The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-01 00:00:00

AMERICA.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
(Per the Arabia.)
NEW YORK, Feb.l6.

The news from the army of the Potomac indicates
no immediate active operations. On the 14th a
portion of General Crawford's staff fell into a rebel
ambush near Brentsville, and Major Lorimer, chief
of the staff, was killed. General Meade is still in
Washington.
A portion of Gilmore's band of rebel guerillas at-
tacked a passenger-train on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, near Cumberland, on the 13th iust., and
robbed the passengers. Federal cavalry started in
pursuit.

General Early is still at Harrisonburg, Western
Virginia; a portion of his command is reported to
be at Woodstock. Occasional skirmishing takes
place between the Federal and rebel scouting
parties in that region. Jackson's rebel command,
having been recently supplied with fresh horses, is
expected soon to make a demonstration in the direc-
tion of Harper's Ferry.

It is reported that largo additions have lately
been made to the cavalry force in General Lee's
army. Deserters report that some of Lee's troops
have been sent recently to Longstreet, but their
statements are generally disbelieved.
There is no news of importance from Chattanooga
or Knoxville.

General Logan, with the 15th Army Corps,
started recently from Huntsville, Alabama. It is
understood that his force is intended, in conjunction
with the command of General Smith, which recently
moved from Memphis, to cut off the retreat of the
rebel forces, under Generals Polk and Forrest, from
Northern Mississippi.
A Nashville despatch states that General Sher-
man's army, after an unimportant skirmish with
the rebels, occupied Jackson, Mississippi, on the 7th
inst. It was believed that the rebels, who had
fallen back over the Pearl River, were receiving
reinforcements from Dalton. The entire line of the
Memphis and Charleston Railroad has been aban-
doned by the Federals.

Various objects are assigned to General Sherman'a
expedition. A correspondent of the New York
limes believes that its purpose is to flank the rebel
position at Dalton. The Memphis correspondent
of the World thinks that its operations will be
directed against Selina and Montgomery, Alabama,
and, finally, against Mobile, in conjunction with a
powerful naval force said to be concentFating at
Pensacola and Pascagoula, in the Gulf of Mexico.

•
The rebels at Mobile are reported to be receiving
heavy reinforcements, and making vigorous pre-
parations to stand a siege.

A fleet of Federal transports and gunboats in the
Yazoo river were attacked recently by a force of
3,000 Texans. The rebels were dislodged from their
position and driven off.

Colonel Phillips, commanding in the Indian ter-
ritory, reports that he has driven the rebels en-
tirely out of that region.
A despatch from General Butler announces that
Colonel Straight, with about one hundred Union
prisoners, escaped from prison in Richmond by
digging a tunnel under the walls of the jail. Seve-
ral of them had arrived at Williamsburg, including
Colonel Straight, and Federal.cavalry was scouting
the country as far as the Caickahominy 'to aid the
escape of the remainder.

The Richmond Examiner publishes a list of the
officers who escaped. It includes the names of
eleven colonels and six majors. One colonel, three
captains, and seventeen lieutenants had been recap-
tured. by the rebels on the 12th.

The guards of the prison were placed under arresl
charged with aiding the prisoners in their escape.
Advices from North Carolina represent the rebe
force under General Pickett 'to be still at Kingston
The recent demonstration against Newbern is be
lieved to have been only a reconaissanco in force
The Commander at Newborn was preparing to re-
sist a more formidable attack, which, it was thought
the rebels would soon make.

A Charleston correspondent of the Boston Ileragd
states that the rebels have made several ineffectual
attempts to reinforce the garrison of Fort Sumter.
Calcium lights upon Wagner and Gregg play upon
the fort and harbour all night.
The same correspondent states that a rebel ram,
accompanied by an infernal machine, proceeded
down the bay recently with the intention of attack-
ing the Federal fleet; but the infernal machine
suddenly sank, carrying dawn eight of her crew,
and the ram returned to her position above Fort
Johnson.

