Mt. Vernon Democratic banner (Mount Vernon, Ohio : 1853), 1861-12-24

              VOLUME XXV. is rvBLisnnfl every itfsday morning by L. HAEPEK. fllcc in IVoodwnrcl Block, 3d Story. TERMS. Two Dollars per annum, payable in ad-Tame; $2.5 within six months; $3.00 after the kxU ration of the yer.r. Cijoicf )ortrg. BURIAL PLACE OF MOSES. "Anl lie buried him in the land of Moah, over against Ecth-pcor : but no nx-xxx knoweth of hia ao-pulchre unto this day." Devt. xxiv ; C. On Xebo's lonoly mountain. On th's sulo Jordan's ware, In a Yale of the land of Moab, There lies a lonely grave ; And no niau du the sepulchre, And no man saw it e'er For the angels of God upturned the od, And laid the dead man there. That was the grandest funeral That ever passed on earth ; But no man heard the tramping, Or saw the train go forth. Noiselessly as the day light Comes when the night is done, And the crimson streak on ocean's cheek Clrows into the great sun. Noiselessly as the Spring time Her crown of verdure weaves, And all t& trees on all the hills Open tlheir thousand leaves ; So, without sound of music, Or voice of them that wept, Silently down from the mountain's crown, The great procession swept. IVrchance the bald old eaerle Ott gray Heth-pocr's height, Out from bis rocky eyrie Looked oh the wondrous sight; Terchanoe the lion, stalking, Still shuns that hallowed spot ; For beast and bird have seen and heard That which wan knoweth not, Amid the noblest of the land, Men lay the sage to rest. And ve the bard aa honored place, With costly marble ircs?cd. In the great minster transept, Where lights like glories fall, And the choir sings, kiid the organ rings Along the emblazoned walL This was the bravest warrior That ever buckled sword ; This the most griftd povt Th.it ever breathed a word ; And never earth's philosopher Tra; ed with his golden pen, Oa the deathless truth half so sage As lie wrote owu for lucn. Aa 1 hvl he not hi.;;h h-nv"r The b.iil -si ?c for his pal! To lie in state where angels wait, With stars for t.-ipors Ml ; And the ''ark j.iuc;', like tossing plume.', Over h is bier to ::vo, And (tod's owu h'iu 1. iu that lonely Lin., To lay him in the yrave ? In that Jeep grave without a n.une, Wl ;en;e iiis uncofiined clav, Shall brc;ik v;ain, m st won l'r us th u-ht Teforc the judgment day. And stand with glory wrappod around, On the hill never trod. AkI sjjik of the stride t'.i.it w n oMr life, With the incarnate Son of God. 0, lonely tomb in M aVs land ! 0, dark Beth-p er's hill ! Speak to these curious hearts of ours, Aq 1 Ua?U litem t be ftiil, Ood hath bis mysteries of grace, Ways that we cannot tell ; lie hid them deep, like the secret sleep Of him ho loved so well. iaiUMMHIIHWIIIIH'l, w 3fitcvnvi) IHisccllani). HELICAL CURIOSITIES. The first divigjon of the Old Testam ent into chapters was made by Cardinal Hugo, who flourished about A. D. 1240. He wrote a commentary on the Scriptures, and projected the first concordance, which is that of the vulgar (common) Latin Bible. A famous Jewish Rabbi, named Mordecai Nathan, adopted, in 1438, Hugo's chapters, and marked every fifth verse with a figure. In 1601. Athins, a learned Jew of Atnstei-darr., in his edition of the Hebrew Old Testament, divided the sections f Hugo into verses, as we now have them. Robert Stephens, a French printer, had previously (1501) divided the New Testament into verses as they now are. The above divisions of the Bible into chap ters and verses, let it be noted, arc of human authority, and were made for wntlencc of reference to concordance, regardless of the sense and connection. The old Testament contains 39 books, 920 1 chapters, 23-H verses, 59i.,.439 words, 2,728,-' 10: letters. The New Testament contains 27 book?, 200 chapters, 7,950 verses, 182, 253 words 933,380 letters. The name of Jehovah or Lord occurs 0,855 times in the Old Testament. The middle book of the Old Testament is Trovt-Tbs. The middle chapter i3 the twenty-ninth ot Job. The middle verse is second Chronicles, 2Cth chapter, 17th verse. The middle book of the New Testament is second Thessaloninns. The middle chapters arc Romans xii and xiv. The middle verse is Acts xi, 7. The middle chapter, and the least in the Bi-fris l'Kiilm i. 17. l4The middle verse in the Bible is Psalms cxv- icles Iv, ' ISl lne in the Bible is Second Chron liie least ve . , . -'n the Bible is John xi, The nineteenth chapter Isaiah xxxvii are the same ' eond Kings and of Ezra are the letters of the Alphabet, i J considered as oncj- Tlie Apocrypha, (not inspired, but some times bound between thcOldTcstamcntand the New,) "contain 11 books, 183 chapters, 10,081 verses, words ! The preceding facts were ascertained by a gentleman iu 1712. Also by an Englishman residing at Amsterdam in 1722, and it is said to have taken each gentleman three years in the investigation. There is a Bible in the University written on 5,470 palm leaves. A day's journey was 33 J miles. A Sabbath day's journev was about rin En glish mile. Ezckiel's reed was eleven feet nearly. A cubit is 52 inches, nearly. j A hands breadth is equal to inches. ! A fingers-breadth is equal to one inch. A sheckle of silver was about 50 cents. A sheckle of srold was $8,09. A talent of silver was $1,516,32. A talent of gold was $13,800. A piece of silver, or a penny, was thirteen cents. A Farthing whs three cents. A Gerah was one cent. A Mite was one and a half cents. A Homer contained seventy-five gallons and five pints. An Epha, or Bath, contained seven gallons and five pints. A Hin was one gallon and two pints. A Firkin was seven pints. An Omer was six pints. A Cab was three pints. A Log was one-half pint. The divisions of the Old Testament are four. 1st. The Pentateuch, or the five books of Moses. 