The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-22 00:00:00

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N°. 22,358.

THE SUN, LONDON MOINDAY EVENING,

FEBRUARY 22, 1864.

PRICE
STAMPED ....sd.

WTHERE CAN WE MET' AF FER THE
PANTOMIMES ? My dear Fellow, Gentlemen sup
at EVANS', Covent-garden.

911 HE WELLINGTON THREE SHILLING
DINNER, consisting of Soup, Fish, Entrée, Joint,
Sweet, ex.., is served daily from 3 to 9, and on Sundays from
5 to 8.30.
Private Rooms for large or small parties.
JOHN CATES, Manager.
The Wellington, St. James's-street.
Entrance, 160, Piccadilly.

Extraordinary Abandonment of a Ship.

On Saturday a most remarkable case of ship aban-
donment was made known, and which created much
attention in the City. The West India mail, which
arrived a few days since, brought intelligence to the
underwriters at Lloyd's of the abandonment of the
ship John Linn, 1,647 tons, belonging to Messrs.
Fernie and Co., of Liverpool, on the Ist of January,
while on her passage from Bombay to Liverpool,
and that the officers and crew had been picked up
in the boats. Sub3equently a letter was received
from the master confirming the above document,
and adding, that when he left the ship the water
was within four feet of her main beams, and no-
thing could save her. The large amount of insu-
rances on the cargo, wo understand worth about
£150,000, led to inquiries as to the character of
the shipments. They were found to comprise
3,103 bales of cotton (valued at £49 per bale),
3,447 cwt. of cloves, 290 bales of wool, 130 tons of
hemp, 120 tons of cora yarn, and other East India
produce. It will be seen by this that the nature
of the cargo was more likely to keep the ship afloat,
even if she filled with water. A few days after
she was abandoned she was boarded by the crew of
the ship Devgallan, Capt. Beaglehole, now at Flush-
ing, who reported her as follows :—" In lat. 20 N.,
long, 38, fell in with the derelict ship John Linn, of
Liverpool. She had only three feet of water in her,
and was making not more than half an inch an hour.
They laid by and sailed her for two days and a
night, and could have taken her into Barbadoes had
he (Captain B.) been able to spare any of his crew."
Assuming that this report is correct, the abandon-
ment of this valuable ship seems somewhat unac-
countable. Had Captain Beaglehole succeeded in
getting the valuable derelict into port, the ship and
crew would probably have been entitled to £50,000
for salvage service. The underwriters are satisfied
the cargo of John Linn with keep her afloat for
weeks, and are sanguine of hearing of her being
picked up and taken into some West Indian port.

Wreck of the Black Ball Line Packetship

Golden Age.

During a heavy snow storm on Friday morning,
the well-known ship Golden Age, Captain Park,
one of the Black Ball line of passenger ships, on her
homeward voyage from Madras to London, with a
cargo on board valued at £200,000, was driven
ashore in the Channel near Dungeness, where she
filled, and it is expected will become a total wreck.
The Golden Age was formerly an American ship,
when she was bought into the service of Messrs.
Baines and Co , the owners of the Black Ball fleet.
Owing to the valuable cargo which she shipped at
Madras, her arrival in the Channel had been anxi-
ously looked for, and the first that was heard of her
being off the coast was on Thursday. A foreign
galliot put into Dover in the course of that day in a
damaged state, and reported that she had been run
into by a large ship called the Golden Age, off the
North Foreland, the vessel being in tow of a tug.
The next that was heard of her was her being seen
on Friday morning off Dungeness by the coast-
guard. How she got so far has not not been
clearly reported, but it is thought that the tug
might not have had sufficient power to keep the
ship in tow against the driving wind and snow, and
she drifted down Channel and went ashore on the
Roar Bank,opposite No. 2 Battery, near Dungeness.
When first discovered she had had the main and
mizen masts cut away. A heavy sea was breaking
over the ship, and it was observed that many on
board, crew and passengers were in a most critical
posi'ion. The coast-guard stationed at No. 27
Tower at once volunteered t man the the New
Romney lifeboat end to go off to the rescue of those
who were on board. A high sea was rolling in over
the beach, and it was with difficulty that the boat
could be got through the surf. The boat, however,
was at length fairly launched, and the men, in the
most courageous manner, succeeded in reaching the
stranded ship and taking off the Trinity House pilot,
the captain and several of the crew, in all amounting
to 22 Previous to the lifeboat reaching the vessel
a pilot cutter, cailed the Queen, had managed to
get alongside the ship, and rescued three of the
passengers and some of the crow, who were landed
in the course of the day at New Romney. When
the crew abandoned her the ship was about a quar-
ter of a mile from the shore, and the next tide filled
her with water. A heavy gale had been prevailing
ever since from the north-east with a tremendous
sea breaking in on the shore, and it is feared that
the ship will go to pieces. Tho cargo, as before
stated, was most valuable, and comprised cotton,
silk, indigo, and other East Indian produce, and
was insured at Lloyd's and the different insurance
companies for £200,000.