Four blockade runners aro reported to have been
destroyed off Wilmington between the 3d and 10th
inst. They were the Nutfield, the Dee, the Emily,
and the Fanny and Jenny.
Southern papers announce that eighteen gun-
boats and transports arrived at Jacksonville, Florida,
on the 7th inst., and the troops were reported to be

marching inland. This must have been the expe-
dition which left Morris Island on the 3d, under the
command of General Seymour, and accompanied by
General Gillmore. The force is reported to number
at least ten thousand men, and it is currently be-
lieved that the operations of the expedition are pre-
liminary to a land attack upon Savannah and
Charleston.

Richmond papers contain the following address
to the Confederate troops by Jefferson Davis :
" Soldiers of the Armies of the Confederate
States—ln the long and bloody war in which your
country is engaged you have achieved many noble
triumphs. You have won glorious victories over
vastly more numerous hosts. You have cheerfully
borne privations and toil to which you were unused. I
You have readily submitted to restraints upon your
individual will, that the citizen might better per-
form his duties to the Siate as a soldier. To all
these you have lately added another triumph—the
noblest of human conquests—a victory over your-
selves. As the time draws near when you who
first entered the service might well have been ex-
pected to claim relief from your arduous labours and
restoration to the, endearments of home, you have
heeded only the call of your suffering country.
Again you come to tender your service for the
public defence--a free offering which only such
patriotism as yours could make; a triumph worthy
of you and the cause to which you are devoted.
" I would in vain attempt adequately to express
the emotions with which I received the testimonials
of confidence and regard which you have recently
addressed to me. To some of those first received
separate acknowledgments were returned; but it
is now apparent that a like generous enthusiasm
pervades the whole army, and that the only excep-
tion to such magnanimous tender will be of those
who, having originally entered for the war, cannot
display anew their zeal in the public service. It is
therefore deemed appropriate, and it is hoped will
be equally acceptable, to make a general acknow-
ledgment instead of successive separate responses.
Would that it were possible to render my thanks
to you in person, and in the name of our common
country, as well as in my own, while pressing
the hand of each war-worn veteran, to recognise
his title to our love, gratitude, and admiration.
Soldiers,-13y your will—for you and the people
are but one—l have been placed in a position which
debars me from sharing your dangers, your suffer-
ings, and your privations in the field. With pride
and affection my heart has accompanied y' n in
every march ; with solicitude it has sought to
minister to your every want ; with exultation it
has marked your every heroic achievement; yet
never in the toilsome march, nor in the weary
watch, nor in the desperate assault have you ren-
dered a service so decisive in results as in the last
display of the highest qualities of devotion and self-
sacrifice which can adorn the character of the warrior
patrict. Already the pulse of the whole people
beats in unison with yours ; already they com-
pare your spontaneous and unanimous offering of
your lives for the defence of your country with the
halting and reluctant service of the mercenaries
who are purchased by the enemy at the price of
higher bounties than have hitherto been known iu
war. Animated by this contrast, they exhibit cheer-
ful confidence and wore resolute bearing. Even the
murmurs of the weak and timid, who shrink from
the trials which make firmer your noble natures,
are shamed into silence by the spectacle which you
present. Your brave battle-cry will ring loud and
clear through the land of the enemy as well as our
own, will silence the vainglorious boastings of their
corrupt partisans and their pensioned presa, and
will do justice to the calumny by .which they seek
to persuade a deluded people that you are ready to
purchase a dishonourable safety by degrading
submission.

Soldiers—the coming Spring campaign will open
under auspices well calculated to sustain your
hopes. Your resolution needed nothing to fortify
it. With ranks replenished under the influence of
your example, and by the aid of representatives,
who g'.ve earnest of their purpose to add by legis-
lation largely to your strength, you may welcome
the invader with a confidence justified by the
memory of past victories.

" On the other hand, debt, taxation, repetition of
heavy drafts, dissensions occasioned by the strife
for power, by the pursuit of spoils of office, by the
thirst for the plunder of the public treasury, and,
above all, by the consciousness of a bad cause, must
tell with fearful force upon the overstrained ener-
gies of the enemy. His campaign of 1864 must,
from the exhaustion of his resources of men and
money, be far less formidable than those of the two
last years, when unimpaired means were used with
boundless prodigality, and with results which are
suggested by the mention of the names of Shiloh,
Perryville, Murfreesboro, and the Chickahominy
Manassas, Fredericksburg, and Chancelloraville,

