Puget Sound Herald

FORT SUMTER.

Can Fort Sumter be battered down by our iron-clads? This is the question suggested by the trial of last week, says the Boston Journal, of April 11th, and which many were disposed at first to answer in the negative. But the more closely the accounts are scanned and considered, the more widely, we think, the opposite conclusion will prevail. It is true that the actual injury inflicted upon Fort Sumter is not definitely ascertained, and could not be under the circumstances.

But taking the account which is at the same time the most detailed and the most moderate, we find that eleven holes were broken into the side of the fort, so large as to be visible at the distance of three miles. Some gaps were three feet wide, and looked as though the shot had plowed right through the wall. Two embrasures seemed almost knocked into one.

Now the whole number of shots fired by the iron-clads in the action was one hundred and fifty-one. Of these many were directed at Fort Moultrie. The engagement proper did not last over an hour, during which some of the iron-clads were nearly useless, from various reasons.

The Ironsides, for instance, with her nine guns on a side, fired but eight shots, the Keokuk but three, and the Passaic nine. Suppose the remaining eight to renew the engagement under the favorable circumstances which we may reasonably look for as the fruit of this preliminary trial. We find that last Tuesday both the Montauk and the Weehawken fired 26 shots apiece, the Catskill 25, and the Nahant 24. Each of these vessels and the other monitors may, at the next fight, fire at least sixty shots on an average before the guns get too heated. This is the estimate of all artillerists. At this rate the Ironsides ought to send over 200 shots. This would give a total of over 600 shots. Allowing, also, that these were directed by a concerted understanding at one spot till a breach should be made, and then carried along the walls according to plans which are no doubt in Admiral Du Pont's possession, and it will be evident that Sumter must fall, although a reasonable share of casualties should be inflicted on our fleet in the meantime.

We believe that the rebels have been led to the same conclusion as the result of last Tuesday's engagement, and that they look forward to its renewal with more apprehension than confidence.