a mile of the mine on the Vermillion Bay, wheree there is a good landing, and carried thence to the mouth of the Atchafalaya, and up it to Red River. This last is the best and equally safe, as the waters there are too shoal to permit the blockading vessels to interfere with them. If Mississippi is to rely to a great extent on his mine for salt, the prospect is gloomy. At the time of my visit there, only o ne shalft had been sunk. This was twenty by thirty feet and seventeen feet to the salt from the surface. The soild rock salt had been blasted to the depth of fourteen feet and it may be yet many feet deeper. Another shaft was being sunk; but not one-third of the work was done when I left there. There were not mroe than sixty hands at wotk in and about the mines. The salt is now sold at the mines at 4 1/2 cents per pound, or $9 per sack of 200 pounds. If we continue to hold the Mississippi River from Red River to Vicksbourg, this salt will not cost over $15 per sack at Jackson, Miss. If we cannot hold river, it will be crossed with diffieculty, and must be hauled to the railroad, a distance of seventy miles, and I think cannot coast cost less than $20 per sack. It was the geneal information in South Louisiana that General Taylor would seize these mines for the Government. He had been assured by Avery that they would be worked to their utmost capacity and had not acted up to the time of my departure. I have reason to think that he will not act without further or positive instructions from his Government. Finding there was much doubt as to the seizure by the Confederate States Government, and seeing the impossiblility of geeting our supply of salt, if Avery does not improve his speed of work, I proposed to him to let me know the best terms on which Mississippi should work her own salt. He replied that if you will organize and work 200 hands he will charge only 3 cents per pound. I did my best to get move favorbale terms, but found him immovable. If you work his mine you will see that it must be on ruinous terms. To await on his slow motions is not safe for Mississippi. Therefore I see no hope but in the seizure by the Government. And I hope some active steps will be taken to have this end secured as soon as possible. I should have mentioned that prospecting in t wo directions 200 yards from the shaft now sunk reveals the existence of the same salt bed, at no place exceeding thirty feet from the surface. I believe there are no other matters of importance on this subject.

Very respectfully,

AUGUSTUS CHEW.

[First indorsement.]

SECRETARY OF WAR:

Have you any information as to the result of effort to make arrangements with proprietors? If not e on proper conditions the mine should be taken for public use.

J. D.

[Second indorsement.]

COMMISSARY-GENERAL:

Have you received any report from your agent sent across the Mississippi?

G. W. R.

[Third indorsement.]

Communication have been received from Lieutenant-Colonel Broadwell, to whom the working of this mine has been confided, that arrangements are now in operation for the extensive production of salt. The