AT?
TWO DOLLARS PER AN.NtM.?
HALF-YEARLY" IX ADVANCE. 5
AND FARMERS' AND MECHANICS' REGISTER.
iTT NOT PAID WITHIN THE TBAC.
t $2 50 WILL BE CHARGED.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY JONATHAN ROW, SOMERSET, SOMERSET COUNTY, PA.
New Series.
TUESDAY, JANUAR1T 12, 137,
Vol. 5.-No. 9.
TWILIGHT.
XT J. KISSKL RACB.
The fun beneath the western main,
With golden crest retires;
His rays no longer illume the plain
Nor giU liie lofty spires.
Still deeper grows the ev'ning shade
The dav's past the night has come
The works of man, aside are laid,
And daylight toil is done.
Ilsppy the man whose day is spent
"VViih industry and care;
He calmly meets the coming eight,
"Without a rising fear.
Not thus the man who idly spends
The morning of his days,
Him grief or deep remorse attends.
And meets the night in dismay.
Then, mortals! seize the transient hour
Improve it as it flies:
Life's but aIay man but a flow'r,
And soon alas! he dies!
Yes, soon the night of death doth come!
Haste, man! thy work complete,
The hour that lays thee in the tomb,
That thou in peace raay'st meet.
FROaS THE ARraiT.
Iatcr from tlic IT. S. Squadron In
the Guir of Mexico.
TOTAL WRECK OF THE U. S. BRIG SO
MERS, AND GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.
The barque Morgan Dix arrived at
New Orleans on the 21st ultimo, with
advices from the U. S. Squadron ia the
Gulf to the 13th ultimo, and intelligence
cf the loss of the U. S. brig Somers, the
particulars of which will be found below.
The New Orleans Picayune contains a
long letter giving a minute account of this
melancholy disaster, from which we glean
the following:
On the evening of the 7th instant, the
Somers took sheher under the Green Is
land, appearances presaging a storm. On
the Sth a sail was reported from aloft, and
Capt. Seramcs, of the brig, got under
way for a chase. He supposed the sail
was a vessel intending to run into Vera
Cruz. While in the chase, the storm
came on. After various expedients to
escape its effects, an order was given to
let go the lee main topsail, and on the
next instant cut away all tacks and sheets.
The letter then goes on to say:
Finding she would not play off, Capt.
Sernmes ordered the helm to be put down
hoping to bring her to the wind. It was,
however, unavailing. From the moment
he commenced careening she continued
to go over with great rapidity, and in
thirty seconds was on her beam ends.
In less than ten minutes she sunk. The
puff of wind was much more violent than
eould have been expected from the ap
pearance of the weather. The accident
is, however, mainly due to the extreme
lightness of the vessel. One or two min
utes after she was over, most of the offi
cers and men had gained the side of the
vessel or the tops.
Dr. Wright and Lieut. Parker, passing
through the weather after port, were the
first to reach the main chains. They
were followed by several men, and an at
tempt was made with such means as was
at hand, to cut awav the main rigging, the
men and officers using their penknives
and sheath knives for the purpose. Cap
tain Semmes, who had been dashed on
the lee side was now drawn from the wa
ter, and as soon as he gained the side, di
rected our exertions.
Finding there was no chance to saTe
the brig, and that she was fast sinking,
Capt. Semmes ordered Mr. Clarke to
shove ofl with Dr. Wright and seventeen
men, besides Purser Steel, ( who reached
the boat by swimming as she was clear
ing the wreck, first enquiring if there
was room in the boat for another,) to pull
for Green Island about half a mile dis
tant, and immediately return if possible to
save more lives. This order was at once
executed, but not until some of those in
the boat had solicited, by name, each of
the officers left on the wreck to come
with them. These officers resolutely de
clared thev would wait and take their
chances with the brig.
Capt. Semmes, who was in impaired
health, was also entreated to go, but re
fused. Lieut. Parker answered a similar
'olicitatioti by saying lie would drown
with the brig. Lieut. Claiborne ami Ac
ting Master Clemson held the same lan
guage. It is a remarkable circumstance
that three of the officers and all the men
who acted thus nobly ajc saved. When
the boat shoved off, the gale was blowing
'ith great violence and a heavy sea run
ning, so that for some moments it W3S a
matter of doubt whether the boat would
live. Purser Steel at one time proposed
t leave the boat for a fish-davit he saw
Coiling by. The Voat, how ever,, reached
the island in about twenty minutes,
i As soon as the men were landed, Mr.
