, 1864-04-08

A correspondent Of the Hartford Press, who
has just returned from Selma, Ala, where
he has lived for five years, furnishes that
paper with the following highly interesting
account OF that city and Its Importance to
The rebels rs place for the manufacture of
war material:
Selma is situated on the west bank Of the
Alabama River, On a perpendicular bluff Of
limestone. 1t is flfty-six miles west from
Montgomery (thc capital of Alabama) by
land, and n1nety-Ecren by the Alabama River.
It Is three hundred md eight miles above
Mobile by the river.
eracy can hardly ,bo over-estimatcd. As
shipping point for iron, coal, ammunition
| and co1nmissasiat stores, II is ono OF the most
important in the South: AS manufacturing
| depot for ammunition, shot, shell, cannon,
| powder, canteens and clothing, it is of vast
| Importance
The Selma arsenal, brought semc two years
ago from Columbus, Miss, at the time OF
Gen. -'s raid into Mississippi, employs
some three hundred operatives, and turas out
immense quantities Of guns, ammunition,
wagons, ETC., daily. A lafg &c number OF boys
\ ploycd, though most Of the workmea are de-
| tailed from the army for that purpose. They
| receive soldiers rationa and three dollars
| Per diem. The buildings are not yet COM
1 l1ELCAs Lazy AE A1LQ1tlutf u HQ0Q.
| with the exception Of one part that was for:
mtr1y an old warehouse md cotton shed, and
was built of brick.
The arsenal is under the supervision and
command Of Lieut. Col. John L. White. The
stores manufactured here are shipped to ali
parts Of tic Confedcracy. The naval foun-
dries ut Selma arc also turning out large
| quantities or shot md shell, and some very
| heavy cannon. The foundry was started by
Ar. Collins J. McRea (now mn agent in Eu.
rope tor the Confe3erate loan), and sold to
the Government by him as it then stood for
the sum OF $500, 900. The much dreaded tor
| pedoes arc cast ut this foundry. The whole
| establishment Is under the Immediate control
Of Capt. Cateshy Ap. Jones.
| The Selma navy yard, under the command
steam floating batteries. They now lie ut
| Mobile, and are not intended to go ontside
! at nlL The Hon-clad screw gunboat Tennes-
! see was also launched ut this yard. She Was
gunboat Of considerable beauty and speed,
and carries four guns. They arc now build
| others. She is 2225 feet long, and believe Is
to carry six guns. He1 wood work was nearly
complete when left, and some of her ma
-chircry was In. She had six boilers and two
engines. Her cylinders were thirty inches
only in diameter. This one is to be side
wheel boat The other three we're all pro
pellers. She he'd none Of her plating on, as
that Is put on after launching Her builders
are C:pts. Shirley and DeIIayen, and she is
the only gunboat now building on the Ala
bama River One large side wheel fron-clad
gunboat has been built at Montgomery; one
| or two on the Tombigbee, and several old
river boats sverhauled and rigged up at Mo-
bile, either one OF which one shot would
blow to atoms.
| I noticed in pictorial weekly, (Harpcr's,
| tlink,) 3 drawing of rebel run at Mobile,
| Tie form Of the boat Is very good, but 1t l1as
the appearance of having plain smooth sides
Of wood or iron, whereas the sides and stern
are formed Of compressed cotton bales,
strapped on with iron bands. Her turrct ii
She was IN old river packet, and converted
into ram. and think would 60 to pieces
herself If she attempted to poke her nose into
! ANYTHING very solid. She Is IN Informed,
| uSly-looking craft, and has the appearance Of
having been got up for big scare.
Besides the large Government works at
Selma, there are number Of smaller estab-
llsbments, got up By wealthy men Tor the
purpose Of getting contracts with the Gov
themselves. Among these arc several foun-
dries, powder mill, cotton card factory,
three wagon and ambulance factories, and
some extensive sheds for the manufacture Of
nitre.
The Government manufacture large guam
titles Ct clothing also, having two establish
ments for this purpose.
The Quartefmaster and Commlssary Dc
partments at Selma are also very active. A
hand In both Of these departments. The
| Commissary Department a1wnys has q large
quantity Of rice and -four on hand. The
| latter Is baked up into army bread or crack
| e1s, then shipped to Mobile or Montgomery.
There were no troops at Selma, with the