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^v.' ~r.X i' The Steamship Niagara. This steam-frigate, which, it was stated some days since, was coming off this port to blockade the harbor, was first noticed off here at an early hour on Saturday by Pilot Boat No. 4, then outside the Bar, and also from the steeple of #the Custom House. The pilot boat had observed in the offing on Friday evening what appeared to be a merchant ship bound into this harbor, and which, not being in sight on Saturday, was no doubt ordered off by the Niagara .* Towards midday the frigate disappeared, but returned off the port in the afternoon. On Saturday, Capt. Robert Lookwood, pilot, in boat No. 2. (the W. Y. LeitcK), took to sea the schooner Minnehaha, for Baltimore, and soon after leaving the schooner outside, he went on board his boat, when he made in the offing, standing in, a square?n/\mJnrr nn nml the Ilggou ICOOC1* xilguu vuj ? _ Niagara beiDg in sight, he thought it best to send his pilot boat ioto port, and to take his skiff aod one hand and proceed to the bark. He reached her about 7 p. in., and found her to be the bark Hilja, from Liverpool, in ballast, consigned to Messrs. R. Mure & Co., of this city. The tide being too late to gether into port, be remained on board during Saturday night, his skiff being taken on deck and carefully placed away. On Sunday morning, it being calm, v the pilot was unable to get her under way, and about Si a. m. she was boarded by a boat from the Niagara, commanded by Lieut. R. L. May, who imformed the captain of the Hilja that the port was blockaded, the rebels inside having tired on Fort Sumter with a garrison of less than a hundred men, gave him a Yankee paper containing the latest news, and mentioned that anj army of 100,000 had been landed on the coast of Louisiana. The captain of the Hija informed the Lieutenant that he was short of water, and requested to know if the Niagara could supply him; but he was informed that the frigato had a shorter supply of that than any other necessary article. The following is a copy of the endorsement of Lieutenant R. L. May, on the papers of '.the Hilja : "Boarded May 12th, and ordered off the whole Southern coast of tho Uuited States j t of America, it being blockaded. / o; IN I> T. AIAV I ^oigueuy jiv. *j. I'IUJi. Lieut. I?. S. Steamship Niagara. The offioer remained by the llija for about twenty minutes, wheu he left. The >> boat's crew had a revolver each in a belt i attached to the waist. Mr. Lockwood left the Hija about 10 o'clock, and reached the oity in his Bluff, accompanied by a valuable < boat hand, wno remained faithful, although appearances indicated that the boy had on ly to open his mouth, when he might huve had a passage to some other place than "Dixie's Land." The Hija went off during the day, and will proceed to the Brit ish Provinces. The British ship Monmouth, from Liver pool, and the ship Gen'I Parkhill, from the game place, were sent off the bar yesterday and were ordered off; and we understand! that the Niagara had previously sent off three other square-rigged vessels. During Sunday the Niagara went well off shore, accompanied by two of the above vessels; and while she was absent the British A. and A., Captain Hutchinson, from Belfast, stood in from the eastward, when the Niagara made after her, but the ship having much the start was run into shoal water where the frigate could not well approach her, when the Niagara put about and proceeded south. Should the boats of the Niagara omit to board the A. and A. before morning, she may be got into port with the aid of steam. The race was anxiously watched i from the wharves, and also by a party of gentlemen who were oat in the pilot boat Rover, Capt. Evans. They went alongside and spoke the ship.?Mercury. Scenes off Charleston Bar. The British ship A. and A.} from Belfast, which was reported in our last issue as having anchored near the outer buoy of north channel, after having been chased by the Niagara, escaped being boarded by the man-of-war on Suuday night, and was suc" " 1 -1 ! cessiuuy iowou iuwj pum uj l/uc oivaujgi j Gordon yesterday morning. The officers of the Niagara supposed A. and A. to have beeu ashore when she anchored, she was so close in, but in this supposition they were mistaken, and the ship has got into a port, where she will make a most superior freight, say about 1 id. for Upland, and 1 Jd. for Sea Island cottou. The British ship Susan G. 0teens went to sea yesterday for Liverpool, and it was rumored that she was boarded by a boat from the Niagara, and her papers strictly examined ; but the pilot who took her to sea informs us that he watched her closely after she had almost disappeared, and that no such event took place. She was, when last seen, going off finely, with