Clarke, disregarding the most strenuous
entreaties, resolutely shoved off again
with a volunteer crew at the imminent
hazard of their lives. Less than three
minutes after the boat left the brig, Capt.
Semmes, finding the vessel settling under
them, gave an order for every man to save
himself. All simultaneously plunged in
to the water, and grasped the posts, gra
tings, spars, coops and other floating ob
jects at hand. Many must have gone
down from the want of any support what
ever; others struggled on frail floaU to be
finally drifted on the teefs and dashed to
pieces.
Some were driven to sea to be heard of
no more, and others encountered the
worst fate which could be apprehended in
being drowned, bv sharks. Of near six
ty who plunged from the wreck only se
venteen escaped.
Through dl this appalling scene the
greatest composure was observed by men
and officers. There was no appearance
of panic, no exhibition of selfishness.
Those who could not swim were particu
larly enjoined too in the boat. A large
man by the name of Seymour, the ship's
cook, had got into the boat. Lieut. Par-
ker commanded him to come out in order
to make room for two smaller men, and
he obeyed the order, but was afterwards
directed to go into the boat when it was
found he could not swim.
Capt. Semmes and Lieut. Parker were
picked up by Mr. Clarke lrom a grating,
and Jacob Hazard, yeoman, was rescued
swimming near them. Those who stir
vived have told of many instances of he
roic self-devotion. The acting-master,
Henry A. Clemson, was struggling on a
small steering sail boom with five others,
two of whom could" not be supported and
he left and struck out alone and unsuppor
ted, lie was seen for the last time upon
a sky-light and probably perished in the
surf. The five men he left were saved,
the two who could not swim being sup
ported by their comrades, Amos Colson
and John Williamson. '
The Mexicans saw the accident from
the mole, and cheered and exulted for a
long time. The brig had been for a long
time engaged in the blockade, and had
done more to interrupt lite commerce of
the port than almost all the other vessels.
Within the last fortnight both town and
castle iiad been kept in a constant alarm
by the burning of the Creole, and other
demonstrations which I presume you will
hear of in due time. I have no doubt
the Mexicans were relieved when they
saw her sink in the ocean. I append a
list of the lost and saved 37 men saved
37 lost. One officer, Mr. Rodgers,
Passed Midshipman, and one man, John
G. Fox, were captured by the Mexicans,
two davs before, while reconnoitering an
important point, in company with Dr.
Wright, the latter escaped to witness the
catastrophe of the brig. J. II. W.
The writer gives an interesting account
of the heroic devotion of the foreign ves
sels at Sacrificios, two miles distant, to
save the crew of the Somers. Two hun
dred of the crew of the British ship En
dymion volunteered for the service, and
among the French and Spanish vessels
equal heroism was exhibited. The gale,
however, was so violent that their boats
had to be recalled. When it abated thcy
again put out, and succeeded in saving
fourteen lives. We regret that we have
not space for these interesting details this
morning.
The strange vessel which tempted the
Somers from shelter was the Abrasia,
bound for the squadron.
Sixteen of those on board the Somers,
reached the shore on hen-coops, and are
now prisoners m Vera Cruz.
LIST OF OFFICERS AND MEN
LOST IN THE SOMERS.
Henry A. Clemson, Acting Master.
John R. Hynson, Passed Midshipman.
Wra. G. Brazier, Ebenczer Terrell,
Charles II. Haven, James Ryder, James
Thompson, Charles Lowe, Thns. Young,
Wm. Gillan, Mathias Gravel, Maj. Cain,
Dennis Kelly, Alex. Anker, Charles Mc
Farbnd, James Fennell, Charles True,
John Day, Wm. Purdy, Edward Mc
Cormick, William Emslty, Wm. Quest,
John Hargrave, William W. Crdy, John
Christopher Meyers, Clement C. Wilien,
Thomas McGowan, Joseph Antonio, A
dolph Belmente, Manual Howard, Wil
liam M. Powers, Henry W. Spear, James
Chapman, Lewis Johnson, Jonatins Leo
pold, Thomas Jefferson, William H.
Rose, Peter Hernandez.
LIST OF THOSE SAVED.
R- Semmes, Lieutenant Commanding.
M. G. L. Claiborne, Lieutenant.
Johu L. Parker, Lieutenant.
John F. Steel, Purser.
Johu II. Wright, Passed Assistant Sur-
Fjancis G. Clarke, Midshipman.
Ed uiund T. Stevens, Purser's Stew
ard. Jacob Hazard, Yeoman.
