Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-03-11

the soldiers, are quite destitute. Carpets
and coverlids, thickly quiltedwith raw COT
ton, are extensively substituted, both among
the people and troops, and the scarcity is
also somewhat remedied, in the army, by
making the soldiers overcoats very long,
and with heavy capes Up to this time
clothing their armies efficiently, with their
limited means, hasrequired the greatest ex-
ertions of the Confederate leaders.
With the people the stock Of old clothes
having long since been exausted, every one
now has to provide wearing apparel froma
very limited supply, in proportion to their
pecuniary means. Cloths.being very scarce,
and commanding extraordinary prices, jeans
and cotton goods, now extensively manu-.
factared, are substituted at considerably
less expense. A good suit of broad cloth,
costing about $50 in ordinary times. cannot
now be had for less than $3.50, and as eve.
ry yard Of this material has to run the
blockade, the price is fast increasing =
The wardrobe of high officials, who cannot
dispense with broad.cloths, are very costly,
but as they are generally we'll able to stand
the expense; they manage to present the
respectable appearances Of other times at
the above figures.
The middle classes, with who u economy
is more than virtue just now, dregs extern
siVely in gray jeans of mixed wool aud
cotton, similar to that worn in the army,
which is Of home manufacture, and costing
about Eve dollars yard, makes a suit. worth
sixty dollars from the hands of the tailor.
The poorest classes Of whites dress in cot
ton goods or rags, and sometimes not much
Of either. Many white children are now
seen in the country districts airing them.
selves in the same style of coarse cotton
gowns formerly monopolized by the plan,
tation "piccaninies." Tho slaves are con.
demned to scantier and meaner garments
than ever before hid their uakedness or pro.
teoted them, while but very few indeed
have shoes. -. g.
The supply of women's dress goods is as
scanty as that Of the men, and some articles
command much niger prices in proportion:
Silks sell for almost fabulous prices, and
common dresses, costing about fifteen dol
lars here, haze been known to sell in the
South at two hundred dollars. Cotton
goods Of all kinds are now largely worn by
families in the South, but those who are
able will dress as formerly at any cost.
THE REBEL NAvY--ITs 0rFIoERs,
VESSELS, &c.--The Alabama is regarded
as the crack representative of the South's 8
naval power, and her destructive exploits
among our merchantmen are hailed with
mingled wonder and joy. To the Confed.
crate Government the clear. .heeled privateer
appears the nucleus of feet of similar yes.
sells, which they are endeavoring to obtain,
with the hope of soon letting them loose up.
on our commerce. This is now their favorite
scheme, and they are prosecuting it with
every prospect of success. Unable to. COM
pete With ourirou-clads, they are determin
ed to privateer against US by such vessels
as the Alabama, and at this time Confeder.
ate bonds and cotton bonds Of fsuficient value
to purchase ten vessels of her class and quail.
i.ies are deposited to the credit Of Coufed.
crate agents in England with which to tempt
the cupidity of British hip.buiders. All
cotton now running the BLOCKADE is on ac.
count of the Confederate Government, and
the proceeds Of. sales, which are very heavy
on account of the high prices, are placed
to swellthe above fund, from which the Ala
bama, Ovieto and several swift steamers to
run the BLOCKADE, were purchased.
Under, the circumstances, it will not be
surprisIngif more privateers against our
commerce are heard Of shortly, and we may
also be prepared to learn, at any moment,
that one or more first class iron clad gun
boats from foreign. waters steamed into
Southern ports under the Confederate flag.
Besides the vessels intended for offensive
operation, there are small fleets of iron clad
and wooden gunboats at Richmond, Will.
miugton. Charleston, Savannah and Mobile,
intended for defensive purposes; and judg.
ing by the energy and activity lately dis
played and still continued in their construc-
ton, it is probable that if their harbors re {;
main in Confederate possession much long.
er, their waters will fairly swarm with these
musquito fleets. At Richmond is the new
Merrimac and one smaller iron clad. and
two wooden gun boats already aaoat, while
two more small iron.clads are being con.
struoted. At Wilmington a partially iron
clad gun boat is aHoat, another wholly iron
clad nearly finished, two wooden ones ahoat,
and several building; the craft already.
aaoat mounting twenty guns in all, and
those building intended to mount twenty
more. AT Charleston there is formidable
iron.clad floating battery, three wooden and
one iron clad gun boat aaoat, and several
more of each building. At Savannah. is the
iron clad ram Georgia, alias the Fiugal,
one iron clad gun boat, several wood crafts,
and others on the stocks. Mobile has quite
q feet of iron clads, not less than FIVE, with
several wooden gun boats, and some of the
former are said to be formidable customers:
These vessels, except the Merrimao and
one or two others, will stand no chance with
our superior iron clads. They are tbinly
clad with iron, poorly constructed general