all her canvass set. So far as we can ascertain, no outward bound vessel has yet been stopped. The Niagara was about tea miles southeast from the ship bar yesterday, and was there visited during the afternoon by Robt. Bunch, Esq., her Britannic Majesty's Oonsnl at this port, who left the city about 2 p. m., in the steamer Charleston, and proceeded on board the Niagara., where he was received with the nsaal salute, and had every courtesy extended to him, and every matter in relation to the blockade satisfactorily explained. All neutral vessels now in this port would be allowed a reasonable time to depart but nothing farther would be allowed to come in. The A. <k A., which got in yesterday, and whose manner of getting into port rather disturbed the nerves of some cotton shippers, will be allowed to go unmolested. All open letters for masters of foreign vessels expected here will be received on board tho Niagara and given to the parties when they come off the bar, but no sealed communication will be received. A fleet of eight or ten sail, with Commodore Stringham, is expected off here I shortly, when the blockade will be rigidly enforced all along the ooast. They expressed a willingness to have supplied the Hilja with water, but the captain sailed off in such haste that it could not be done. Tbe commander of the Niagara was' pained at the position he had to occupy in j reference to the seceded States, but he intended to carry out his orders. Mr. Bunch says the Niagara is a formidable looking ship, haB a noble orew of about six hundred men, is loaded down with provisions onil war material, decks niled un with shot ~ 1 r ~r and guns of the most formidable size. The only Charleston ships ordered off have been those reported: say, Monmouth, Gen. Parkhill and Hilja, all from Liverpool. The Eliza Bonsall, Sir Allen McNub, <fr., have not yet been seen. Sevoral other Brit-) ish vessels have been ordered off, two of which it is said were bound to Savannah,, but their names we did not learn. No vessels appeared off this harbor on Monday, so far as we could see or learn, and the Niagara hud a quiet day, but she keeps steam on al! the time and moves rapidly when under way.?Charleston Mercury. From Pensacola. The correspondent of the New Orleans Delta writes from Warrington uavy-yard : "A daring and successful, attempt was made last Dight to obstruct the channel and entrance ot tbe bay, so as eiincr to close it to the ships-of-war, or to compel them if they attempt to come in, to do so in dangerous proximity to Fort Mcltae. I believe the credit of this idea is doe to Capt. Lovell, of the Quitman Artillery, of Nat-1 chez, formerly one of the most active, efficient and promising officers of the United States navy. It had been intimated by the officers of the squadron outside, that a blockade of this port would commence to day. In view of this, and of the danger of the ships attempting to come io, whilst our forts and batteries were engaged with Pickens, the plan was adopted of buying some vessels at Pensacola, and sinking them in the channel. To Capt. Lovell this duty was assigned and promptly executed. A brig was brought down from Pensacola, and night before last a large detail from the army were employed in throwing heavy stones into her hold. This consumed nearly the whole night. In the meantime Commander Renshaw, Col. Stephens and Capt. Lovell, and a party of officers, proceeded in one of the I---I 4- ?1 1 1 11 J lliue BlUttUiurs tu tuc uuauuuij uuu uj auuuuing ascertained the proper place to sink the vessels, and placed buoys by which it could be ascertained. They were observed by the sentinels on the ramparts of Pickens, an alarm was given, and the drums beat to arms, but they had accomplished their object and returned safely. Last night a largo force was set to work on the vessels again, and by midnight they were all got ready. Capt. Lovell's company, sixty muskets, were the only armed men in the party. A large brig and three large scows, heavily loaded with stones, were fastened to the two little tug steamers, and underthe command of Capt. Lovell, assisted by Commander Renshaw, and superintended by Col. Stephens, chief of engineers, were then conveyed noiselessly about two miles out towards the point where the obstructions were to be placed. They passed very near to Fort Pickenn, but excited no alarm. Hav-1 1 ing reached the scene of their operations, | DromDt measures were taken to sink the i vessels. This was done by scuttling, and the brig aud three scows wore just thirtyfive minutes in sinking. G'apt. Renshaw, with his little tug, remained until the vessels had entirely disappeared, but the men on the steamers expected every moment to hear the whizzing of the big shot from Fort Pickens, or from the fleet, which lay about a