. Amos Colson, Wm. Johnson, Matthew
Cuck, John McCurgo, John G. Van Nor
den, CI as. Seymour, John Williamson.
! John Pollen, John Smith, Henry Stroin-
mcll, Thomas
field. Wm. K?vs Francis 1 1 aire, Wm.
xuuiuoucn, uw. v ate
Teland, Wm. F. Thompson, Christopher
Lawrence, Jos. Todd, Stephen Maynard,
Samuel Bennett. Thos. D. Burns, Wm.
Power, Joseph Skipsev, Joseph Jones,
Chas. Nutlee, Washington Cooper. Wil-
j liam Dix, rrancis A. ualdeon, James
Chambers.
Commodores Conner and Perry were
both at Anton Lizardo when the Morgan
Dix sailed.
The Picayune says j
By this arrival we learn that three men,
saved from one of the prize schooners re
cently wrecked have been sent as priso
ners to Perote. Five out of six persons,
who were on board the prize brig Fur
nante when she was wrecked, were lost.
It mdy be recollected that three vessels
went adrift at the time; the prize steamer
we believe it was the Tabasquina has
never beeu heard of, and those on board
were doubtless lost.
From the City of Mexico, not receiv-
ing any papers by, this arrival, our iotelli- !
gence is meagre and unsatisfactory. An
opinion prevailed in the squadron, how- !
ever, founded probably upon flying re-1
ports and rumors that a quorum of the
new Mexican Congress could not be got
together at the time appointed for its ope
ning, the 5th December. j
Another letter to the editors of the
Picayune written on the 13th ult. by
the same gentleman who furnished the
one above quoted from, says
As the sailing of the Morgan Dix has
been delayed by a head wind, I have an
opportunity to add the good news that
eight more of the men of the U. S. brig
Somers have been picked up by the Mex
icans on the beach near Anton Lizardo,
whither they were driven by the gale on
a hen-coop. One of them has since died.
They are held as prisoners in Vera Cruz.
This makes forty-four, all told, who have
been saved from the wreck. The Somers
had near eighty souls on board, all told.
Passed Midshipman Hyssox, one of
the officers lost by the disaster to the
Somers, was one of those who participa
ted in the burning of the Creole moored
to the walls of San Juan de Ulloa. It
is said that he could have saved his life,
but for his generosity in giving up his
spar to a sailor whom he considered wea
ker than himself. In seeking another
support he went down.
On the Sth instant Midshipman R.
Clay Rogers, Dr. J. W. Wright, and
John G. Fox, a seaman of the Somers,
went ashore for the purpose of reconnoi
tering one of the enemy's magazines, and
ascertaining the practicability of destroy
ing it. The party had gone some dis
tance from the boat when they were sur
rounded by seven Mexican soldiers. Dr.
Wright made his escape. Mr. Rogers
and the seaman were made prisoners, and
sent to Perote to be confined there.
Tha N. O. Picayune of he 22d uh.,
speaking of this expedition, says
Of the disposition made of young Ro
gers we have no definite information.
One account has it that he was chained
and marched off by the Mexicans to the
castle of Perote, but this needs confirma
tion. An act of the British Consul at
Vera Cruz is mentioned in one of our
letters which does him great credit.
It is said that on learning that Mr. Ro
gers was about to be marched to Perote,
he at once started off himself in quest of
him, or else sent the sum of $100, be
sides refreshments and clothing for his
comfort. It is certain that the gallant
young midshipman, who has thus lost his
liberty while performing a hazardous and
important service, was not ?t first started
off for Perote, whatever may have since
befallen him.
FROM THE A It MY.
Correspondence of the Phila. Inquirer.
Tampico dates to the 15th, and Brazos
to the 18th, have been received at New
Orleans by the arrival of the steamship
Massachusetts.
A considerable excitement had been oc
casioned at Tampico, by a report that a
considerable body of Mexican cavalry
had been seen in that neighborhood.
The U. S. Steamboat arrived at Bra
zos on the 18th, with Gen. Jessup and
Gen. Pi'dow. Left Matamoras on the
11th, and was to proceed 23 miles, and
wait for Gen. Patterson and the iest of
his division and train.
Gen. Taylor was to leave Monterey
with Gen. Twigg's division and a portion
of Gen. Smith's brigade.
It was reported that Gen. Urrea was at
Victoria with G000 cavalry.
Gen. Wool remained at Parras.
Gen. Worth was at Saltillo, where it
was reported and confidently believed
that Santa Anna had 28,000 men at San
Luis.
