War matters.
Extracts from Northern and Southern journals.
The following summary of news, made up from late Northern and Southern journals, should have appeared in our edition of yesterday; but, owing to a press of other matters, was unavoidably laid over:
List of appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863.
The Herald's Washington correspondent furnishes the following summary of the estimates of appropriations required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863, submitted to Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury: Treasury Department, Dec. 4, 1861.
sir:
Agreeable to the joint resolution of Congress of January 7, 1846. I have the honor to transmit, for the information of the House of Representatives, printed estimates of the appropriations proposed to be made for the fiscal year ending June, 30, 1863, as follows viz:
sir:
| for civil list, foreign intercourse, and miscellaneous objects, including expenses of collecting the revenue from sales of public lands and expense of courts, | $9,781,833.90 |
| for supplying deficiencies in the revenues of the General Post Office | 3,145,000.00 |
| for pensions | 1,450,000.00 |
| for Indian Department | 1,866,835.38 |
| for army proper, &c., including miscellaneous | 343,600,275.21 |
| for military Academy | 199,611.40 |
| for fortifications, ordnance, &c. | 16,160,100.00 |
| for Naval Establishment | 44,625,665.02 |
| total | $420,829,320.91 |
| for miscellaneous, including expenses of collecting revenue from customs | $5,440,914.14 |
| for compensation to the General Post-Office for mail services | 700,000.00 |
| for civilization of Indians | 10,000.00 |
| for arming and equipping the militia | 200,000.00 |
| for interest on the public debt | 39,932,966.00 |
| for redemption of the loan of 1842 | 2,883,364.11 |
| total | $49,167,244.67 |
| For civil list, foreign intercourse, and miscellaneous | $4,019,823.19 |
| For interior, pensions, and Indians | 775,527.58 |
| For navy | 539,329.19 |
| Total | $5,334,679.93 |
| Grand total | $475,331,245.51 |
I am, very respectfully,
Your obed't serv't,
S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury.Hon. Golusha A. Grow, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States.
Your obed't serv't,
S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury.Hon. Golusha A. Grow, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States.
Appropriations for Coast defences.
The Secretary of War has submitted to Congress the following estimates of the Engineer Department of amounts required for fortifications now existing or in course of construction, and also for temporary and field fortifications and engineer operations in the field, for bridges, trains, and equipage, and for tool and siege trains, for the second haft of the current fiscal year, and all of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1863. They are additional estimates to those heretofore transmitted to Congress:| For fortifications on the Northern frontier, including fortifications at Oswego, Niagara, Buffalo, and Detroit | $750,000 |
| Fort Montgomery, at outlet of Lake Champlain, New York | 150,000 |
| Fort Knox, at Narrows of Penobscot river, Maine | 159,000 |
| Fort on Hog Island Ledge, Portland harbor, Maine | 150,000 |
| Fort Warren, Boston harbor, Mass | 75,000 |
| Fort Winthrop and exterior batteries, Boston harbor | 100,000 |
| Fort at New Bedford Harbor, Mass | 150,000 |
| Fort Adams, Newport harbor, R. I. | 50,000 |
| Fort Schuyler, East river, New York | 25,000 |
| Fort at Willet's Point, opposite Fort Schuyler, New York | 250,000 |
| Commencement of casemate at battery on Staten Island, New York | 100,000 |
| New battery at Fort Hamilton, at the Narrows, New York | 100,000 |
| Fort at Sandy Hook, entrance to New York harbor, New Jersey | 300,000 |
| Fort Millin, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 25,000 |
| Fort Delaware, on Delaware river | 60,000 |
| New fort, opposite Fort Delaware, on Delaware shore | 200,000 |
| Fort Carrol, Baltimore harbor, Md | 200,000 |
| Fort Calhoun, Hampton Roads, Va. | 200,000 |
| Fort Monroe, Hampton Roads, Va. | 50,000 |
| Fort Taylor, Key West, Florida | 300,000 |
| Fort Jefferson, Garden Key, Tortugas Florida | 300,000 |
| Additional Fort, at Tortugas, Fla | 200,000 |
| Fort at Ship Island, Coast of Mississippi | 100,000 |
| Fort at Fort Point, entrance San Francisco harbor | 200,000 |
| Fort at Sicatraz Island, San Francisco harbor | 150,000 |
| Contingencies of fortifications | 100,000 |
| Total | $4,710,000 |
Arrival of Gen.Scott in Paris — his meeting with his wife — their Domestic affairs, &c.