mile off. There was not, however, the slightest indication on either the fort or the ships of any knowledge or observation of what was going on. At day-break the party in command of the expedition returned to the yard safely, greatly to the relief of the whole camp and of the dwellers in the yard, who apprehended that an attempt to sink these vessels would draw the fire of the fort, and bring on the action before our side was fully prepared therefor. The railroad to Montgomery is now complete, running through, and the difficulty of transporting the big Columbiads no longer exists. The importance of an early assault upon Fort Pickens is fully appreciated by everybody here. The delay, though it has produced so much restiveness and impatience among the troops, has been unavoidable. The Confederate States had here to begin the organization of an army. It is wonderful to behold how much has been done, and how well it has been done; but the formation, support and effective organization of an army is not the work of a week, a month, or of six months. A ffairs at Pensacola.?Our correspondent at Pensacola has been silent for more than a week; perhaps because there is nothing to write aboat ; bat we havo conversed with a gentleman of this city, who has just returned from the camps and bring> the j latest intelligence. All details are not to be expected; we may state generally that the condition of the troops and fortifications is all that conld bo desired. Gen. Bragg has proved the very man for the work, and the volunteers lend a ready hand to carry on; every order. Pickens is covered by our batteries on three sides. There are eight between the Navy Yard and Fort Barrancas, four between the latter and the Lighthouse, and a formidable mortar battery in the rear of Fort Mcltae. There is also a heavy mortar battery in the rear of Barrancas. All these works have been erected by the hands of the volunteers, and are armed with the very heaviest and best of artillery. The channel on a line between McRae and Piokens has been obstructed by sinking a number of small vessels. It was supposed that everything would be complete by the middle of the coming week, after which we shall have a bombardment that will bo worthy of a record. Pickens must fall, and the more men they put in it, the greater will be the destruction. Besides Pickens, the enemy have thrown up a battery on the island some five miles from the fort, which they are now engaged in arming for the straggle. Some hundred or more horses can be seen on the island, and seven ships of war and transports are lying off, something less than a mile from the shore.?Savannah Republican, 10</t last. MiM f 1Mb ?n%nm. YORKVILLE, S. C. FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 17, 1861. Mr. John It. Allen, Post Master at Cheater, is our authorized agent; and fully empowered to receive money for this office, and give receipts for the same. QtJ- In cases where snliscribers do not take the Enquirer from the post-office, Post-Masters are requested to nodfy us immediately. YORKVILLE MARKETS Cotton.?Nothing doing whatever. Flour.?We notice but little change in ! I prices. We quote $4 to 84.05 per sack. Bacon.?Hog round, 14* to 15c. CORRECTION. "We learn that we were misinformed as to the name of the person hanged at Shelby J some days since. The person hanged was Timothy Hainey, instead of Martin Scruggs. | We take the following account of the affair | from the Eagle of Wednesday morning: Reward of Merit.?Tim Honey, a notorious character j of this County, was found suspended to u limb by the neck, on Saturday morning last, about a mile east of.Shelby. He litis long been tampering with negroes, lias been tried some seventeen times for violations of the law. and now, it is [ said, confesses having given a runaway, for some time advertised in tills paper, a free pass, with the forged names of | several of our citizens. No excitement was created, and nobody knows who his executioners were, but all ngrco, it was "well done." In times like these, we cannot moralize tut to tin: lawfulness of the net. A FREE LECTURE. On this afternoon at 3* o'clock, Dr.'J. R. Reid, LL. D., at present engaged as a teacher in the classioal department of the King's Mountain Military School, will deliver a lecture at the Female College. The subject selected for the occasion, is " Works of fiction-?their use and abuse." From the reputation of Dr. Keid as a scholar and a close reasoner and thinker, a rare literary treat may be expected. The public are invited to attend. HOME MANUFACTURES. We observe with pleasure that our people in different sections of the country, are making vigorous preparations for the man ufacture of all kinds of war munitions : In Charleston, Messrs. Cameron & Co., are dow engaged in making the