Santa Anna was purging his army of
all the officers against whom there was
the remotest suspicion of cowardice, re
taining only such as he had the most
implicit confidence iu their bravery and
skill.
Gen. Arapudia, Col. Caraco and others
whose names are not stated, have been
imprisoned and charged with cowardice.
An order had been issued by Santa An
na, dooming to instant death any officer
who shall disgrace his flag by cowardice
or unofficerlike conduct in battle.
There is a general desire expressed by
the Mexican soldiers to be led against the
invaders. ,
About two hundred sick had been re
ceived at the Hospital, at Matamoras with
in a few davs.
The regiments were breaking up their
encampments', and were about to com
mence their march for Tampico.
Deaths were less frequent in the Hos
pital than during the fall and summer
months.
The steamship Alabama left New Or
leans on the 24th for Brazo?, and it was
believed for Tampico. Gen. Scott and
staff were among the passengers. There
were also several companies of U. S.
troops destined for Tampico, on board,
under the command of Major Sumner.
The President's Message and
the Tariff
THE POOR MAX TEA AND COEFEE.
President Polk, in his message, e!Is
the poor man, that the "Bill of 1842 lev
ied tire lighter tax upon articles of luxury
and of high price and the heavier on
these of necessity and low price consu
med by the great mass of the people.''
Now it was well known to the Presi
dent, (says the Philadelphia Inquirer,!
when he made the above assertion, that
the laboring man in this country is, gener
ally speaking, clothed with American
Maxifacttres, from the crown of his
head to the sole of his foot, as cheaply as
the laboring man in Great Britain, or any
other part of Europe, who wears comfor
table garments. For the President tells
us, in almost the next sentence, that do
mestic manufactures to the value of sever
al millions of dollars are exported to for
eign countries, and if he had told the
whole story, he would have said, that
export consisted of the class of articles
more especially consumed by our labor
ing men. But he knew well from the re
ports from the Customs, that the revenue
of the Bill of 1842 was raised principally
from articles consumed by the richer clas
ses of society that the only article upon
which the poor man was taxed to any ex
lent was sugar, and this he could afford
to pay, when he procured his tea and cof
fee under that Bill free of duty. But
how have the Free Traders relieved him
under the Bill of 1840, when they tax the
luxury of refined Loaf Sugar used by the
rich no more than the raw Sugar, and
further recommend a duty of 25 per c.
upon both Coffee and Toa -articles of ab
solute necessity, and consumed so largely
by the great mass of our people? We
know that the chief consumption of both
Coffee and Tea is by our farmers and la
boring classes. Every industrious farmer
and laborer in our country drinks more
Cofl'ee and Tea than John Jacob Astor,
with his 2G millions of dollars, and yet
they arc asked to bear this unequal and
unjust tnx, by an Administration that as
sures them that they are to be relieved
from all such burthens! Why not raise
this revenue from the rich broad cloths
and Saxony carpets and silks, worn by
the rich, instead of oppressing the poor
man? The poor arc, howevhr,. further
told, that we must follow the example of
England, and abandon the protective poli
cy but they are not told why England
has abandoned said policy. It is because
her manufacturing establishments can
produce cheaper than any other upon the
face of the globe: and in order that they
may do so more effectually, all duties are
taken off from agricultural products, and
they will now enjoy cheaper bread than
our people, as well as cheaper labor. If
this is not adapting a policy to build up
their manufactrres, we do not understand
the subject. But we are told by this same
document that our manufactures enioy a
large protection "in the freights and char
ges, which the importer must pay before
he can come into competition with the
home manufacturer in our markets."
From this, it would be supposed that our
manufacturers paid neither freights nor
charges; whereas their freights und char
ges, notwithstanding all the facilities of
transport whieh we now enjoy, are fully
double those paid by the foreign importer.
All our Iron establishments and Coalmines
arc in the interior of the country, and
their products are transported at great ex
pense. England is a sea-girt Island, all
Iter products may be said to be upon the
ocean shore, and may bo wafted by its
breezes to any part of the world, at a very
small cost. The difference in freight a
lonc upon the product of the largest es
tablishment in England or Scotland would
be a remunerating profit to the Iron man
ufacturer. It is the cheaper transport of
the sea that gives England such great ad
vantages. Distance is comparatively of
little moment.