From the New York Herald's Paris correspondence, under date of November 26th, we extract the following: ‘ Ex-Lieutenant General Scott arrived here from Havre, which port he reached in the Arago on Sunday morning. Yesterday afternoon at six o'clock he was met at the railroad station by Mr. Bigelow, the United States Consul, and by the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of Legation, Messrs. Pennington and Dayton. I should not suppose it would have required any very great relaxation from his usual dignity for the Minister to have been present in person to greet the war-worn old veteran to whom our country owes so much, and whom our countrymen and their representatives abroad should delight to honor. But Mr. Dayton was not present. --The General has taken rooms at the Westminster Hotel, in the Rue de la Paix, where, upon his arrival, he was met by Mrs. Scott, who has not seen him before in five or six years. General Scott and his wife, finding that their temper and modes of thought were not of an amicable character, "agreed to disagree," and concluded that as they could not love each other together, they would love each other apart. Most of that time Mrs. Scott has been residing in Europe, and has always manifested intense interest in her husband's movements and welfare. At the Union breakfast given last summer, at the Hotel on Louvre, and at which some of our newly-fledged Ministers made such "Mugginses" of themselves, Mrs. Scott was present, and whenever an allusion was made to the General she seemed to be deeply affected, and once shed tears. Latterly she has manifested a greater interest than ever in her husband's career, and for two or three weeks she was so nervous and excited that it was found necessary to keep from her all the papers containing bad news. Now, upon the General's arrival in Paris, she wishes to greet, him, forgetting all that is past. And it is not improbable under all the circumstances that the venerable pair may conclude to finish the remainder of life's downhill journey together. Quite a demonstration was made by the American ship captains upon the General's arrival in Havre. Two triumphal arches were erected, under which the General passed, and as much enthusiasm was exhibited and as much noise made as was consistent with the quiet ideas of the French police. To-day the General is resting quietly at his hotel, and to-morrow or next day will receive his American friends. After remaining here a few weeks for medical advice and treatment, he will proceed to the South of France, probably to Pan or Cannes, where he will spend the winter. He enjoyed the trip across very much, never missed a meal, and says he feels better now then he has for a year past. The French Post-Office authorities have given notice that, as many letters intended for the Southern States are dropped in here addressed to the care of the French Legation at Washington, or of the French Consul General at New York, such letters will not be sent during the suspension of mail communication with the Southern States. ’The Mason-Slidell affair in Ireland — public opinion on the boarding of the Trent.
[from the Cork Constitution, (extreme Tory and Orange organ,) November 28.]
A free flag does not cover free goods — a neutral bottom does not make a neutral cargo. --This is the lesson we learn from the outrage we think it must be pronounced, of the American man-of-war on the British mail steamer.
Had there been a Queen's ship at hand, no one would regret had she sunk the marauder as deeply as the Nashville sunk the Harvey Birch.
Unless maritime law be very different from what we suppose it, the San Jacinto had no more right to stop the Trent and take out her passengers than her commander had to enter the Thames and set fire to the shipping.
The question is, what is to be?
The insolence of the Federal Government has proceeded too far. Forbearance is good, and should be carried to the utmost extent of reasonable endurance, but if deeds of this kind are to be borne with, there is no security for British property, for once the confidence in the ability and the readiness of the British Government to protect them is gone, the ocean is no longer the highway it has been to them.
An Englishman's ship should be as much his castle as his house, but if she is to be broken into by any belligerent that chooses to intercept her, where is the security or the inviolability we are wont to boast of?
Government have shown indulgence as far as the most patient could demand — farther, indeed, than appears to have been safe; but we should not wonder if this insult would raise an outcry that would leave it no longer in their power to be either polite or peaceful, and that would compel them to resort to measures which would contribute materially to abridge the hostilities between ‘"North and South."’ They have done what they could to avoid war, but if war be forced upon them the responsibility will not be theirs.
