AMERICA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1735, 27 June 1862, Page 5

AMERICA.

THE APrnOACHING CONFLICT IN VIBGUNIA. We have, in a previons portion of our columns given a detailed though brief description of the position of the Federal and Confederate armies in Virginia. Telegraphic rumours brought by the last mail are of little positive value. One says that " General M'Clelland has beea stopped before the Confederate lines at Yorktown ; aud another that " General APCiclland has heen defeated at Yorktown." " These two statements," says the Globe, " probably mean the saina thing — the first being ihe Northern, the second the Southern phraseology describing the same event.. The fact appears to be that the Confederates hold a very strong and strongly entrenched position, stretching quite across the peninsula between the York and James lliveis, and that the Federals only found out its formidable character when they came fairly within sight of it. The peninsula is a tongue of laud having many characteristics very favourable to the defenders It is not only narrow, but the space available for the movement and developemeut of troops is curtailed by pine forests and sluggish streams spreading out iuto deep aud broad murshes. Though generally level, the surface is indented with beep ravines, and except on the regular roads, which are by no means good, nearly imiinpassable for troops. The Confederates, on the advance of the Federals from Fort Monroe, abandoned the whole country as far as Yorktown. In doing so they gave their enemies one advantage so far as we can discover — one only— they deserted Ship Point, an.inlet on the York River, an-1 thus furnished to the Federals a second landing place ior stores and ammunition ; but beyond this, they lost nothing by yielding up the country between Fort Monroe aud their lines. Moving in three columns across the whole breadth of the peninsula, General M'Clelland suddenly found himself compelled to halt iv sight of Yorktown. The confederate lines rest upon two creeks, flowing one into the York, the other into the James River. On their right Warwick Creek running in a northerly course towards York town, and diverging iuto several streams, formed a serious and apparently impassable obstacle- Where nature has failed to furnish defences, art has

