The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-16 00:00:00

Raising the Blockade of Charleston.

QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 15.

The royal mail steamship Arabia, from Boston on the 4th
and Halifax on the 6th inst., arrived here at 5 p.m. to-day.
She brings 58 passengers, 310,783 dols, in specie, landed all
mails and two passengers, and proceeded at 6.30 p.m. fo r
Liverpool ; all wall.

NEW Yonx, Feb. 3, Evening.

The engagement between Generals Corcoran and Pryor
near Suffolk was without any important result. The Con-
federates retreated towards Franklin.
Jefferson Davis has had an interview with the Governor
of North Carolina. It is reported that the Governor in-
sisted upon the reserve or recall of a sufficient number of
troops for the protection of the State.
The Southern journals publish a despatch from Charles-
ton, stating that the Federal gunboat P. Smith, carrying 11
guns, surrendered unconditionally to the Confederates at
Stone River.

The Federal Navy Department has received a despatch to
the effect that the P. Smith was captured through getting
ashore.

Southern reports state that the Federal iron-clad steamer
Montauk was badly injured in her turret by the guns of
Fort M'Allister, on the Ogechee River, and compelled to
haul off.

The Federal Navy Department has a despatch that the
Montauk remained tour hours under the enemy's guns
without receiving any injury.
The Richmond Whig asserts that the British steamer
Princess Royal, with a valuable cargo of guns and powder,
was captured, whilst endeavouring to enter Charleston;
It was reported in Havana that heavy firing had been
heard at Matanzas and Cardenas, supposed to be:caused by
an engagement between Federal gunboats and the steamer
Oreto. The rumour was strengthened by the report of the
gunboat Cayuga, that she had observed a steamer on fire,
supposed to be the Oreto, with three other vessels firing
into her.

It is rumoured that the Harriet Lane has escaped front
Galveston.

The bombardment of Galveston by the Federals has cow.
menced, but the result is not at present known.
General Magruder has declared Galveston open to the
trade of all friendly nations.

Another British steamer successfully ran the blockade
into a Southern port.
At New Orleans Confederate notes were rising and in
sorsa demand.

The New York Tribune asserts that President Lincoln
had offered General Butler the command at New Orleans,
with additional powers to raise African regiments on the
Mississippi. General Butler, however, hesitated to accept,
fearing that the means offered were inadequate to the ends
to be accomplished.
The editor of the Philadelphia Journal has been released.
It is rumoured that the Legislature or Congress will
take measures to check speculation in gold.
It is reported that the Senate Finance Committee is op-
posed to a further issue of legal tender Rotes.

Secretary Chase's bank scheme is being pressed in Con

General Banks's whole expedition has left New Orleans•
Its supposed destination is Port Hudson.
General Foster's expedition from Beaufort has been seen
off Cape Fear, en route for Port Royal.
The Federals at Vicksburg number 80,000.
Southern journals assert that it was the British steamer
Spitfire which sunk the Federal steamer Hatteras off
Galveston.

The House of Representatives has passed the bill to arm
negroes by a vote of 83 to 54. The bill provides that the
President may arm Bush numbers as he may deem neces-
sary. No slaves of loyal owners are to be thus employed.
No recruiting offices are to be opened in Delaware, Mary-
land, Virginia, Kentuck3, Missouri, or Tennessee, without
the permission of the Governors of those States.

The Republican candidate, ex-Governor Morgan, hall
been elected United States Senator for New York.

Money tighter. Gold 55 per cent. premium. Exchange
on London, Bankers' bills 171. Stocks dull, New York
Centrals, 118 k; Illinois Shares, 9014 ; Erie, 724. Cotton
very firm, middling upland 89c.

Highly Important from Charleston.

NEW YORK, FEB. 4, MORNING.

The Richmond papers contain Charleston despatches,
stating that two Confederate ironclad gunboats, accom-
panied by three steamers, went out from Charleston at one
o'clock on the morning of the 31st ult., and attacked the
blockading squadron.
The engagement commenced at four o'clock.

The Confederate gunboats sunk the Federal gunboat
Mercedita, carrying 11 guns, and another Federal gunboat
whose name is unknown. They disabled the Federal
steamer Quaker City, but she escaped with the loss of one
wheel.

The Confederates also set four Federal vessels on fire.
The blockading fleet consisted of 13 vessels, with two
first-class frigates.

The Coal ederate gunboats returned to Charleston, where
they were received with immense enthusiasm.

Confederate Commander Ingraham officially reported
that the blockading fleet had gone out of sight.
General Beauregard then issued a proclamation that the
Confederate fleet had attacked the blockading squadron off
Charleston, and sunk, dispersed, or driven off, and out of
sight for the time, the entire hostile fleet. He, therefore,
formally declared that the blockade of Charleston by the
'United States was raised by the superior force of the Con"
federates from and after Jan. 31.

General Beauregard further placed steamers at the dis-
posal of the foreign Consuls to see for themselves that no
blockade existed ; and, according to the Richmond papers,
the British Consul went on board the steamer Petrel five
miles beyond the usual achorage of the blockaders, but
could see nothing of them with glasses.

The Richmo• d papers state that the Foreign Conssle
have held a meeting at Charleston, and were unanimously
of opinion that the blockade had been legally raised.
Late on the evening of the 31st ult. four vessels of the
blockading squadron re-appeared, and on Feb. 1, twenty
blockading vessels were off Charleston bar.

NEW YORK, FEB. 5, EVENING.

The Richmond paper asserts that the Confederate Secre-
tary of Sate has notified to the British and French Con•
suls that he has received official information of the opening
of the Charleston blockade.

The I, ichrnond Despatch says :--" It is understood that
official notification having been given of the opening of the
blockade, it cannot be rentwed by the Federals until 60
days' previous notice has teen given to the neutral Govern'
ments." The same journal, does not think that Earl Itus'
sell will insist on any notification if the Federals restore
the blockade without notice, as Earl Russell has yielded to
all claims of the Federal Government on international

questions.
The Northern papers consider the southern accounts or
the Charleston affair exaggerated. prepared specially for
Enrope.n circulation.

The n ew York World thinks there is no proof, because
no vessels were in sight for several hours on a very foga
day, that the blockade was raised for a single instant.

The New Yoik Herald has no apprehension that the
Confederates can establish legal grounds for what they
claim.

The New York Tribune says :—" If it be true that the
blockading fleet was driven off, or its operations disturbed
for a single day, the Federal Government should at once
notify to the world the resumption of the blockade."
The New York Times, discussing
the same subject, con-
siders the validity of the present blockade in no waY
affected.

-------
The Federal steamer New Ironsides was off Charleston
on the 3d inst.
General Forster's expedition from Beaufort is supposed
to number 70,000 men, and to be destined for an atuck on
Charleston.
The Confederates have attacked Fort Donnelson, and
have captured one battery, which was afterwards retaken
by the Federals.
The Confederates are reported to have been repulsed with
considerable loss.

k
General Grant has arrived at Vicksburg. The vi"-- es
the canal progresses.

TLe Confederates have planted a battery coninla-
r.dia
the lower end of the canal.

In the Senate the resolutions denouncing French inter
vention in Mexico were laid on the table by a vote of 34
against 9.

gsMoney tighter. Gold 574 per eclat. premium.
(j
•.n London 173. Stocks steady. New Yotk
ra:
1181. Illinois 90. Erie 731. Cotton dui' : niaiditug
Up
age
1412(1E1 860. to 8801 Breacletuffs quiet Bud nU