The war fever in England — Hesitation about the Cabinet Council in England.
[from the Dublin Freeman, Nov. 29.]
The American question continues to agitate commercial circles.
The Chamber of Commerce (Dublin) yesterday was crowded during the greater part of the day by our first merchants, who eagerly watched the arrival of each successive dispatch in anxious expectancy of some further intelligence, or some more decisive opinion with reference to the legality or illegality of the conduct of the commander and officers of the San Jacinto.
Our latest dispatches, however, indicate that the first outburst of indignation having had vent, the inconvenience of rash proceedings are being calculated, and a calmer tone is being assumed.
The Cabinet Council, which was to have been held, according to some of our London contemporaries, yesterday, will be held to-day, and Ministers are said to have referred the question to the law officers.
John Bull will not like, while his dander is up, to refer a matter affecting the honor of his old and, we must add, noble flag, which he so justly venerates, to a quid nunc lawyer, which he imagines ought to be settled by Armstrong and Whitworth guns.
But, after all, war is a very costly enjoyment; and though Lancashire may be very anxious to get more cotton, there is a price at which even that article might be purchased too dearly.
Notwithstanding the inveterate propensities of Brother Jonathan to ‘ "bounce"’ and ‘"swagger,"’ and the instinctive impulse rational men feel to give such ‘"bouncers"’ a cooling, we still expect to see this question settled by the ‘"goose quill"’--not by gunpowder.
Opinion of the British Ship-owners.
The London Shipping Gazette, of the 28th of November, (evening,) says the case of the royal mail steamer Trent has been referred to the law officers of the crown. On the decision of those learned gentlemen the Government will, it is understood, act with promptitude. The Gazette says, within the past year we were on the eve of a collision with the United States because our cruisers searched certain American ships at Saguala Grand in search of African slaves. The difficulty was only got over by the mutual abandonment of the right of search in respect of merchant ships of either country.--The Gazette reminds the Federal Government that it is pursuing a course full of danger, and hopes that moderate counsels will prevent a collision with this (England) country.War risks on vessels from England to New York.
[from the Dublin Freeman, Nov. 29.]
At Lloyd's, Liverpool, yesterday, in consequence of the news by the La Plata, war risks of five guineas were demanded on vessels from New York.
The steamer Bermuda at Havre — the English flag used to cover her cotton cargo.
[from Gallignanl's Messenger, Nov. 28.]
The steamer Bermuda, which forced the blockade of Savannah with two thousand bales of cotton on board, bound for Liverpool, entered the port of Havre the day before yesterday, under the English flag.
It is not yet decided whether the cargo is to be sold at Havre or not, the Captain awaiting orders from England.
The Bermuda, according to the New York journals, entered Savannah with a cargo of munitions of war in spite of the Federal cruisers.
The Captain is a creole of Louisiana, and of French extraction.
According to advices brought by this steamer, other vessels have safely arrived in Southern ports with war stores, and intended to force the blockade with cargoes of cotton.
Arrival of the Connecticut at New York — accession of prisoners to Fort Lafayette.
