THE FILLIBUSTERING EXPEDITION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 102, 2 May 1871, Page 4

THE FILLIBUSTERING EXPEDITION.

(From the Sydney Correspondent of the Southern Cross.) t -y Sydney, 20th March. '/, An announcement of a very startling character, productive of much excitement here, has been received by tbe Government from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the effect that a fillibusteriug expedition was preparing to leave, or bad ! left, some part of America, for the purpose of an attack upon these Southern Colonies, and placing the seaports under contribution. Whether this information may he well founded or not, it is no new thing that there is a certain class of people in America, not necessari^ identified with true. Yankees, who havtflong beenHvishing for an opportunity opm striking a blow at England where sh£ i« most unguarded ; and it is not diffiault tb point to California as the probable place from which this marauding expedition may have sailed. It is known that a secret shipbuilding company has been at work there . for some time past, whose proceedings have, been viewed with suspicion. 'lihmediatelyj od the receipt of the news, the Government ordered an extra body of men to assist iv completing the fortifications of the harbour, which were commenced some months ago, but are not advauced so far as we anticipated, owing to the unexpected hardness of the sandstone rocks, which had to be pierced aud chambered. Several heavy guns are now mounted on their proper positions : and 40-pound er Armstrong breech-loading guns have, during the week, been wheeled on their carriages towards Watson's Bay, to he used there as a defence for the low beach. Next Saturday, the whole of the Volunteer Force, to the number of about 2,000, will be required to man the batteries and.^line the shore at a given signal, in oril&r to test the time in which this movement can be done. Afterwards there vyili be simultaneous shot practice, to try the range ..of the guns. H.M.S. Clio, after receiving the necessary repairs, will take up her position as sentinel near the Hea is, aud communication with Sydney can be effected from that poiut by electric telegraph. • The volunteers are at present armed with the long Enfield and the carbine, mostly with the former ; but the formidable Henry rifle will shortly be iv their hands, tho form of breech-loader most approved by tbe military authorities, though it is not apparent why this rifle has been preferred to the Martini-Henri. AU the city is astir, and the talk is of fortifying aud fighting ; hut all condemn the red uniform of the Sydney battalion, as a sure mark for the enemy, iv spite of the cover of rocks aud greeu bushes, while some ecout the smallness of our guns, many of which are not rifled. The largest are two, breech-loading Armstrongs,. 110 pounders ; most of the others are smooth bore 68-pounders, with two-84-pounder pivot guns at Mrs. Macquarie's battery. The permanent military force which the Government were in such a hurry to form some thiee months back, so as always to be present at the batteries in time of danger, has not yet been raised, through the want of ao Act of Parliament for that purpose. ' The' Bill, though ready, has not yet been submitted to the Assembly by Sir James Martin.