of the white
population of New Orleans to feed, is neces-
sarily subjected to many annoying extortions,
Inconvenience and embarrassments He sees,
for instance that while, even under military
order, he cannot reduce the price of -four in New
Orleans below ten dollars the barrel 1t Is selling
in st. Louis for less than Eve, and, with an unob
structed river, could be delivered to him at six
dollars. And so with beef pork and Gl the
other articles Of subsistence. He is paying
twice or thrice the prices ct which he could
purchase them with an open river way to Cairo
Nor is this ell. While the rebels blockade the
river at vicksburg they ere enabled at that
point to bring over from Texas large amounts
Of supplies for the rebel armies in Mississippi
and Alabama. 1s+
The government, fully apprised Of all thess
disadvantages to us and advantages to ths
enemy from this state Of things, has resolved TO
put an end to 1t. Accordingly Admiral David
d. Porter has been appointed to the supreme
command of our iron-clad gunboats, rams,
Transports &C., Of the Mississippi, and, with .
Hotils of some sixty vessels Of all descriptions.
will soon move down the river. to clear away
all rebel obstructions, including guerillas,
movable batteries and the formidable works
on the bluffs of vicksburg. Those works will
be the only impediments sufficient to delay
the progress Of more than one vessel; but
they may battle the whole squadron unless sup
ported by cooperating land force. Doubt
Tess, however. when the attack is made upon
yicksburg, such force viii Be employed. and
probably it will be drawn from our army Of
Corinth, the splendid fighting soldiers of which
seem to be as Indifferent to the hottest fire ~
saiamanders.
The expedition Of Admiral Porter, at all
events, like that Of the indomitable Fsrragut to
New Orleans, is organized and equipped for
success. Its commander belongs to q salt water
family whose achievements Of distinction ex
tend through half century. With the arrival
Of the dotilla at New Orleans the river will be
completely reopened to trade; for Admiral
Porter will have g,Mboats enough to enable
one or more to pass every point along the
stream from Vicksburg to Cairo once or twicea
day. Thus the superabundant provisions Of the
great West will find hungry market at New
Orleans for millions of supplies, and thus the
muititudes of soldiers, sailors, poor white in.
habitants and contrabands dependent upon
General Butler will be abundantly supplied, TO
the saving Of millions of dollars to the public
treasury.
Equally important, in . military view. will
be the complete separation thus effected be.
tween Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas
or the west from our rebelious States on ths
eastern side of the Mississippi The former
will thus be cut of from the chances Of being
reinforced from the rebel armies on the eastern
side Of the river while the latter will be cut
off from their Texas supplies of -four, corn and
cattle. Finally, with this great enterprise of Ad
miral Porter accomplished our naval forces, from
Washington down to the sea, and thence along
the coast to the Bs.lize, and thence up the Mis-
sissippi aud the Ohio to Parkersburg, in Virgi-
mia, will almost completely encircie the 70
bellion.
The break in the circle between the Ohio
and the Potomac is now disputed by the
great army of the rebel General Leo
We hope, however. before the expiration
OF October, to be able to report the foroible
removal of that army. routed and broker.
hundred miles or two southwark. Anti
cipating, too, the speedy expulsion of the
rebels from Kentucky, we expect, with the
return OF the high waters Of winter in our
cotton States. that our light draught gun
boats will be able to she'll their way
into the interior Of every one Of said States,
from the Southern seaboard to a conjunc-
ton with our armies from the North With
the prospects Of this double invasion before
them, we adhere to the idea that another Union
victory or two in the field, with the victorious
movement of Admiral Porter's feet down the
Mississippi, will bring our rebellious cotton
States to the saving alternative Of President
Lncolns emancipation proclamation submis-
sion to the Union
SYMPTOMS or CAviNe IN.--The Richmond Jour
nails have assumed tone Of singular boldneN-