, 1863-05-02
0Gj;cooo Qri,une.
AN INSIDE TIEN OF THE SOUTH,
The Straits Of the Rebels for Food,
OBSERVATIONS OF AN ENGI ISH
sYMPATHIZER,

a letter to the London Times, dated at At
lanfa, Georgia, February %, thus describes
the etraits to which th- rcbc's are likely to be
reduced to find food for their armics:
Many lu1nriea, euch rs wines, hrant1ies, silks.
muslns aud books, would be gratefully wei
coined If the blockadewerc Temporarily lftted.
but they are not vital to the salvation Of the
young nntion. What is vital is that plenty Of
1000 should he grown within the bounds Of
me Contederacy, and anything which mill
tates against the devotion Of The next few
WEEKS 10 Inc preparation Of the ground for
cereals would bo Of more advantage to the
North than half 4 million of men. Hapnilv
therc seems to be growing sense crerywhera
u 11e da1gcr arising from scarcity Of the
great staples OF food; but there is, neyerthc-
less, atendency in the cotton States to plant
in Virgins to plant more TOBACCO thai Ia co1s. e
munlty. ~oA1
In the interim between the present time
ano me wheat harvest in July, It is shrewdly
susPected u Northern, and generally admit
teu III eonthefn journals, that there will be 4
pressure upon the Confede;acv to find 4 suf
1lciency Of nIrat and bread for each OF tlc larye
ar1n'es Which haye tprung from the soil. i.
is known universally, and NAV therefore hn
permitted to mention, that the wheat crop Of
la;s "@S an unusually poor one In the Com
1eceratc states, and, although d suflcicncy Of
cram 1or Inc years supply Of food was grown,
by the Co1ifcderates are taxed to the utmost
to convey this gra]u from remote corners ut
States tn the spots where It is Wanted for con.
sumption.
BOW THa KEnE1s ARE PRESSED DY THE FED.
/ EHAL FORCES.
1t IS Enqnestionatly competent to the Fed,
efals 10 increase the l.rcssrf.: Of want by their
post ssion Of some Of the finest grain-grow-
| ing districts Of the Confedcgacy. Ali the
no:tEcrn moiety OF Virginia, tho fruitful yai.
leg Of the Shenandoah, The eastern section OF
! North Carolina, produce in ordinary times
most Of the grain which supplies brc:td to the
South, or is exported through New York 10
Brazil and South America. Upon each OF
| these districts the iron heel Of the invader il
| planted. Furthermore, in that portion Of
Tennessee which is in the Federal grasp,
General Rosrcrans has forbidden eyery kind
OF agriculture, aud aged men aud women and
children (thc sole denizens left in that region
Who reject tue oath Of allegiance, are driven
increaee the number Of mouths which The
ConitGeracy has 10 feed. Another great
source Of supply is cnt of By the suppression
OF tie North Carolina fisheries, w'lici ordlna
rily yield millions Of herrings and shad, salt.
cd on tie spot BY large gangs Of male and fc
male negroes.
+ It is extravagant to fancy thai
enormous districts, teen,ing with the riches
gifts Of nature, and blessed with climate in
compatible with the consumption Of an Eng
liehman's 8 allowance Of auinlal food, arc il
adequate to the support Of 4 sparse popula
tion, even though agriculture be partially sus
pended. The sole difficulty is to bring the
food and tlae mouths together. This Il the
enigma with the solution OF which, until the
wheat harvest Of July ecatters plenty over thu
lard, the Confederate States would have t.
grarrlc. 1t would materially assist them il
twinc for making seines and fishing nets could
be brought i'll through the blockade
This last suggestion is luut1 hint to The
English Observation-Disclosures, who will probably
! remember it.