2d. The Historical books, comprising Joshua to Esther, inclusive. 3d. Foetical or doctrinal books, from Job to Songs of Solomon, inclusive. 4th. Prophetical books, from Isaiah to Mal-achi.The New Testament is usually divided into three parts : 1st. Historical, containing the four Gospels and Acts. 2d. Doctrinal, composing all the Epistles from Romans to Jude.. 3d. Prophetical, being the Book of Revelations of St. John. The Commemorative Ordinances of the Jews were : Circumcision, the seat of the covenant with Abraham. The Passover, to commemorate the protection of the Israelites, when the first born of the Egyptians were destroyed. The Feasts of Tabernacles, instituted to perpetuate the sojourning of the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness. The FeaM of Penticost, which was appointed fifty days after the Passover, to commemorate the delivery of the law from Mount Sin-ia. Feast of Purim, kept in memory of the de livery ot the Jews from the wicked machination of Ham. In the reign of Edward I, of England 1250 it would cost a laboring man fifteen years iind three months labor to purchase a Bible, as his pay was three cents per day and the price of a Bible was thirty seven pounds, or one hundred and sixty four dollars. Now the entire Scriptures can be bought for 37 J cents. OTHER, II03I1?, HEAVES." A Prose Poem. ey tuojiak nrr.BAr.n, of the iogas cazette. Some one in sweet and holy thought has linked together thoe lov'd words, and placed them closest to the human heart : Mother, Heme, Jltavcn." How do the; blend affection, memory, and hope, to charm the present, past and future time, with fond suggestion and with tender thought ! Pear Mother, living next to God himself, is worthiest our gratitude and love. For he who gave His "Well Beloved Son," that thio' His merit all might be redeemed, has, Next to this, the great blessing given, in ins all a mother's priceless love. Un- quench'd by distance, unimpaired by time, thro' all vicissitudes it follows on, to cheer the vir tuous ever on their way, and woo the wayward from the paths of sin. Pear Mother, 'ncath the willow tree at re-t she holds in memory the greenest place; affection lingers longest at her tomb, and bhrines her sacred in our heart of hearts. - . "Mother, Heme, Heaven." He aptly chose his theme, who sang the deathless lay of "Home, Sweet Home." Fa miliar as a household word, enchanting as a lover's smile, 'tis loved and sung in every land where beams the cheery light of home. Home, home, sweet home'! 'Tis there we tell the stories of the heart ; 'tis there we .hie us from life's bitter storms, and there we hope to lay us down to die. Jhay love us, and they pray for us ; they wait for us, and long for us ; they are h ippy when we come ; they remember us, and miss us, and weep for us at home. Mother, Home, Heaven." Beyond the blue which bounds the mortal siht, far stretching from the thither shore of death, God's golden sunlight sleeps serene, up on the "morning land" of Heaven. Oh ! the brightness and the beauty, and the melody of Heaven. -Where the soul and sense are charm- with "the perfectness of bliss 1" Land of ser aphim and cherubim, and the radiant smile of God ; where earth's mothers meet their chil dren, crowned with golden crowns of joy ; where there are "heavy laden" with sorrow and with care; where there are n poor and friendless, and no stricken o..es with pain ; but where all do love each other and are happy evermore. Mother, Home, and Heaven, there fore, are the sweetest words we speak. The Ruby. The varieties of this precious stone include the oriental sapphire, theoriental ruby, theop alescent rubv, the star ruby, the green, yellow. and white sapphires, and theoriental amethyst. Most of these are extremely rare, and all the finest specimens are believed to be still retain ed in the east. As, however, these stones o. eastern princes are rarely cut, and no doub manvofthem would be found affected with flnwc iimir ronl monev value if in the market would be very inferior to their estimated value There is a useful mineral of extreme hard ncs3 the corumdum of commerce, from which the finest, emery is obtained which is an im r perfect and opaque crystalization, of the same . . rni 1 Tirin as the ruty and sapphire, inc gems theiniveg are clear, though rarely colorless Small spec nxens are much less valuable in proportion than larger sizes, for they are far j more abundant, but a perfect' ruby of five car ata is worth twice aa much as a diamond o MOUNT VERNON, the same weight, and one of ten carats three times as much. The ruby was called by the Greeks anthrax, or live coal, from its brilliant blood red color and exquisite beauty, which, like the diamond, is rather improved than diminished when seen by artificial light. From the intense blaze cf blood red, the colors of the ruby pale down by admixtures of blue through rose-red to lilac. Exposed to the rays of the sun, or heated, the ruby, like the diamond, becomes, phosphor- . In the middle ages it was believed to be an antidote to poison, to dispel bad dreams, and to