" Soldiers,—Assured success awaits us in oar holy
struggle for liberty and independence, and for the
preservation of all that renders life desirable to
honourable men. When that success shall be
reached, to you, your country's hope and pride,
under Divine Providence, will it be due. The
fruits of that success will not be reaped by you
alone; but your children, and your children in every
generation to come will enjoy the blessings derived
from you that will preserve your memories ever
living in their hearts.
" Citizen defenders of the homes, the liberties, and
altars of the Confederacy—that the God whom w
o
all humbly worship may shield you with His
fatherly care and preserve you for safe return to the

peaceful enjoyment of your friends and the associa-
tions of those you most love, is the earnest prayer
of your Commander-in-Chief.

" JEFFERSON DAVIS."
President Davis has signed a bill which was
passed by secret session of the Confederate Congress,
prohibiting the importation of luxuries into the
Confederacy.

MARKETS—This Day.

HAY MARK2TS.

SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4 8s Od ; clover,
£4 Os to £5 lOs Od ; and straw, £1 2s to £1 lOs per load.
Trade slow.

CUmBEILAND.—MeaIIow hay, £3 Os to £4104 Od ; clover,
£4 Os to £5 lOs Od ; and straw, 2s to £1 10s per load.
A slow demand,

WHITECHAPEL —Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4los ; clover,
£4 Os to £5 lOs Od ; and straw, £1 4s to £1 lOs per load.
Trade dull.

COLONIAL.

TEA,—Business has been inactive, and there is no change
of importance to record in prices.

Suunit.--The market has exhibited rather more anima-
tion, and holders still demand full rates for good and fine
qualities of West India. In the refined market an average
amount of business has been recorded, at fully previous
prices.

COFFEE.—The demand for colonial descriptions has been
steady, and owing to the smallness of . the stock on hand
full rates are readily obtained.

RicE.—A fair amount of business has been done, with-
out any material alteration to report in quotations.
TALLOW.—Tho market has exhibited symptoms of im-
provement. P.Y.C. on the spot is quoted 40s 9cl, and last
three months' delivery 43s 6d to 44s per owt.

THE FAILURE IN THE METAL TRADE AT 131 R -
MINGHAM. —Birmingham, Feb. 29.—1 n reference to
this failure;imentioned in this :morning's papers,-it may
now be stated that the liabilities will, it is believed, amount
to more than £400,000. The assets are spoken of as likely
to bo very large, but in transactions of such magnitude and
of a character so purely speculative as these must have been
there is no saying what the actual realization may be in a
falling metal-market. The " fall in the price of Scotch pig-
iron" is the assigned cause of this failure, but the transactions
must have been ou a more enormous scale than can be con-
ceived to have brought about such a result, looking at what
the decline in the price of Scotch pig-iron has been since the
Ist of January. Mr. Alfred Barker, whose failure has taken
place under these circumstances, succeeded his father in
business a few years since, with an amount of capital cer-
tainly not inadequate to the engagements into which he
appears to have entered.

REFRESHMENTS AT TIIE CRYSTAL PALACE.--
The contract for the supply of refreshments at the
Crystal Palace, which during the last three years has been
held by Hr. Frederick Strange, yesterday passed into the
hands of Messrs. Bertram and Roberts. Mr. Bertram was
formerly on the staff of Mr. Sawyer, of "The London," in
Fleet street, during his joint occupancy of the refreshment
department of the Crystal Palace some years since with
Mr. Strange, and he subsequently filled the post of mana-
ger far Mr. F. E. Morrisb, at the International Exhibition
of 1802,

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Feb. 29.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Helena and
Princes% Hohenlohe, went to London this morning
by a special train on the Great Western Rai'wall
and visited the Priuce and Princess of -Wales at
Marl\ )orough House.
Hear Majesty afterwards visited the Duchess of
Camb. ridge and the 'Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg,
at St. James's Palace.

Her Majesty then drove to Buckingham Palace,
and re turned to Windsor at a quarter after one

G'CIOCk .

Viso mntess Jocelyn, the Hon. Mrs. Bruce, Major•
Genera 1 Seymour, and Lieut.• Colonel the Eon. A
de Ros were in attendance.

His 1 toyal Highness Prince Arthur, attended bi
Major I '-iaphinstone, returned to Greenwich-parl4
this mol •ning.