The United States steamer Connecticut, Commander Maxwell Woodhull, from Galveston, November 29, Southwest Pass; December 1; Ship Island, December 2; Mobile Bar and Fort Pickens, 3d; Key West, 10th; Savannah, 12th; Fortress Monroe, 16th; arrived at New York on Tuesday, the 17th inst. The Connecticut brings as passengers thirteen of Wilson's Zouaves and several regulars from Fort Pickens. She also has a mail from the entire blockading squadron. Nothing new had taken place at Fort Pickens since the bombardment. The United States steamer Richmond was coaling and repairing at Key West. By the arrival of the United States gunboat Connecticut, Commander Woodhull, we have quite an accession to our list of residents at Fort Lafayette. The following is a list of prison is from the rebel privateer schooner Royal Yacht, captured in Galveston Bay by the launches of the frigate Santee: Captain Thomas Chubb, Joseph Frisbee. George Hall, Ambrose Snow, J. E. Davidson, John Greenhouse, Thomas C. Sanders, G. Baker, J. Kelly, R. Redman, H. M. Ducle, J. S. Hayes, J. G. Rodgers — the last three men bearing wounds of their capture. The following is the crew list of the British bark Empress, captured with 6,000 bags of coffee on board, by the sloop-of war Vincennes, off the Southwest Pass — James Robinson, A. Wardele, W. Cuthbert, George Waltz, Michael O'Brien, W. Sanger, and W. Jones. The Empress is now on her way to this port with the captain and several of the crew on board, in charge of a prize master. The following is the crew of the rebel dispatch schooner Adeline, captured by the frigate St. Lawrence: J. H. Hardes, nephew to General Hardee, author of the military work known as ‘ "Hardee's Tactics;"’ J. Dickerson (mate), John Nelson, Benjamin McKenny, Henry Johnson, William Johnson, John Q. A. Butler (captain), John Wilson, 1st, John Wilson, 2d, and Patrick Walsh. Crew of the rebel steamer Lewis, captured by the gunboat, New London, off Mobile — Antonio De Gross, J. Williams, Wm. Brown, Manuel Antonio, Andrew Miller, Benjamin Adams. Crew of sloop Ada--A. M. Key, Bernard Adams. Lieutenant Baker, David Corson and John Grust, deserters from Gen. Bragg's corps d'armes. Corporal Gaston, a United States marine, who was discovered giving information to the rebels while he was stationed at Fort Massachusetts, on Ship Island. The Connecticut arrived at an early hour yesterday morning, and proceeded to the Navy-Yard, where she was moored to the buoy. Commander Woodhull immediately went on shore to confer with the authorities in reference to the disposition of the prisoners in his charge, and a large lot of sick seamen and soldiers who came home to go into hospital. Marshal Murray was notified that his services would be required, and he immediately dispatched several of the deputy marshals with the steamer Chase to the yard to bring the crest fallen rebels to his office. On the arrival of the Chase alongside of the Connecticut, the prisoners were drawn up in a line, under the armed guard of seamen and marines, and the roll called. The privateersmen were all in double irons, and, aside from their stalwart appearance presented a very sorry aspect. Many of them were dressed in new navy clothing as they were surprised sans culottes, and our blue-jackets did not have the time or the fancy to allow them to get their dunnage together. The English sailors looked as dirty as English sailors generally look; but they were in no very good humor. There were several colored men in the group, but they were as stoical as can be imagined, looking on without ap- parent concern, while the master-at-arms of the gunboats removed the foot irons from the privateersmen. In a short time the irons were removed, and the disembarkation was soon over, the prisoners being seated on the hurricane deck of the steamer, while Messrs. Baker and Hardee occupied the lower deck aft.--Nothing of moment transpired on the trip, from the Navy-Yard to pier No. 1 East river, where they disembarked, and were placed in stages (it required no less than five to accommodate the party) amid the gaze of hundreds of spectators. The presence of the English sailors was remarked, but no insult of any kind was offered to one of the motley crowd, either black or white. The stages drove rapidly to the Marshal's office, where they were taken in charge of by the proper authorities.The confiscation of rebel property and colonization of slaves.
Washington, Dec. 17.
--The House Committee on Military Affairs have before them a report and bill on the confiscation of property of rebels, and of employment and colonization of slaves, made by the chairman, Colonel F. P. Blair, based upon the President's Message.
It declares null and void all sales, assignments and transfers of property of rebels, and all interest therein, &c. It provides for the appointment of Commissioners for the States, at stated places, who have power to take summary action on all cases of confiscation; that all persons owing service to the rebels being taken by the United States forces coming to and claiming their protection shall be declared forever Lee. It also empowers the President to acquire by purchase lands in South, or Central America or the Islands of the Gulf, for their colonization, &c., giving to each man forty acres and to each head of a family eighty acres and protection by the United States Government; also that such persons shall be, under proper and humane supervision, employed and apprenticed on the confiscated estates of rebels, a proper account kept of their labor and the money paid over to the United States Government in trust for them for their future transportation and for their subsistence in the meantime; also the term of apprenticeship for those under twenty-one years of age, five years; those under twenty years until the age of twenty-five.
It is the intention of the committee, if possible, to go to the House with a bill upon which the members are unanimous.
This saves a minority report, and will naturally produce a moral effect upon the House that will tend to carry the bill through without successful opposition.