warn it owner of misfortune, by a darken ing of its color until the danger was past. There is a very celebrated ruby set under the back cross in the crown of England. It remains in its notural shape that of a heart and has received no polish. Its color is that of a Morella cherry, and it is semi-transparent. It was brought from Spain by Edward the Black Prince, and was afterwards worn by Henry the Fifth at Agincount. Other rubies of very large size arc recorded, but few of them arc polished and fewer still are cut. The sapphire is an exquisite blue variety of ruby, soft, rich, velvety, and delicate in the ex treme by day, but losing much beauty by arti ficial light even sometimes changing its tint. Occasionally it sparkles with great vividness in the sun, as a star with distinct rays, but such stones are only semi-transparent. There is a violet variety, called by jewelers the oriental amethyst. It is a gem of great rarity and beau ty, and takes a very brilliant polish, owing to its extreme hardness. Like the ruby the sapphire was held by the ancients and during the middle ages, in high honor. It was considered emblematic of puri ty.. To look at one, preserved the eyesight: placed on the brew, it stopped haemorrhage. The powder of sapphire was a sovereign remedy against plague or poison, and if merely placed over the mouth of a phial containing a venomous insect, the insect died on the instant. It is a Jewish superstition that the first tables of the law given by God to Moses were of this stone. It is certain, at any rate, that both rubies and sapphires have long been employed in the east to engrave upon, notwithstanding their great hardness. . ' An "Opium Hell" in Java. What spirituous liquors are for the European, opium is in Java for the Mahometan and Chinaman. A European of the lower classes may sit. in his tap-room, and debase himself by his sottishness, but he docs it with an uproarious inerriment which would make one think he was really happy, spite6f the" . headache and delirium tremens he may know are in store for him. But in an opium hell all is as still as the grave. A murky lamp spreads a flickering light through the low-roofed, sugocating room in which are placed bale-bales or rough wooden tables, covered with coarse matting, and'di-vided into compartments by means of bamboo-Veed wainscoating. The opium smokers men and women lost to every sense of modesty, throw themselves languidly on the matting, and, their head supported by a greasy cushion, prepare to indulge in their darling vice. A burn ing lamp is placed on the table, so as to be eas ily reached by all the degraded wretches who seek forgetfulness or elysium in the fumes of opium. A pipe of bamboo-reed, with a bowl at one end to contain the opium, is generally made to do service for two smokers. A piece of opium, about the siz of a pea, costs sixpensc, (a day's wages) but is is suffi cient to lull by its fumes the senses of thesmo ker. These fumes they inhale deliberately, retaining them in the mouth as long as they can, and then allowing them gradually to ex uile through their nostrils. After two or three inhalations, however, tlio opium is consumed, and the pipe falls from the hands of its victims. At first, the smokers talk to each other i whisper scarcely audible, but they soon become still as the dead. Their dull sunken eyes grad ually become bright and sparkling ; their hollow cheeks seem to assume a healthy roundness ; a gleam of satisfaction nay, of ecstacy lightens up their countenance as they revel in imagination in those sensual delights which are to constitute their Mahomedan paradise. Enervated, languid, emaciated?. as they are in fact, they seem and feel for the time regenerated ; and though they lie there, the shameless and impassive slaves of sensuality and lust, their senses are evidently steeped in bliss. Aroused, however, from their dreams and illusions, the potency of the charm exhausted- driven from their "hell" by its proprietor see them next morning walking with faltering step, eyes dull as lead, cheeks hollow as coffins, to their work. Purchase of a Pair of Shoes in IJash- ville. A writer in the Nashville (Tennessee) Pa triot gives his experience in attempting to purchase a pair of sewed boots in that city, in the following words . The owner of the shop took down from a peg a pair of stitch downs. I tried them on. I must do them justice to say that they fitted me as handsomely as if my feet had been melted and poured into them. I determined to buy them, cost what might. "I'll take these," said I, stamping my right foot violently on the floor, and taking a ten dollar bill from my vest pocket. "Take your pay out of that," said I, handing him the costly shinplaster. I really believe the individual who stood before me at that moment was the most thoroughly astonished boot-maker that I ever saw. He looked first at the money and then at me, turning alternately pale and red, while his eye balls protruded from their sockets as if they were being shoved outward by some hydraulic pressure within. At last, just as I was about to, cry "fire," or run for a doctor, or something of the sort, he snoke. "you are from the country, aint vti V T .answered that I was. "I thought so." said he : "them boots is eighteen dollars !" I didn't say another word. I sat down and milled off "them boots," more in sorrow than in aner, drew on my own, and walked out of