machinery by which percussion caps can be produced in large quantities. A few have been already manufactured in Charleston, and the Mercury says they are in every respect equal to those manufactured in any part of the United States. A manufactory has been started in Raleigh, N. C., and also one in Nashville, Tenn. The latter concern is turning out ten thousand per day, with a sufficient quantity of material on hand to produce them to an unlimited extent. Foundrys in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and other States, are casting cannons, balls, shells, grape-shot, and in fact every thing needed in this line.? In New Orleans a manufactory has been established for the production of the very i l - .1 uest nueu uuuuuu. The Chattanooga (Tenn.,) Advertiser says that Mr. G. W. Rice and others of that section, have leased the celebrated Santa,' cave in Jackson county, Alabama, and are making extensive preparations for the production of nitre and the manufacture of gun-powder on a large scale. There is already a Powder Mill at Nashville, Tenn., in vigorous operation. If we have not been misinformed, powder is also being manufactured in considerable quantities in Pickens District, in this State. "We have several iron foundrys in our neighborhood. Cannot cannon, shot, shell &c., be manufactured at these, if necessary? MEBE-MENTION. The Columbia papers announce the death in that place, on Friday last, of Mr. John M. Allen, of the firm of Allen & Dial. Gen. Beauregard arrived at Charleston from Montgomery on Friday last. Most of the merchant vessels now leaving Boston go out fully armed. Hon. Howell Cobb, of Georgia, sends three sons into the - 1* TT.l military service: two in tne irxacon volunteers and one in the Athens Guards. The Augusta Chronicle says Adjtftant General Wayne, of Georgia, has issued orders, in compliance with orders from the Secretary of War, that no more volunteers will be received fortwevle months, but only for the war. The steamer Hu7itsville, formerly of the line between Savannah andN. York, arrived off Charleston bar on Tuesday, to aid the Niagara in the blockade of the port. The Southern papers are pleased with the tone of Mr. Russell's first letter to the London Times. The Northern papers are correspondingly dissatisfied. According to the Tribune the forwarding of troops will not cease until there are 50,000 in Washington. * Hon. Howell Cobb has come out in a letter declaring that, under no circumstances, | will he be a candidate for any public office after the expiration of his present term.-*" L. P. Walker, Secretary of War, has accepted Major Flonrnoy's regiment of Arkansas troops for service in Virginia, and they are to go toLynohburg. A revolving five shooting cannon has been cast in Lynohbnrg, Va. The piece is of small size, but complete in all its parts, and can t)e loaded with tbo ease and rapidity of a Colt's revolver. The 'weight does not ei*.. ceed six hnndred pounds. It carries a three inch ball, four pounds in weight, and shoots with great precision at the distance of 1200 yards. Jdhn C. Breckinridge is stomping Kentucky in favor of secession with great effect. It is rumored that the Great Eastern has keen charterted by the Lincoln Government. The Ladies of Richmond are making arrangements to demand from General Scott the sword which was presented to him by Virginia. CHESTER CORRESPONDENCE. Chester, S. C., May 16,1861. Editors of YorkviJIe Enquirer: I am glad to inform you that we are preparing for the trying time whioh seems to be approaching. A meeting of the people within the bounds of this Regiment, is to be held in this place on the 18th instant, ! for the purpose of affording relief to the i families of volunteers. The design is to adopt a systematic plan to have the farms worked, and the destitute supplied with provisions. All are requested to subscribe liberally, and then those who do work may be paid out of the general fund. The citizens resident in the territory of the other Regiment in this District have already organized for the purpose before mentioned. I have noticed an admirable plan for increasing the corn crop, which I desire to recommend to the readers of the Enquirer. It is as follows: plant cotton as usual, and then cross it with corairows twelve feet apart, and plant corn in every other cross, allowing two stalks to stand in a hill. This will make the number of stalks nearly equal to what it would be if the corn were plamed four feet apart each way, with one stalk in a hill. It is computed that on productive soil, the yield of corn planted with the cotton as recommended, will be about fifteen bushels to the acre, with a very slight falling off in the ootton crop. In some localities in our District, the 1 worm has been destructive upon the plant- 1 ed corn, insomuch