Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-10-19
A Rosy View of The Rebel Cause
what the London Times, Special

Correspondents at Richmond Says.
The London Times publishes letters from its
special correspondent at Richmond to 7th Sep
tember. The writer makes the assertion that the
secessonists stronger and in better heart than
ever. He declares that they are better provided
with everything than they were at the beginning
of the war, and pronounces the blockade of their
ports the veriest farce. He asserts that on the
facility enjoyed for running the blockade, the
Confederate government founds demand that
the blockade shall be declared illegal and non-
existent by the nations of Europe We make a
few extracts:
"There are three powder mills actively at work
in the Confederacy, and the daily supply of pow
der exacted for the Confederate armies in the field
and for the ports, which defensively occu-
pied. is fully furnished by two of these mills,
whereas the third and largest has been for many
months past Engaged in manufacturing superfu-
Gus powder, which has now grown into a large
reserved stock and is being daily and rapidly
increased. Take another item.
"There were lost to the COnfederates in the
first half of July no less than So muskets.
The reader will be surprised to learn that fully
this amount of muskets has, during the last seven
weeks, been successfully introduced through the
blockade. to say nothing of cannon and multitu-
dinous other supplies of all kinds 1t may be
conceived what the chances of subduing a
rebellion in a country which not only possesses
all the resources of the Confederacy, but also
sucks in supplies to any extent from beyond the
sea.
wilmington, Mobile, Savannah and Galveston
have still to be reduced, and il is believed that
two out of these four places will defy the utmost
malice of the Federals. Along the whole South
ern coast. from the capes of the Chesapeake to
the Rio Grande. there altogether lS9 ports
and inlets, of which only an infnitesimal proper
ton has fallen into the hands Of the Federals.
What chance is there of such country being
effectually and altogether cut off from receiving
the slender supplies which she requires to keep
her alive, and supply all that is requisite for Der
resistance2
"In a large portion of the Confederate States,
the harvest last year was unusually deficient, and
consequently. during the spring months OF the
present year, there considerable anxiety about
the supply of food. All such anxiety has now
disappeared in presence OF the bOuntlful and
abundant harvest with which, d0ring this current
year, the Confederate States have been blessed.
| am assured that the abundance of cereals is
such that it would supply the whole population
for three years TO come Nor is the abundance
confined to cereals. The crop of vegetables is
such as would amaze any Englishman Of the
poorer class.
The commerce of Charleston is four times
greater than the aggregate OF commerce en-
loved by all the ports of South Carolina before
the war, and that il amounts to 81 500 900 per
month, or sis, 900 600 per annum. One cIrcum-
stance has occurred since President Davis de-
livered his message on January 1, winch il will
not be easy for European governments to over
look. Early in January the ordnance bureau re-
solved to import, in vessels of their own, snndry
government stores which we're requisite for the
Confederate army and navy, and directed vessels
to be purchased in Europe with this view. These
government vessels commenced their trips in the
middle of January, aud, during the seven months
intervening between that date and the middle OF
August, ingress and egress from Confederate
ports was in forty -four instances safely effected;
Or in other words, twenty-five round voyages
were made by them.
''No vessel belonging to the Confederate Gov
ernment has hitherto been captured by the Fed
erals is hardly too much to say that, with rare
exceptions the Government vessels come in and
go out without molestation. In answer to the al
legation Of Lord Russell. that most Of the vessels
which are engaged in running the blockade are
insignificant crafts which draw only three or four
feet of water, and slip along the coast, statistics
will be shortly laid before the Foreign Office,
giving the bulk and tonnage of these vessels,
and especially Of those employed by the Con-
federate Government.
The inference is irresistible. The blockade of
the Confederate ports is the veriest farce.
Whether it Is for the interest of England TO ig-
more the fact abundantiy manifested during these
last two wears, that blockade such as the FEEDER
ais have maintained is practically imperative,
and that steam vessels can pass in or out at will,
| am unable to discover; but there can be no
question as to the fact that, unless England is
able CONTRARY to all probability to enforce
very different kind of blockade from that which
the Federals have maintained, the cogency OF
this great weapon of maritime warfare is hereafter
at an end New principles Of international law
will have to be laid down; but, Ia the meantime.
the Inconvenience which England will shortly
experience if she persists in regarding the block
ade as effective, cannot fail to be apparent to
the least intelligent.
Each month increases the number Of Confed-
crate cruisers at sea, and hitherto all the efforts
of the Federals to sweep them from the ocean
have been failures. Many Of our readers are
awere TO their cost that the Federals (although
imbece against Confederate privateers and men
of war) are terrible against English commercial
vessels. not only when overhaued between Mas
sau and the Confederate coast. but also between
England and Madeira. and between Madeira and
Nassau In presence Of this fact, what Is to
prevent Confederate cruiser from stopping toe
Persia or, the Great Eastern. when bound for
New York, and, in conforming with an undouoted
rule of international law, seizing any goods
which are contraband of warf The second article
of the treaty Of Paris Is to the effect that the
neuaral fiag covers enemies goods. with the ex-
exception of contrsband Of war. IL win be found,
If this war last many months more, that the for
bearance which has hitherto been shown BY the
Confederate cruisers, must have limit"
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