“The Results of Extortion and Speculation.—The state of affairs brought about by the speculating and extortion practiced upon the public cannot be better illustrated than by the following grocery bill for one week for a small family, in which the prices before the war and those of the present are compared:
| 1860. | 1863. | |||
| Bacon, 10 lbs. at 12½c | $1 25 | Bacon, 10 lbs. at $1 | $10 00 | |
| Flour, 30 lbs. at 5c | 1 50 | Flour, 30 lbs. at 12½c | 3 75 | |
| Sugar, 5 lbs. at 8c | 40 | Sugar, 5 lbs. at $1 15 | 5 75 | |
| Coffee, 4 lbs. at 12½c | 50 | Coffee, 4 lbs. at $5 | 20 00 | |
| Tea (green), ½ lb. at $1 | 50 | Tea (green), ½ lb. at $16 | 8 00 | |
| Lard, 4 lbs. at 12½c | 50 | Lard, 4 lbs. at $1 | 4 00 | |
| Butter, 3 lbs. at 25c | 75 | Butter, 3 lbs. at $1 75 | 5 25 | |
| Meal, 1 pk. at 25c | 25 | Meal, 1 pk. at $1 | 1 00 | |
| Candles, 2 lbs. at 15c | 30 | Candles, 2 lbs. at $1 25 | 2 50 | |
| Soap, 5 lbs. at 10c | 50 | Soap, 5 lbs. at $1 10 | 5 50 | |
| Pepper and salt (about) | 10 | Pepper and salt (about) | 2 50 | |
| —— | —— | |||
| Total | $6 55 | Total | $68 25 | |
“So much we owe the speculators, who have stayed at home to prey upon the necessities of their fellow-citizens.”
We have just learned that a British steamer, with cannon and other valuable cargo, was captured by the enemy, two days ago, while trying to get in the harbor. Another, similarly laden, got safely in yesterday. We can afford to lose one ship out of three—that is, the owners can, and then make money.
Cotton sells at seventy-five cents per pound in the United States. So the blockade must be felt by the enemy as well as ourselves. War is a two-edged sword.
January 31st.—We have dispatches from Charleston, to-day, which reconcile us to the loss of the cargo captured by the blockading squadron early in the week. An artillery company captured a fine gun-boat in Stone River (near Charleston) yesterday evening. She had eleven guns and 200 men.
But this morning we did better still. Our little fleet of two iron-clads steamed out of Charleston harbor, and boldly attacked the blockading fleet. We crippled two of their ships, and sunk one, completely raising the blockade, for the time being. This will frustrate some of their plans, and may relieve Wilmington.
The attack on Fort McAlister was a failure. The monitor which assaulted the fort sustained so much injury, that it had to retire for repairs.
Several blockade-runners between this and Williamsburg were arrested and sent to Gen. Winder to-day by Lieut. G. D. Wise. Gen. W. sent them to Gen. Rains. Mr. Petit and Mr. James Custis (from Williamsburg) came with them to endeavor to procure their liberation. Gen. Rains sent them back to Gen. W., with a note that he had no time to attend to such matters. Such business does not pertain to his bureau. I suppose they will be released.
Major Lear, of Texas, who was at the capture of the Harriet Lane, met on the captured steamer his mortally-wounded son, the lieutenant.