Th e Prince and Princess of Wales,

Her /*sty the Queen, accompanied by the
Princess Helena and the Princess Hohenlohe., visited
the Princ e and Princess of Wales at Marlborough
House ye, 3terday morning, and remained till noon*
Her 11111jesty was attended by the Viscountess
Jocelyn, tkke Hon. Mrs. Bruce, Major-General F. ilf•
Seymour, a ad Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. D. do Ros-
The Print le of Wales afterwards rode out au horse'
back in the afternoon, attended by Major Teesdale'

l'he Royal Christening.
The baptit m of the infant son of their 110511,
Highness the Prince and Princess of Wales is fixed
for the 10th i: ast. at the Royal Chapel Buckinghaiii
Palace. InNi tations to attend the solemnity were
issued yesterday afternoon to all the Cabinet
stern and Brea t Officers of State.

Foreign Courts.

PARIS, Feb, 29.
The last con cert given at the Tuileries was of 0
very brilliant description. A dais was erected for
the accomm3dation of their Majesties, who were
surrounded by the Princess Marie Clotilde, the
Princess Ms Lthilde, and the Princess Anna Murat'
Oa the left o3f the dais three chairs of State were
placed for th e use of the wives of the Amba.ssadore,
of England, Austria, and Russia, but only two 01
these were ot =pied, as the Countess, Cowley Wsij
suffering fret n a slight indisposition.
Prince Est erhazy, who has been nominated attach 6
to the Austrian Embassy at London, arrived ill
Paris, on Savarday, from Vienna.
BERLIN, Feb. 27.
A numerous deputation of military officers waite°
on the King this morning to present their congru;
tulations on the arrival of the 50th anniversary
the day on which his Majesty (then a youthful
prince of 17) first went under fire and gained for
himself the distinction of the Iron Crest;.
active generals of the garrison, as well as ttLe nieur
hers of the Order of the Iron Cross residing at Be!:
lin, offered their congratulations through the seniul
of the generals in active service, Prince 'Willie°
Radziwill. His Majesty's Ministers, many gene'
rals and adjutants, and a deputation from the 0111°
ccrs of the first Regiment of Foot Guards, w ere else
present. A deputation of Russian officers, consist°
ing of Adjutant-General Paniutin, Adjutant-Gene'
ral Count Ad:erberg 111., with other officers and 11
sergeant and private of the Russian regiment 0(
which the King is colonel, as well as the Austriult
general of cavalry, Prince Francis of Lichitensteills
also waited on his Majesty for the same purpose'
VISIT OF THE PRINCE OF WALES TO THE STRASPd
THEATRE.—His Royal Highness the Pr ince Wales honoured the Strand Theatre with a visit 11,st
night
attended by Major Teesdale and Mr, Wood. His Or'
highness entered the theatre by a newly. constructed 111
vate entrance in Surrey-street, and was conducted to a rO5
box which had been specially arranged for the visit. t):14
his departure the prince expressed the gratification boll
felt at witnessing the performances.
The Duke and Duchess of Grafton arrived...!
town yesterday from Wakefield Lodge, Northamptonos
The Marquis and Marchioness of Tweeddio
have arrived at Claridge's HGtel from Yester House, 01'
dingtonshire.

The Marchioness of Downahire had a (10011
party last night at the family mansion in Belgrave-scitil''
A small party assembled at her ladyship's invitation.
i,eo
The Earl and Countess Fitzwilliam and L 61131
Wentworth Fitzwilliam left Grosvenor-square at the elooo
of the past week for Wentworth, Yorkshire, until
Easter.

The Countess of Jersey and Lady Caro
Villiers have left town for Paris till after the Easter bolt
days.

The Countess (Frances) Waldegrave will haveoo
assembly to-morrow night, and again on the 9th iust'f
her house in Carlton-gardens.
Viscountess Palmerston will have " reeeptio°i
at Cambridge House on Saturday next, and on Satur°
the 12th inst.

Viscount and Viscountess Stratford de Itedcioe
and lion. Misses Canning arrived at their residence.
Grosvenor-square a few days back from Brighton.
ny
Viscount Mahon has left town to join a dett,
ment of his regiment, the Grenadier Guards, at Alders'''.
for rifle practice.