But to close our remarks upon this re
markable document, we must call the at
tention of our gooJ people to the tact,
that although the Tariff of 1842 has been
four years in operation, every branch of
industry has been in the highest prosper
ity, and this the President tells us in this
same message. His language is of the
strongest character. It is a subject he
savs( of the highest congratulation, that
there has been no period in our past his
tory when all the element? of national
prosperity have been so fully deve'oped.
Abundance has crowned the toil of the
husbandman, and labor in all its branch
es is receiving an ample reward." And
all this under the odious Tariff of 1842
the system which ha says was "so une
qual and unjust, as to swell the profits of
the comparatively few, who had invested
their capitJin manufactures." What con
fidence can be placed in the statement of
this high officer of the Government when
a man of the plainest intellect can discov
er such inconsistencies? It is an old ad
age with men experienced in business, to
"let well enough alone." It is tima to
make alterations when the system works
badly, but it is well to remember that no:
a single 'memorial was presented at the
last session of Congress, asking for either
a repeal or modification of the Bill of
1842. So universal was the prcsperity
under this system, that the opponents of
it did not dire to present the subject to
the people themselves, for they would na
turally have said in the language of the
President, what can we desire more than
"constant employment, and ample reward
for our labor?" Our workshops, which
under the former Bill were abandoned,
are now full of life and activity. Our
Cotton and Woolen Mills, that were then
closed, are in full operation. Our Furna
ces, Forges and Rolling Mills, in which
the fires were out, arc now in full blaze,
and illuminating every thing around them.
In a word, every branch of industry now
receives that benefit and employment that
was lately given to foreign capitalists and
artisans. Aias! how long will this happy
state of things contiuue? We say how
long, lor the Tarifi of 1846 has but just
gone into operation.
We are told, however, that the leading
principle of the new bill is revenue; that
the act of 1842, "by the excessive rates
of duty which it imposed on many arti
cles, either totally excluded them from im
portation, or greatly reduced the amount
imported, and thus diminished instead of
producing revenue" and yet this same
document tells U3 that under this bill, af
ter all t ie expenditures of the Govern
ment were made, there was a balance in
the Treasury on the first day of July last,
of nine millions, one hundred and twenty
six thousand, four hundred and thirty-nine
dollars. If this, then, was not a revenue
what can be called such?
Was not the Treasury without a dol
lar when this bill was passed, and that too
in a time of peace and of ordinary ex
penditure? But the gross inconsistencies
of this portion of the Message are such,
that he who runs can detect them, and at
once discover that there is at the head of
the Government a partizan. rather than a
Statesman an advocate of foreign, rather
than domestic labor one who appeals in
one breath, to the laboring class, and in
another cuts down'their wages, taxes their
comforts, and curtails their enjoyments.
Jacks asliore, drilling as In
laiitrj. At a time that an attack upon Point
Isabel was apprehended, the brave sailors
of the fleet were transferred to the shore
to aid in the defence of the Point, the offi
cers were a little nonplussed m drilling
them in "land tactics." The word of
command as given by the infantry officer
was all "hand over fist," to the sailors.
They could get along with the manual,
well enough, but when it came to the
movement' they were thrown completely
on their beam ends, and Lieut. R. of the
Navy, was compelled to aid his friend of
the land service.
The officer when desirous of forming
the company into line, in the direction in
which they were marching cried, "com
pany into line;" but the tars only hitched
up their trowsers. and inarched on until
Lieut. R. called out. "Line of buttle ships
abreast on the alar-hoard beam!"' when
the movement was accurately and expe
ditiously executed. He then wished to
deploy the men as skirmishers and charge,
and ordered, line of battle-ships beat down
upon the enemy! and ofl they rushed
like a whirlwind with a loud huzza, stri
king their bayonets in'o every clump of
bushes or slashing with their sabres every
prickly pear within their reach.
Major , of the Infantry, who
was superintending the drill, ordered,
"rally on the reserve!" but on rolled the
sailors, like waves an the ecean, with re
doubled energy, till their own officer who
had the order explained to him cned out
"Line of battle ships, ready about!" The
old boatman, who acted as sergeant, re
plied instantly "Aye, aye, sir all rea
dy!" "'Bout ship, and away she goes,
all sails set," bawled the lieutenant.
Every man wheeled on his own axis, and
steered for his former positiou, and come
in with z perfect rush, all right and tight.
.V. O. Picayune.
r7In a neighboring State, the follow
ing whimsical epitaph graces the tomb
stone of a renowned dancing master:
Man's life h vapor.
And full of woes;
He cuts a capes, and
Down he goes.
j A Fire In the Rear.
ONE OF THE LATEST JOKES.