the shop. The proprietor of the shop must have taken me for the Prince of Wales, or the fiwripr fit t bo. State Bank. Eighteen dollars for a nair of boots I I earnestly trust that pos terity will not think me too particular about tntlee, but I can't pay such prices. OHIO: TUESDAY, A Terrible Engine of Destruction The .hricssan iJattery to be Completed by the 15th of January. . From the New York Journal of Commerce. The construction of the Ericsson Battery furnishes a characteristic instance of American energy and dispatch. The contract for the work was signed on the 5th of October last ; the work itself was commenced on the 20th of the same month: and there is no doubt that the battery will be finished on or before the 15th of January, 18G2, within the specified period. About one thousand skillful mechanics are employed on various portions of the structure and its equipments and the labor is pushed on both night and day. The central part of the hull and deck is nearly completed at the Continenial Iron Works, Green-point. The principal engines and boilers and screws are in an advanced state, at the Dela-mater Iron Works, foot of Thirteenth street, N. R. The Novelty Works are rapidly giving shape to the death-dealing turret. Messrs. Chute Bros., of Schenectady, will not be behind with the turret engines and gun carriages. Three large rolling mills in this city are employing all their available fore in the production of iron plates. Capt. Ericsson invests his undertaking with no mystery. The public are free to know all about the plan, the dimensions, the armament, and the most minute peculiarities of his unique invention. The following description may convey some idea of it : The battery rests upon two vessels, an upper and lower one. The upper is built of iron, 174 feet long, 41 feet 4 inches wide add 5 feet deep, with a draught of 3 ft. 6, inches, leaving only 18 inches of the sides exposed above the water line. The sides are covered with a white oak bulwark, 80 inches thick. The deck is made of oak beams 10 inches thick, covered with plank 8 inches thick, and a one-inch iron plate. The upper vessel is flat bottomed, and has a wedgeshaped otem and stern. The lower vessel, which is entirely submerged, is -124 feet long 34 feet wide and G feet 6 inches deep. It contains the working machinery, the rudder and the anchor, housed away leyond reach of the enemy 8 shot. Upon the deck of the upper vessel; and the only conspicuous object on this "low raking," and terrible craft, is the turret, 20 feet in diameter, 0 feet high and composed of nine one-inch iron pistes, lapped over each ot her and fastened with thousands of bolts. A shell-prof roof, G inches thick, covers the turret, which is entered through hatchways from above.- The total weight of the turret is 120 tuns. ' The armament consists of two columbiads (which are preferable to rifled guns at short ranges,) each carrying a ball of one hundred and eighty pounds, and working through 'cir cular port holes three feet abeve the deck. The carriages are made of wrought iron, and move on forged iron slides. The turret can be turned at pleasure by a double-cylinder engine, and controlled by a lever in the turret. By this eontrivanceiilie gun&ean be aimed, almost instantly, at any part of the horizon. The cylinders for the main engine are 40 inches in , diameter, with a piston stroke of 22 inches Blowers for the boiler and for ventilation are worked by small separate engines. The smoke is passed off through gratings in - the deck. The entire cost of the battery will be 3275,000. Guns and men to work them will be furnished by the Government. Among the requirements of the contract is one that the battery shall have a speed of not less than eight miles an hour. Captain Ericsson believes that this rate is easily attainable. There is another "remarkable" provision, that the battery shall be tested at the shortest rangei? before the enemy's guns. The inventor is not in the least alarmed at this prospective ordeal. If the nine-inch platings on the turret (the only exposed part) do not prove strong enough, three more iron plates can be put on wityout materially affecting the draught or the safety of the battery.. "But it is believed nine inches will be a sufficient thickness. The best practicable thickness can only be ascertained bv actual experiment. That four and a half inches (the thickness of plates on the LaGloire and Warrior) are not enough, was satisfactor ily proved by Capt. Ericsson in experiments conducted by him manv years ago The test to which the battery will be subject ed will probably settle all that is unknown about the resisting power of iron plates. Im mediately upon the completion of the battery it will be taken to a position in front of some of the enemy's accessible batteries the most formidable irowi an, WM "pitch in" at range from 1,000 to 300 yards, and as much less than that as will be necessary to silence the rebel guns. Should it not prove potent enough at the first trial about which no apprehension need be felt the additional plates can be attached in a very short time, and the success of the battery, in the closest engagements and under the heaviest fire be placed beyond any reasonable doubt. The practical results of this bold and original invention will be looked for with great interest by military and scientific men in this country and Europe. Congressional $Jttos. THIRTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS. First Session. Washington, December 1G. Mr. Vaiiandigham introduced the following preamble and resolution : Whereas, The Secretary of the Navy has reported to this House that Capt. Wilkes, in command ofthe San Jacinto, an armed public vessel ofthe United States, did, on the 8th of November. 