Lord and Lady Sondes and the Hon. Miss
arrived at their mansion in Grosvenor-square on Saturday
from their seat in Kent.
Lord Seaton has arrived at the Queen's
*--°telf
Upper Norwood.
Lady Claud Hamilton will have an evening re
this evening at her ladyship's house in Eaton-square.
The marriage of Miss Gore, daughter of G Iter
the Hon. Sir Charles and Lady Gore, with Colonel gift
.
71st Highland Light Infantry, will take place on Thur'A''
March 10.
HIS HOLINESS THE POPE has given an onAos
denial in the Giornale di Roma to the statement of the Med.
papers, that King Victor Emmanuel is on excellent t
with him, and continues to keep up a friendly eorreePor,
dence with him. The denial states that his
Holiness
tains no relations whatever with the Italian King.
bOp
THE LATE BISHOP GlLLis.—The body of 131‘19
Gillis now lies in state in the chapel of St.
garet's Convent. Office for the dead and mass was
brated on Saturday by the Very Rev, A. Macdonald
Dundee, Vicar-General, in the presence of the Rea' 3g
Marshall, the Revs. W. Downie, F. Gascoigue, AleP;pli
O'Donnell, E. Hannan, W. Corbett, W. D'ltrel'a tIO
Fathers Whitty and Grant. There were also pre80,..%.010
Nuns of St. Margaret and of St. Catherine, the
Sisters of the Poor, and a large and respectable ut113303,
of other persons, Dr. Marshall preached on his life,
col
rector, and death, at St. Patrick's yesterday, to a er°lloB4.,
and tearful congregation. The remains will be relit oil'
to-day to St. Mary's, Broughton-street, where they 8,41/
lie in State till Tuesday morning at 11, when a dirgeo3oo
be sung by the clergy of the diocese, and a solemn se
of Requiem be celebrated by the Right Rev. Bich°P
doch, of Glasgow. The body will be taken to 6t;/., pe!'
garet's, and interred in the vault beneath the
Nothing can exceed the grief of the whole Cathou'
in Edinburgh.—Scotsman.
10
-13 ;
PROPOSAL FOR A SHAKSPERE BRIDGE AT
FRlARS,—Mr.M.Allingham, whose poems tatrBco 11/
considerable attention several years ago, writetuot°
the Daily News to suggest the erection of a statute(
Shakspere, by our best living sculptor, at a central P°l
the new Blackfriars-bridge. " Rising boldly over eO4
parapet, which might be so designed as to aid the 'oaf;
this statue would have anovel, impressive, and wid°ll,4ofe
position in the middle of London, and in that part c"
don where once stood the Globe theatre on the right'
the Blackfriars theatre on the left, bank of the 'lllara eie
Mr. Allingnam further proposes that the midge be 13°
`Shakspere-bridge;
"
A LIBRARY CF THE FINE ARTS has been (3 rt 4:
to the public in the Ecole des Beaux Arts, at Faris. 11,.D
tue-reo
this library was exclusively for the use of the profeso
the School of Arts ; it is now open on several days °Oil°
the week to students generally. There are about a
volumes on the art-sciences and archaeology. Ol
Ot
THE ROYAL DUCHIES.—The annual geol.' 00,
the Duchy of Lancaster, which is permanentlf 101
nexed to the Crown, shows receipts from rents, r% 3
&c., in 1863 amounting to rather more than £38,0' ell,
disbursements £14,359 for salaries and expenses, ape
allowances. The sum of £25,000 was paid over to thei'.
after
of her Majesty's Privy Pulse. The capital account9s de'
giving credit for receipts for grants in fee, and lual'lo 1
duetion for outlay on estates, had a balance of £41,64
iv of
Rots at the end of the year. The account, of the Dgoe .0 e_
Cornwall, the inheritance of the Prince of Wales, sh
ceipts which have grown to be over £64,000, exPerl„ol°,"
above £15,000, £4,000 laid out on repairs and Pell3''
improvements, and payment of £46,000 to the Proin(eir, t
capital account shows a balance of above o,caf/f
and a cash balance increased from £3,000 to ,5
Three per Cents. (the same as at the beginningoto
x6tz ;