constructed them, the water being dammed, and I the western banks entrenched. From the Warwick River, the lines, broken only by thick wouds, stretuh in a north-easterly direction to Yorktown itself, and there rest upon the swampy margin of Wormley Creek. At Yorktown shore batteries overlook the river, and on the opposite shore, at Gloucester, yet other batteries cover the flink and defend the entrance to the river. These works were well armed, and in the skirmishes which had taken place the. light troops of the Federals did not get nearer than within 700 yards of the entrenchments. It is manifest from this description that the Confederates position is well chosen. It cannot apparently be turned unless the Federals could force the entrance to the York River, and to do that the} must first seize and occupy Gloucester. Open to the rear, well covered on both flanks, with two rivers to serve for the transport of , troops and stores, it is plain that, if the Confederates have the men and means, they ought not ] to be easily expelled from the lines of Yorktown. Already they appear to have reinforced General Magruderwith a large part of the army foimerly at Manassas. The Virginia alone defends the James River, and makes that side secure. So far as we can learn from the admissions made in the Northern papers, the road to Richmond by Yorktown was ior the time effectually barred. The danger besetting the Confederates would seem to be less on their front than on their left flank and in the rear. If Gloucester can be taken, its occupation by the Federals would go far to render Yorkiown untenable. Then it should be remembered that Federal forces are operating on the Rappahannock and approaching the Rapidan. Should these divisions make any great progress and force the enemy in their front to retire towards Richmond, the Confederates in Yorktown lines would run the risk of being caught in a trip. On the other hand, should the Federals on the Rappahannock make no progress, ami the lines of Yorktown be captured, there would be still immeuse obstacles to overcome, and many positions to be .taken before the Federalscould get to Richmond. It will be most interesting to observe how General M'Clelland will deal with the enemy in his front, and how he will manage to pass beyond General Magruder's ne phiss ultra. The armies are operating on a small front; the country is much brokeu up; and if General M'Clelland should fail altogether, he will, if the enemy be really enterprisiug, find it difficult to withdraw to Fort Monroe without suffering seyere loss. THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE MHRRIMAO AND THE MONITOR. Some interesting information upon the late duel between the Menimac and the Monitor appears in the 'Register,' a Southern journal published at Mobile, the well-known maritime city of Alabama. It is contained in a report from the officer second in command to the late captain of the Menimac, which is accompanied by a letter from President Davis to the Confederate Senate. The second officer confirms, in all its leading particulars, the Northern account of the celebrated engagement. He, brings a serious charge, however, which President Davis endorses, agayist the commander of the Congress frigate. The charge is that that vessel fired upon the Merrimac after hauling down her colors and hoisting the white flag. The damages sustained by the Merriraac are catalogued in the same report. Two of her guns had their muzzles knocked away, the anchor was carried from the cat-head and fishings, the flagstaff's were shot down, and the smoke stack and steam-pipe were riddled with balls. It is stated, moreover, that " the armour was somewhat damaged," which seems to con firm the Federal statement thatt'.ieplites'uuder the bow were more than once penetrated. We also learn why the attempt to run the Monitor down with the stem of the Merrimac was not persevered in. The double charge upon the Cumberland in no degree injured the ram of the Confederate vessel ; but a blow delivered slantingly upon the iron ribs of the Monitor twisted her ribs to one stem, and displaced the plates about her forefoot. The Merrimac carried 10 guns, but their calibre is not stated. The report alludes but briefly to the Monitor, which seems known to the Confederates as the Ericsson, and sums up the result of the engagement in these words: — "Captain Buchanan sank the Cumberland, captured and burut the Congress, disabled and drove ashore the Minnesota, defeated the St, Lawrence and the Roanoke, which took shelter under the guns of Foit Monroe. The Charlestown Mercury adds to these particulars the statement, important if true, that the entire equipment of the Merrimac did not cost more than 185,000 dollars, or under £40,000. The same journal gives its readers an extract from a private letter of Mr Poiteis the inventor of the redoutable shipMr- Porter describes himself as having shared the usual fate of inventive geniuses. He writes: — "I received but little encouragement from any one while the Virginia was progressing. Hundreds — I may say thousands — asserted she would never float. Some said she would turn bottom side up ; others said the cvew would suffocate ; but the most wise said the concussion and report from the guns would deafeu the men. ' Some said she would not steer, and public opinion generally about here said she would never come out of the dock You have uo idea what I have suffered in mind since I commenced her ; but 1 knew what I wa.s about, and persevered."

The iirst aft of the Federal Congress after the battle of Hampton Roads was to order specimens of every vessel which had shown itself serviceable. As the Meirimac had destroyed the Cumberland by running into her, Oungress instantly voted money for a large steam ram. As the Monitor had checked the Merrimac, the Government bespoke six new Moijilors, to be delivered as quickly as possible. A nondescript floating battery, which had been in hand for more that 20years, was also taken up for immediate completion, and a second of three vessels ordered last aututn has since been sent to sea in fighting order. It is worthy of notice that as regards artillery the Government of Washington is persevering in a system which recent experiments in Englaud appear to prove to be a mistaken one. The utter failure of ordnance against armour iv the American action is ascribed iv England to the weakness of the Dahlgren guns, which are constructed expressly for throwing huge shot at low velocities. They have immense calibre, but take only a small charge of powder, whereas Sir W. Armstrong seems to hare established the principle that it is the charge of powder which regulates the effective force of the ball. Nevertheless, Cant. Dahlgren persists in maintaining that iiis theory of low velocities and light charges is the true one, provided only sufficient dimensions be given to the shot ; and the Federal Government appears to have followed his guidance iv despite of the experience of the recent action. The Secretary of the Navy has recommended that the new vessels for coast defence should be armed with 16 inch guns, and that an ocean steamer should be built to cany guns of 20 inch calibre. (The new Armstrong 156 pounder is only 10£ inch bore.)