There was fun as well as fighting down
in the neighborhood of the Rio Granda
, last summer, and a yankee in that section
! albeit a tolerably shrewd specimen of ths
I genus, got "a fire in the rear" which ra
1 ked down and demolished the best calcu
i lation ever made for a small fortune, and
; at the same time raised a laugh which
filled the adjoining chapparal for a mila
! in every direction. '
Water was scarce during the heat of
: the summer zi Brazos IlaaJ, and liquor
j not so plentiful attim-s as the necessiti'i
of ihz sojourn?rs required. I: w.is in one
; of these thirsty seasons that our Yankee,
I by some hook or crook, got hold of a
barrel of tolerably fair cider, and w;;h
; this small stock in trade hs at onee "set
t up" business. To rake and scrape to
jgether a parcel of boards and odd bits of
! canvacs, enough to build a small shinty,
j was the work of bat a short hour; to set
his barrel upon a couple of skids in ths
back part of the tent, to tap it, and
commence retailing it at a dime a glass,
occupied but a short time more.
Customers flocked in by dozens, the
cider went off at rapid rat3, and the Yan
kee was making his "eternal fortin" at a
stride that would have elated John Jacob
Astor in his early days. Some of his pat
rons complained that a dime a glass for
) cider, which was not worth more than two
dollars a barrel at the outside, was an out
rageous price; but the times were hard.
the retailer's conscience easy he had
t all th ri;!fr In thp mnrlfpt. and rnu!il Tint
afford to sell any cheaper.
This state of things went on for an en
tire day, the Yankee's quarters being be
set by throngs of patrons. On the follow
ing morning, and before the cider was yet
half sold, they began to thin off gradually.
and bv the middle of the afternoon it was
only now and then a straggling stranger
visited the shade and cider of the retailer.
What was the matter? What had caused
this sudden falling off of custom? Th3
reader will soon see.
Towards night a new face appeared in
the shanty and called for a glass of cider.
It was drawn, swallowed, and the custo
mer took out his purse and inquired ths
price.
"One dime," said the Yandee.
"One ll'hut?" retorted the customer.
"One dime," coolly responded theYan-
1 kee. .
"One thunder," snarled the customer;
why I can get just as good cider here at
fue cents"
) "N-o-y-o-u-c-a-n-t," drawled the Yan
kee. "There aint a pint of cider 'cept
what I've got in that are barril, this side
"I know better," ejaculated the custo
mer, tartly. "I bought a glass of cider
not two hours ago, and only paid five
cents for it."
"I'd like to know where you effected
that small transaction," queeried the Yan
kee. "Right round here;" was the answer.
"I guess it was 'right round hrre.'
Right round tchrre, Fd like to know?"
continued the cider vender.
"Why close by here, somewhere just
back of your place," returned the custo
mer. I'll bet you tew drinks you didn't,
spoke up the Yankee, 'and we'll go right
round and see.'
'Done said the customer and off they
started.
Sure enough, 'right round here they
found another cider establishment in full
j blast. A second Yankee had rigged a
I small shade in the rear of the first Yan-
! f ' I I .U. .k A
KEf. 3 snauiv , aim uau wppcu uic uuici cuu
of the latter's barrel of cider through a
board, and was retailing it at five cents a
glass to a perfect rush of customers.
Picayune.
The r.Iountaln Artillery.
The Albany Argus has a correct de-
; scriplion of this new arm in our service,
! obtained from an officer conversant with
the subject. Two batteries have been
constructed at Watervliet.
Each of these batteries consist of sir
12 pounder bronze howitzers, made with
extreme lightness, and six carriages so
constructed as to be susceptible ol pack
ing upon a horse or mule. The howitzer
weighs about 210 pound?. The carriage
is of similar weight, and two chests with
amunition vary only a very few pounds
from the same. A pack saddle has been
so constructed as to admit of its receiving
either the howitzer, the carriage, or two
amunition chests, carrying each eight
rounds of spherical case shot, shells and
emitter. Thus ths load of horses does
I not exceed 220 pounds, which is carried
The purpose of this new corps is to act
as artillery in positions where heavier
batteries could not be established, as in
defiles, narrow passages, mountain gorges.
fcc, &c, from which it would be neces
sary to expel an enemy in advance of a
marching army. The effect of this light
artillery or its power of endurance would
not be sufficient to render it very valuabla
for general service in the field, but in
mountainous ditricts, where the move
ment of field batteries would i-essarily
1 te tardy and dif$sit. not qui' ua-