1801. on the high seas, intercept the Trent, a British mail steamer, and forcible re move therefrom James M. Mason and J ohn feli- dell. disloval citizens, leading conspirators, reb el enemies and dangerous men, who, with their suite, were on their way to Europe to promote the cause f the insurrection, claiming to be iimbassadors from the seceded Confederate States : and whereas, the Secretary ofthe Navy has further reported to this House Uiat the the occasion merited and received the emphatic approval of the Department, and moreover in a public letter has thanked Capt. Wilkes for the act ; and whereas, this House on the first day ofthe session, did propose to tender the thanks of Congress to Capt. Wilkes for his brave, adroit and patriotic conduct in the arrestofthe traitors: and whereas further n the sameday this House did request the Presidentto confine the said J. M. Mason and John Slidell in the cells of convicted felons until certain military officers ofthe United States, captured and held by the so-called Confederate States, should be treated as prisoners of war ; therefore, Resolved, As the sense of this House, that it is the duty of the President to now firmly maintain the stand thus taken approving and adopting the act of Captnin Wilkes in spite of any menace or demand ofthe British Government; that his house pledges its full support to him DECEMBER 24, ' - - ' - - .- i ' - , - r - i I I I 1 I 1 - - in upholding now the honor and indicating the j course of the Government and people of the united bjates against a foreign power. Mr. vaiiandigham moved the previous ques tion. They had heard the first gtowI of the! .uruisn iion. u remained to he seen who would ! 4 , tj . . If x I . I T Til cower. Mr. Fenton of New York hoped the revolution would be referred to the committee on Foreign Alfairs. Mr. Vaiiandigham remarked that a former resolution approbatory of Captain Wilkes passed without being so referred. He (Vallandig- namj had onercd this resolution in good faith, and would stand by it. ihe House then refused to second the demand for the previous question. Mr. Fenton again moved that the preamble and resolution be referred to the committee on Foreign Affairs. The motion was agreed to yeas 109, nays 13. The House resumed the consideration of the bill authorizing the raising of a volunteer force for the better defense of Kentucky. Mr. Lovejoy of Illinois hoped the bill would not pass. According to the official returns, we have a standing army of between six hundred thousand and seven hundred thousand, which is amply sufficient for the war. We have more soldiers now than can be used. The raising of twenty thousand volunteers for twelve months, instead of for the war, should not be authorized. He did not understand that the military authorities had asked for the increase. Besides, he was opposed to the mode of raising men. Mr. Richardson of Illinois trusted the bill would pass. The volunteers proposed to be raised in Kentucky were of the best kind and familiar with the State. The basis of operations was at Louisville, and twenty thousand men were necessary to guard the base and the line on which our army is to advance. Mr. Wickliffe said Kentucky had furnished twenty-seven thousand men ; he repeated what he said the other day, that namely before he introduced the bill, he mentioned the subject to the Secretary of War, and also consulted the President, who, together with his Cabinet, he was informed, approved of the measure. As to Mr. Lovejoy's opposition, he knew that gentleman would vote against anything but what related to negroes. In the course of his remarks Mr. Wickliffe said t hat whenever our afrjpj shall move to take Columbus, we will require every soldier that can be brought into the field to retake the place and march on Tennessee The volunteers will not be required to serve in Kentucky alone, but to fight wherever an enemy can be found, and they will do it. Mr. WieklifFe entered his protest against making a regular army out of these more than six hundred thousand volunteers. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lovejoy) was at the battle of Bull Run, and must have seen we had not men enough. The decisive battle in this campaign must be fought in Kentucky, and when fought he wanted the highways protected.Mr. Stevens of Fa., opposed the billon financial grounds, saying this war must be carried on iu the most economical manner. Mr. Dunlap urged the'passage of the bill, and ar,ue(i there must be force enough to dc fend Kentucky at all hazards. Mr. Given of New York also supported the bill. Mr. Lovejov, in reply to the remarks of Mr. Wickliffe, said he would carry on the war to put down rebellion and let slavey take care of itself. He was not to be intimidated by any sneers or allusions to his anti-slavery senti ments. He was not afraid of the slave driver's whip. He was willing to vote in good faith men and money, but not for the proposed force at an expense of thirty million dollars when it was not needed. Some ofthe superfluous force on the Potomac river ought