EWSPA_PE

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NEW YORK, Feb. 21.
The Confederates are again threatening Newbern
and Washington, North Carolina.
The Confederate ironclad gun boat at Kingstown is
completed, and will co-operate with the land forces.

The Federal communication between Knoxville
and Cumberland Gap was cut off by the Confede-
rates on the 10th.

Knoxville despatches of the 31st report that the
Federal cavalry were dafeated in an engagement near
Marysville, and were retreating on Knoxville, with
the Confederates in pursuit. Seven Federal officers
were killed. No other particulars are given.
The Confederates had occupied Livlsrville.
Gold, 159 k 4. Cotton, 830.

QUEENSTOWN, FRIDA.Y NIGHT.
The Cunard Royal mail steamer Australasian,
from New York, the 10th, has arrived.
New Orleans advices to the 2d state that the Free
States' Convention, in accordance with General
Banks's plan, met on the Ist.
The New York World states that the siege of
Charleston was raised, and a diversion made by the
Army of the Potomac, in order to allow General
Butler to make a raid upon Richmond to release
the Federal prisoners confined there. The World
says:—
" General Butler's mysterious plan to release the
Union prisoners at Richmond, about which we have
heard so much for a month past, has at last been
tried and has failed. It was a very pretty scheme
as Butler conceived it, and as it appeared upon
paper; but like all military p'ans, from Big Bethel
down, it was entirely impracticable. He attempted
in short, to cut the Gordian knot of difficulties into
which the exchange of prisoners question had been
entangled by the canning of Could and the obtuse-
ness of Meredith, with the sword. The rebel
Government at Richmond,' he argued, treats me
as an outlaw, and won't give up the Union pri-
soners. Why not solve the problem by capturing
Richmond, prisoners, rebel Government, and all r
Big with this brilliant idea, Butler rushes np to
Washington and seeks an interview with General
Halleck ; bat that officer don't see it.' Secretary
Stanton is then waited upon, and he, of course, is
delighted, as moving upon the enemy's works with-
out preparation or adequate force is his favourite
strategy. Finally, Mr. Lincoln is seen, and, as the
scheme is ingeniously absurd, he cordially gives it
hia approval. After much deliberation, it was de.
cided that the Army of the Potomac should make a
feint across the Rapidan to keep Lee employed, while
the real attack was to be made by an array moving
briskly up the peninsula. But, then, the question
arose where this army was to come from. It would
not do to send troops down from Washington, as
their movements would be noticed by the enemy,
and Butler had barely enough in his own depart-
ment to guard his lines. At last the bright idea
was hit upon of raising the siege of Charleston, and
with the troops taken from Morris and Folly Islands
to capture the rebel capital. This accounts for the
news from Charleston which hes so dishee,rtened
the country: The troops were brought up to the
peninsula and sent upon their fool's errand to Rich-
mond and—back again. General Sedgwick, in
temporary command of the Army of the Potomac,
did all that could be expected of him. He crossed
the Rapidan, and kept Lee employed while the raid
up the peninsula was made; but the Richmond part
of the programme failed, because it was absurd to
suppose that a city which has been menaced for
three years is not at all times proof against the
attack of anything lees than a great army. All such
schemes to capture Richmond by a stratagem are
based upon the theory that the rebel Administration
is composed of a set of improvident fools. So ends
this last 'Oa to Richmond,' the most unmilitary
and sorry exploit of the war. We do not believe
this scheme received the endorsement of any com-
petent military commander, or that it ever had the
remotest chance of success. The story that the
rebels were warned of their fate by a Yankee
deserter is an afterthought to excuse the failure."
The Richmond Examiner of the Bth gives the
following account of the state of affairs at Rich-
mond :

