feet at top. There were no casemates in the original work, but little bomb-proofs. What bomb-proofs the Confederate may have added we do not. The scarp is probably exposed to the view of distant batteries; but on this we ought not to count, as it is exceedingly easy to throw up a protecting barrier of sand. The small elevation of this work-its guns are only 15 feet above high water-exposes it greatly to the action of vessels afloat at the moment of assault. With four iron-plated men-of-war I am inclined to thing the work could be carried by assault without waiting for the operations of a siege.

OPERATIONS AGAINST FORT SUMTER.

This is a strong casemated work, covering about 3 1\2 acres of ground, rising from an artificial island three-quarters of a mile from the nearest land, armed, or capable of being armed, with 53 barbette guns, in a plane 50 feet above low water; 41 guns in casemates 27 feet above low water, and 41 casemate guns 15 feet above low water. There are no casemate guns on the gorge; light howitzers might, however, be mounted there. The wooden floors which have been placed in the gorge were not intended to bear heavy guns. Still it must be borne in mind that the Confederates may have propped up some of these floors, cut embrasures, and mounted cannon of large caliber in some of the casemates of the gorge. The guns bearing on Cummings Point are; 20 barbette guns at an angle of about 45' with the parapets; 3 barbette guns on the pan-coupe nearly directs; 4 casemate guns on the pan-coupe nearly direct; 27 in all. The Confederate may, however, add to the casemate guns by building oblige embrasures in the scarp.

The guns bearing on Fort Moultrie are: 10 barbette guns, nearly direct; 2 barbette guns, slightly oblique; 18 casemate guns, nearly directs; 4 casemate guns, oblique; 234 in all. The approaches to Fort Moultrie from the east are seen by these 34 guns belonging to the right face and Sullivan's Island, northwest of Fort Moultrie, is exposed to an equal number of guns on the left face-some parts of it to nearly all the guns of both faces. Rebellion Roads are exposed to 30 guns in the left face, or 27 guns in the left flank, or all together, according to the situation. I have spoken above of all the guns that can be mounted in Fort Sumter. The guns actually supplied by the United States were, ten 42-pounders; forty-one 32-pounders; there 10-inch columbiads; ten 8-inch columbiads; eight 8-inch sea-coast howitzers; six 24-pounders; 78 in all, leaving 57 wanting.

A drawing of Fort Sumter, in connection with the chart of Charleston Harbor, will illustrate the strength and situation of the work. The principal question is, Can a practicable breach be made in Fort Sumter by batteries located on Cummings Point? I believe there can be. Captain Foster, in his journal of the bombardment of Fort Sumter is may last, reports as follows the breaching batteries on Morris Island or Cummings Point:

Breaching battery Numbers 1, two 42-pounders; one 12-pounder rifle gun=3.

Breaching battery Numbers 2, iron-clad, three 8-inch columbiads=3; 6 in all.

The fire commenced at daybreak on the 13th, and was discontinued at Cummings Point about 1 p. m. on the 14th. The two 8-inch columbiads and the rifle gun were the only ones that were used in the efforts to make a breach. The latter was fired with great accuracy. All there missiles made the same penetration-11 inches in the brick masonry. They con-