to be sent to Ken- tucy. Messrs. Bingham of Ohio, Mavnard of Ten nessee, and Merrill of Vermont, severally spoke in favor of the bill. ' Mr. Blair of Missouri closed the debate. In reply to Mr. Lovejoy he said we have the best reason to believe that we have not men enough in the field, for we have not been able to conquer the enemy anywhere as yet, and have not met him at any time excepting when he outnumbered us ; hence we have not been able to drive back the foe one foot. Mr. Lovejoy replied, accounting for. this by the fact that the enemy will not meet us unless when he is in superior numbers. Mr. Blair Then why should not our army overrun the enemy? Mr. Lovejoy Because we have no generals. Mr. Biair advocated the bill. The bill passed. Affairs at Fort Pickens. News direct now give the facts of the bom bardment of the rebels at Pensacola Bay. A letter in the N. Y. Times from Fort Pickens dated Nov. 24th, says : We were under a continuous and heavy fire from the forts and batteries ofthe enemy fourteen or fifteen in number, for two days, with a loss of only one private killed, and one sergeant, one corporal and four privates wounded. and which is singular but one man was hurt on the ramparts, the most exposed place. You can have some idea of theamount of fire we gave and received when I tell you that we consumed fifty thousand pounds of powder, and three guns were fired every minute for two days. The Navy, unfortunately, could not give us the assistance, we expected in consequence of drawing too much water, and we therefore failed in the great object of our hopes, the capture of Fort McRae. About two-thirds of Warrenton is burned and although we cannot see it, I think as much of Woolsey' a village north of the Navy-yard ; and a good many buildings in the yard are burned. By attacking Bragg at this time, we think xoe have made an important diversion in favor of Gen. Sherman at Beaufort, vot only by preventing Bragg fromsendinq more troops there, (he has sent some,) I but by compelling hivi to bring others here ; he urns atso aauy sirenginc'ii'i,' nics uuaencs. c naw very effectually weakened him for some time to come, and have compelled him to expend a a vast amount of ammunition which ho can ill afford to lose. . A letter to the Boston Traveller, from on board the Richmond which vessel with the Niagara took part in the bombardment says: Until 2 p. m. the batteries near M'Rae did not trouble us much, but about that time they succeeded in bringing two rifled guns to bear on us and instituted a series of experiments which speedily Culminated in a shell hitting us abaft the main chains about 4h feet under water, forcing in the outer planking, and as it exploded literally lifting the ship bodily in the water. . This sounds like Munehauscnism, I know, but every person on board concurs in the same . mi !. f ft 1 l statement This shot was followed iD about Intending 1861. 20 minutes by another which passed througl the rail over number 8 gun, knoking the tar.-gent sight from the gun and dashing full in the face of the captain ol the gun, who was just eitrhtinsr hi3 niece, tore his hp.ad nnd rifhr. arm irom his body, and then passed out of the cor j . - ----- - t i - responding port on the other side of the deck. Seven men at the gun were wounded at the same time by splinters During the eniraement the " Richmond" alone fired on the first day 502 shot and shell, using nearly 0,000 pounds of powder. I tell you old boy there was some noise Friday. Pickens is all right thus far, and can hold out forever if kept supplied with ammunition and provisions. The island about the fort is covered with shot and shell thrown from the enemy, it looks as though the skies had rained 10 inch shell, and drizzled 43 pound shot. A letter from on board the Niagara to the Philadelphia Press, gives a like account, but adds particulars of the second day's bombard ment by the Niagara, she being the only ship engaged : On Saturday, at ten, wc steamed in, alone, under the guns of Fort McRae, and opened fire. Discovered that their sand battery had been strengthened during the night and another very heavy gun mounted. Found our guns did not reach. Got under weigh and stood in as fir as was safe in the Same depth of water. Anchored aain and re-opened. This tirrethe sand battery brought into action its new gun, which, up to this period, had remained silent; Found all our shells fell short, while theirs went over and around us. At three c'clock finding we could do them no injury, we steamed out to our anchorage. Both sides might bombard for a month in the present state of things without either doing much injury. A Virginia Unionist on the "War. Mr. Segur, the Union member of Congress from Virginia, has written a letter to Major- General Dix, warmly approving the term.s of his recent proclamation to the people of the Eastern shore of Virginia. Mr. Segur thinks that his proclamation will do much to dispel the notion instilled into the minds of the South ern people, by their designing leaders, that the war is designed to interfere with slavery, and that a knowledge of the real object of the Government simply to maintain the Constitu tion would tend to swell the ranks of the Union armies wherever they appear on the Southern soil. The President's modification of General Fremont's proclamation has greatly strengthened the hands of the Unionists in the South, by proving that