" Some days ago a report was obtained by the
authorities here from a Yankee deserter that the
enemy was contemplating a raid, in considerable
force, on Richmond. The report obtained con-
sistency from a number of circumstances, and im-
pressed the authorities to such a degree that a
disposition of forces was made to anticipate the
supposed designs of the enemy. At 10 o'clock on
Saturday night a force of the the enemy, numbers
not known, bat consisting of cavalry with some
artillery, made a demonstration at Bottom's-bridge,
and drove in our pickets. This news was not gene-
rally communicated to the public until Sunday
morning, the first signal of excitement being a tap
of the alarm-bell, which readily summoned. the
second-class militia and local forces in the Capitol-
square, and at other places of rendezvous., A
despatch was also received early yesterday morning
from General Wade Hampton, at Hamilton's
Crossing, stating that the enemy was threatening
an advance. A train was despatched to his relief.
In the meantime, out of the excitement in Rich-
mond had been suddenly produced the most wild
ant extravagant rumours, the enumeration of which
would be idle and tedious. In the progress of the
day these reports assumed a more definite form. It
appeared that the enemy made another demon-
stration on Colonel Shingler's lines yesterday
morning, and in this instance were repulsed,
some two or three companies being en-
gaged on our side. The force of the enemy
was not uncovered, but as far it could be per-
ceived consisted of five regiments, mostly
cavalry, it being doubtful, of course, whether they
were only an advance guard or the entire force. It
was not thought necessary to move the local forces
beyond the city fortifications; and the disposition
of other troops was made to hold the enemy in
check. Lieutenant-General Hood wes assigned to
the command of the defensive forces, and took the
field at an early hour yesterday. After their de-
monstration in the morning at Bottom's-bridge, the
enemy, or a considerable portion of his cavalry,
crossed the York River Railroad near Despatch-
station, and attempted to ford the Chickahominy
at Grapevine-bridge, or what is more commonly
known as M'Clellan's bridge, evidently
intending
to get in our rear. They found it impossible
ford the Chickahominy here, on to
accountleyviue, of
which h
direction of Tai
large amount of felled timber
r retired
tre ineffectual attemptte
an
get through the swamp
they ain h
is about eight miles from Bottom's-bridge. At a
late hour yesterday afternoon information was
brought in by our scouts that a large force of the
enemy, which had been massed at Barkamsville in
the morning, had moved forward to Talleysville,
and was then advancing. The entire force of the
enemy is distinctly stated as follows :—Three bri-
gades of infantry, four regiments of cavalry, and 12
pieces of artillery. This is reliable. It is probable
s t
that the demonstration of the enemy yesterday was
merely intended as a reconnaisance, and is prelimi-
nary to an important collision to-day. Certainly
the enemy has come in numbers which preclude the
idea that he only meditates a raid. We have no
report of any casualties in the fire at Bottom's-
bridge. Bat it is supposed that wo used our artil-
lery with effect. After the enemy abandoned his
position, there were found nine dead horses, six
Yankee caps, end a fresh grave."

MEXICO.
MExico, Jan. 31 (via. Havannah).
These advices state that the authorities of 6,:n
Luis Potosi had officially declared their allegiance
to the empire. Numbers of other towns had done
the same. Juarez has resigned the Presidency, and
Ortega has succeeded him.
Campeachy capitulated to Captain Clon, of the
French navy, on the 21st.
M. de Month°lon arrived at the capital on the

23d.
The capture of Zacatecas is not confirmed,