The Daily Dispatch: January 31, 1865., [Electronic resource]

Commodore Porter has lately made a report of the operations of the monitors and iron-clads in the assault upon Fort Fisher which will attract attention abroad, from the information which it gives of the working of this new class of vessels in a heavy sea and bad weather, as well as their capacities of attack and defence.

The technicalities of the description will be relieved to the mind of the general reader in England by the assurance which Commodore Porter takes occasion to give in his report, that one of these vessels could easily run over to England, destroy one of their naval stations, and, moreover could sink any ship in the British navy!

The speech of Captain Winslow, of the Kearsarge, who was lately complimented with a dinner in Philadelphia, will also make pleasant reading for an English breakfast table. The gallant Captain declared it was fitting that the fight should take place where it did, to show that the United States is as invincible upon the sea as upon the land; and wound up with quoting a remark of one of his sailors to a Frenchman--"the Alabama's officers were Americans; her crew were Englishmen that is the reason we sent her to the bottom"--which was received with loud cheers. We understand Captain Winslow to mean by this that Englishmen can be more easily whipped than Confederates.

The New York Tribune has another tidbit, which we respectfully recommend to Mr. Bull's digestion. Referring, editorially, to Seward's late letter to Minister Adams in regard to Lord Wharncliffe's request to contribute funds for the relief of Confederate prisoners in the United States, the Tribune says: ‘"We know that we possess the power, without taking away a single soldier and facing the rebels, to brush away Canada like gossamer; and without taking a single vessel from our blockade to sink every ship in the British navy, as if they were but cockleshell. Yet we will have little or no trouble to put Englishmen on their better behavior. Whatever does not seriously damage us, we let pass with a scornful word or two; whatever does seriously damage us, we quietly reserve for further settlement."’

These little straws indicate the direction of the tide. The army, the navy and the press of the United States are all clamorous for a set-to with honest John. Sherman threatens Hyde Park; Porter and the Kearsarge are eager to sink British ships; the Tribune will brush away Canada like gossamer. In the meantime, Mr. Bull stands hat in hand, bows politely at every fresh tweak of his nose, and protests that he had no intention of giving offence. It makes us melancholy to behold our venerable grandson thus humiliated. We propose that the Confederacy offer its mediation between England and the United States.