he is honest in his purpose to confine the war strictly to the maintenance and enforcement of the laws. Of the effects that would follow a departure from this policy, Mr. Seuger says : " It will consolidate the South as a mass of granite. Not a Union man will be left in it. Thousands of rusting swords will leap from their scabbcrds. Every man in the South, and every half-grown boy, will arm to resist the unholy aggression, and the success of the Union movement, and the object of the war, will be attained only by the total extermination of the people of the slave-holding section. Make emancipation an issue of the war, and from Mason and Dixon's line to the Rio-Grande, there will not be a man who will not shoulder his musket, and spill his last drop of blood, and expend his last dollar of treasure, to resist it." Respecting the effects of General Fremont's ill-advised proclamation in Missouri, Mr. Segur adds: "But for Mr. Lincoln's wise and patriotic intervention against Geueral Fremont's unwise and unconstitutional proclamation where would Maryland and Kentucky, and Missouri and East Tennessee now be, but in the ranks of the secessionists, fighting against, instead of for, the Government and the Union I We have no doubt but Mr. Segur represents not only the sentiments of the Unionists at the South, but also the opinions of the masses of the Northern people, who are so freely pouring out their blood and treasure for the prosecution of the war, when he says that any scheme of general emancipation would falsity the terms of the President's first proclamation tor seventy five thousand troops, and charge the Constitu tion in a manner not provided by that instru ment. ' ... ' " " The Battle in V estern Virginia. PuiLLirrr, Va., Dec. 15. A force consisting of the Ninth Indiana and detachments from the Thirteenth Indiana, Twenty-fifth andThir-tv-seeond Ohio, and Second and Third Virgin-ia Regiments, and Riggs and Bracken's cavalry, in all about eighteen hundred men, under command of Gen. Milroy, left Cheat Mountain on the loth for the purpose of driving the reb els from their fortified camp on on the Alleghe ny mountains. Our forces came in sight of the enemy drawn up in line of battle in front of their intrenchments, charged upon them and drove them back. A hot lire was kept up dur ing the afternoon by both sides, and several brilliant charges were made by our men. Gen. Milroy withdrew at nightfall, intending to renew the attack in the morning. During the night the rebels left their camp silently, burning everything they could not car ry with loss. Our loss was twenty kilied and thirty wounded. The rebel loss is believed to be not less than one hundred and fifty killed, inclnding one field officer. We have thirty prisoners. By this last brilliant achievement Gen. Reynold's front has been cleared of the enemy, there being no organized rebel force within forty miles of our advance post. A detachment sen tout from this place yesterday, returned this evening with ten rebel guerillas, including the notorious Jake Kurn, Interesting News from California Funeral of Gen. Baker. San Francisco, Dec. 11 The steamer Golden Age sailed for Panama to-day, carrying four hundred soldiers and $60,000 in treasure. Among the passengers is Gen. Shields, who accepts a" Brigadier-Generalship. The freshet from the recent rains extends throughout the valley and other portions ofthe State, doing immense damage to farmers, carrying off bridges, fences, etc. Parts of Stockton and Marysville were overflowed, as well as Sacramento. The entire number of lives lost not known. A number of brick buildings have fallen at Marysville. The loss of property atSacramento is estimated at $G00,0j0. Communication with main-districts is cut off and business suspended. The weather for the past two days has been apparently settled and the waters have receded.The funeral of General Baker 13 engrossing the general attention at San Francisco to-day. The volunteer force, and the State military, and civil organizations, with citizens generally make the largest procession ever witnessed here. San Francisco, Dec. 13. About 20,000 have been subscribed in this in this city for the relief of sufferers by the Sacramento flood. The water has been from two to twelve feet deep in nrvirlv pvprv house in that city. One-third nt thp. c.itv is sua ovcrnowoM. The water is I slowlv receding. i NUMBER 36. Lake Fortifications. John Bull is not idle around the lakes, fcr while we are talking about the importance of lake fortifications, England is quietly but busily engaged in erecting them in Canada. A short time ago, Gen. Williams and staff paid a visit to Collingwood for the purpose of examining its capabilities as a naval depot for Lake Huron, and the probability is one will soon be established there. The principal Canadian ports on Lake Erie and Ontario are being put in condition for defense. Men are at work on the fortifications at Toronto, and the big guns have begun to arrive. Ten G4-pounders reached that place from Quebec lately, and are to be mounted on the embankments in course of construction. That is the way England does wherever the drum-beat of the British Empire is heard. Cteve. Herald. FOREIGN SEWS. The English Press on tho Mason and SHticll Affair, THEY DEMAND REPAEATIOK- ARRIVAL OF THE EUROPA. Halifax, Dec. 15. The Europa from Liverpool the 30th, via Queenstown, 2d, being detained twelve