that it has been neces- 1 sary, in several instances, to plough up and * plant the second time. The very warn weather which we are now having is, how* ever, producing a fine effect upon the crops. We are fully of the opinion that the North will suffer more than the South in the wicked orusade which has been inaugurated upon the rights and interests of our people. The North lives upon her Com- | merce and Manufactories; the South upon her agricultural resources mainly. The North is consequently toed up even now, while the prospect is that the fields in the 1 South will not fall very far short of producing the oustomary amount of corn and cotton. So much for the reign of fanatical insanity. DAMON. J ^PHOM SULLIVAN'S ISLAND. fl Friday, May 11, 1861. ' Dear Enquirer: Not having seen a com- * munication from any member of the <-Catawba Light Infantry," ic has occurred to me that it would be nothing amiss to send you a few lines in my humble way. In the first place, the vista of the Enquires are regular, and you have the thanks of the j Company for your kindness in sending it to 1 t". 1 The "Catawba's" are stationed on the I beaoh between Fort Monltrie and the Mont- j trie House. We have a comfortable situa- 1 tion, but very mnob crowded?eighty four men in five small rooms! The health of I the company has not suffered from anything , \ except diarrhoea, from which nearly all j have recovered?but few men being unfit t for duty. We have a fine time of it drilling on the beach, with a fine breeze blow- j ing nearly all the time. The Company is in good spirits, and are all ready and anxious to give our enemies a warm reoeption j if they should presume to set foot on Caro- 1 lina soil. There is a large vessel lying off the bar ^ to-day. The knowing ones about headquarters say it is the United States Steamship Nigara. The boys have all been trying to get a peep at her through a glass! I must say for the honor of the "Catawba's" that there has not been one of the Company in the guard-house, or under arreat, ^ since we have been in service. ' We fare better than we might expeot.-~ As to provisions, we get a bountiful supply, ' and that which is good and substantial?the bread excepted. We get enough of bread, but being "baker's bread," some of us don't relish it muoh. Our friends at home send us Jarge quantities of provisions, and that which is as good as the land affords. Our water is not equal to what we have been accustomed at home, but when a man turns soldier, he need not calculate to find everything as he would wish it. We have prayer in our Company regularly by Mr. John Witherspoon, of Yorkville. It is rather a remarkable circumstance that there is between eleven and twelve . hundred men in the regiment which have M been in the service about four weeks, and there has not been a death from sickness, ^ accident or otherwise as yet?in short, "nobody hurt." H. A. Wi v" / -?f. / LETTEB FBOM TEXAS. We have been furnished with the subjoined letter from Texas. It was written by a young man from this district, and although not intended for publication, we have been permitted to give it to our readers. We will be much pleased if the writer will favor us with letters of correspondence "intended for publication":? Lavernia, Wilson County, Texas, 1 April 29th," 1861. / My Dear Father: Since the date of my last letter, some important movements have been made in Western Texas. The war has been opened here. Although like your Fort Sumter affair it has been without bloodshed, yet the results are none the less important. You remember I told you that ^ the troops encamped near Indianola, where w they had gone to take shipping for the< North, had refused to go away. t The Star of the West which left Charleston harbor so hurriedly last January, had been lying outside the bay for the last month, and it was understood that she had come there to transport the troops to some point North. As soon as the news of the taking of Fort Sumter reached there, Col. Van Dorn, of the Confederate States Army, who was there on the recruiting service, determined to capture her, and succeeded by a stratagem. He collected two hundred volunteers in a few hours, chartered a steamer and run out along side the Star of the West during the night, and asked permis- i sion to put some troops on board. After some parleying, the Captain, supposing them United States soldiers, consented, and in a ^ few minutes the whole two hundred were on Doara. v an jjorn men puuieiy iiuurw ed the Captain, that be was a prisoner, at A which the Captain swore a perfect tornado fl of oaths, but finding it did no good, soon . .m quieted down. Col. Van Dorn took the ves- w sel next day to Galveston, and from there ^ sent her to New Orleans. Col. Van Dorn then determined to cap\ c? h . : i > j