Year: 1863

A correspondent Of the Buffalo Com
mercial Advertiser, writing from Nassau,


New Providence, on the 18th of Febru-
airy says:


The steamers which run to Charleston
are all painted light lead color, which
renders them almost undistinguishable
from the horizon. They leave here at
such a time that @ common run Will bring
them off Charleston about midnight the
third day from here, then as they can


easily see our feet, they steer quietly be
tween the blockaderS. and beng OF this
duh lead color. and with their single
mast, and smoke pipe lowered, and with


al being wonderfully long, low and swift


they are almost certain Of getting IN.
Coming out is still more a certainty,
for at sunset they take from Fort Sum-
ter very precise compass observations Of
our feet at anchor, and then, as our yes


sells do not change their positions after
dark, it is perfectly simple matter to
steer solely by the compass out into the
open sea. Once cut there Is no danger,
for they can show q clean pair of heels
TO any Of our gunboats. Communication
is truly more frequent with Charleston
than New York, and We have New York
dates six or seven days later this way


than direct. Since l have been here,


now six days, one Steamer, the Calypso,


has arrived from Charleston laden with
cotton, and five, the Ruby, Giraffe, An
tonica, Nicholas 1st, and Leopard, have
sailed for the same place, besides several
sail vessels which have cleared for North
ern ports, but with cargoes that make it
certain that they will see Charleston or
Wilmington if possible. e.-...


1t IS q great matter of wonder to our


Union men here. and Southerners to,


that our Government has not put forth
every effort to capture Charleston, for it
IS by that port, and from this place, that


their immense supplies have been drawn.


Now, if IS captured, it will be shutting


the door too late, for their supplies are
so ample that large quantities of gun car
riages and guns are lying IN this place,
and not sent across because there Is no
call for them. These successful affairs,
and particularly the naval affair at
Charleston, of which we heard before you
did, have made the Secessions very jubil-
ant of course. and had contrary effect
upon us of the North. We feel it the
more because there was no nececessity
for it. As long ago as June last, our con-
sui here, Mr.. Whiting, formerly, by the
way, lake captain, running out of Buff
falol officially informed our government
that the machinery and iron plates of
ram were here, and being sent to Charles
ton as fast as the opportunity offered
Later, he wrote that, from information
he had gathered, the ram was about i'm
ished and would doubtless be at work
very soon


Every cargo Of cotton is worth from
quarter to a million of dollars, and as
the Antonica has made six round trips
and the Leopard the same, they may
well put their fingers to their noses, and
laugh about their packet and their ferry
to Charleston. The authorities here are,
of course not ignorant of all this. The
are taken to Halifax or st John
but they know perfectly well the real
Nearly every white per-
son is in sympathy with the South
and all are more or less engaged in these
blockade ventures, which are perfect
game of chance, with chances Of the side
of the risk. Large quantities of cotton
are piled up, waiting shipment to Eng
land. Storekeepers put their stocks
aboard, and take their pay in cotton on
the return trip. Cotton sells for sixty
cents per pound. specie. and Mr.. Store
keeper gets rich.