Letter from a liberated Federal prisoner at Richmond.
We find in the New York Herald, of the 18th inst., the following letter from a Yankee prisoner recently liberated from the Richmond prison. It is characterized by that candor and fairness which forms an isolated episode in the whole catalogue of letters and experiences that have been communicated through the Northern journals from Federal prisoners who have fallen into our hands during the progress of this war: New York, Dec. 18, 1861.
To the Editor of the Herald:
I have had my attention called to an account contained in your issue of to-day, headed ‘ "Return of a New York Merchant from Richmond."’ As some of the circumstances point to myself as the party therein alluded to, will you permit me to say that the article in question did not emanate from me. Without stopping to analyze or otherwise correct this statement, I wish simply to say that gratitude to friends at the South, who assisted me in my hour of need, would have prevented me from making the communication in question.
Will you do me the favor to give this a place in your paper and oblige your obedient servant, To the Editor of the Herald:
Horatio Eagle, Late prisoner of war at Richmond.
Interesting from the Coast — advance or Reconnaissance of the enemy.
From dispatches, official and private, received to day, (says the Southern Guardian, of the 19th inst.,) we have been permitted to glean the following interesting items of news from the coast: ‘ Yesterday afternoon four vessels of the enemy were off Rockville, on Wadmalaw Island. Only four companies of the Rifle regiment were at that post. They fell back to the Brick Church, twelve miles, a point about the middle of John's Island. They intend to hold this position until they are reinforced. The Seventeeth regiment has been ordered to their support. The enemy are said to have approached in four boats and one large transport. Scouts report up to one o'clock last night that two of the enemy's boats had landed. Military men incline to the opinion here (in Columbia) that the enemy are on a reconnaissance, and that we may now expect other efforts to explore and discover any weak points. It is surprising, indeed, that they have not been attempted before. We learn that large reinforcements will be ordered up immediately. ’A secret organization in Tennessee.
We copy the following from the Memphis Avalanche, of the 17th instant: ‘ Lieutenant Flynne, just from Knoxville, communicates to us some interesting intelligence. It has been ascertained that a secret, sworn organization of Union traitors, exists in East Tennessee, which is extended throughout that section. It is, doubtless, similar to that which has been discovered in Northern Arkansas. Some of the bridge burners who have been hung, signified before their execution, they had been detailed by this secret organization to burn the bridges under penalty of death. They said that they were doomed to die by the hands of their associates if they refused to perform the task to which they were assigned by lot; and, therefore, having made up their minds to suffer the death penalty, were indifferent to their fate. ’The Lincoln gun-boats at North Edisto.
From the Charleston Courier, of the 19th instant, we take the following: ‘ On Tuesday afternoon, seven vessels of the Lincoln fleet appeared off North Edisto Inlet, four of which soon crossed the Bar and stood into the harbor, firing shells on both sides as they came in. Yesterday morning their vessels came up to Rockville, where a part of the Rifle regiment, under command of Colonel Branch, was stationed. On the approach of the ships, our troops retired from Rockville to a position some miles in the rear, the detachment only being placed at the above point to observe the enemy. It is reported that some 60 men from the fleet landed and took possession of Rockville, but information on this point is uncertain. Until further information is received, it is impossible to say what the enemy intend. ’A dead lock.
The Legislature of Florida is at a dead lock on the Senatorial question. We learn from the Tallahassee News of the 5th, that that body meets in joint convention every afternoon, and ballots from three to five times, but are now after several days trial, apparently as far from an election as they were on the first ballot.The Austin Gazette, of the 7th inst., says ‘"the writer of the following is well known to us as a reliable and truthful gentleman:"’ --The Governor of this State has received official orders from the Governor of Sonora that 7,000 Federal troops had landed at Guymas, from California, and were marching with a view to operate against Texas, and that they would in their march cross the upper part of this State. The Governor here has furthermore received official orders from the General Government at the city of Mexico, to offer no obstacle to Federal troops passing through this State to attack the South. I take this to be a partial act in favor of the North, and I think that the Government should look upon it as a hostile act on the part of the Mexican Republic, and should act accordingly.
I remain your, most respectfully.
A. C.
A. C.