hours at Queenstown, arrived here to-day. Speculations on the San Jacinto affair are rife, but generally believed there is less cause to fear a rupture between the Governments. Cotton opened firmer. Tis rumored that the Cabinet were modifying their instructions to Lord Lyons, which accounts for the Europa's detention at Queenstown.A privy council was held at Windsor on Saturday.' The Observer, a ministerial journal, states that a special messenger by the Europa, carries a demand ofthe British Government to Lord Lyons, insisting on apology and restoration to the British flag of Mason and Slidell. The same paper says, largere-enforcements are to be sent immediately to Canada. A large ship is loading with guns and ammunition for there. The Observer says there is no reason why the Commissioners should not be restored to the ship of a British Admiral in the face often or twelve British men-of-war on the Potomac. Nearly all the rapers treat the question in the same spirit. The agitation increases. LATER. Queenstown, Dec. 2. The Times citv article of November 30th. says the fall of Consols 2 per actual war is undecided, is not justified by the nature of the case, and makes a comparison of the state of affairs at the commencement of the Russian war and says the position of the Federal Government is almost identical, in every commer cial point, with that occupied by Russia to wards us. Russia had a hostile tariff, while we looked to her for a large portion of our breadstuffs ; but in the present case, the commencement of hostilities would be by breaking the blockade of the Southern ports, set free our industry from anxiety of a cotton famine, and will open trade with eight million people in the Confeder ate States, who desire nothing better than to be our customers. The article concludes . by saying the contrast is all in Europe's favor. Ihe privy councels held by the Queen was to issue an order prohibiting the exports from the United Kingdom, or carrying coast-wise, of gunpowder, saltpetre, nitriate of soda and brimstone. The London Times understands the dispatches to Lyons, though couched in the firmest language, presumes the Federal Government will not refuse to make an honorable reparation for an illegal act. The Times has but small hope of such disavowal, and says it becomes us to prepare for an unfortunate issue in Canada in case of war with the Northern States. It adverts to Seward's recent instructions to the people near the Canadian frontiers, the only inference was, that he was about to force a quarrel with England. . - ' ; The Times advises Canada to prepare at once, by disciplining her militia, and drilling a volunteer army. Admiral Milne's fleet on the North American stations, amounts to eight hundred and thirty-seven guns. . The French journals universally look at the Trent affair with English eyes. The news caused immense sensation at Taris, and the first general impression was that ample reparation must be made to prevent a collision. A communication took place between the governments of England and France and a good understanding on the subject is believed to exist. The morning Star declares the statement that instructions to Lord Lyons, demanded restitution of tho rebel Commissioners or take his departure from Washington, premature, and so exaggerated as to be virtually untrue. The Post says it has been decided" by the law officers of the Crown that the action of Capt. Wilkes was unjustifiable and a flagrant violation ofthe code of nations and direct insult to the country, and it is the duty of the govern ment to demand prompt reparation. We can hardly suppose, reckless as American policy sometimes is, that the Northern States are seriously disposed ; and says in one month we could sweep all San Jacintos from the eeas, blockade all Northern ports, and turn to a speedy issue the war now raging. This is so obvious that we find it almost impossible lo suppose the Cabinet at Washington can commit an act so madly suicidal as to reject our positive demands. The News says there exists an undercurrent of apprehension that the American Government madly contemplates the desperate policy of seeking a quarrel with England in order to ive ground for abandoning the design of subjugating herself. The Times of the 36th ult., makes the important announcement that the cabinet came to the conclusion that theact of Capt. Wilkes is a clear violation of the law of nations, and one for which reparation must be at once demanded. Should thi3 just demand not be complied with, we cannot doubt Lord Lyons will be withdrawn from Washington. The Times also says it was the deliberate purpose of the American Government to seize the Commissioners, and it is understood that Gen. Scott, since his arrival in Paris, declared that their seizure had been a subject of cabinet discussion at Washington, before he left. The Shipping: Gazette belicvc3 if the demand is not complied with, declaration of war by Endand is inevitable. There is no confirmation of the report that ten thousand troops will be sent to Canada. The Peris Patrie asserts that Wilkes had no right to take the Commissioners while on a British mail steamer, and gives a report that Admiral Milne forthwith detailed three war vessels to escort mail steamers between St. Thomas and Havana, for the protection of travelers. The Pays and Constitutionnel aleo censujt the action ofthe San Jactuto. ! ( i ? i