The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-16 00:00:00

AMERICA.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)
QUEENSTOWN, SUNDAY.

The Royal mail steamship Canada, from Boston
on the 4th, and Halifax on the 6th inst., arrived
here at three p.m. to-day. She brings 45 pas-
wengers and 229,000 dols. in specie. The Canada
landed the mails arid two passengers, and proceeded
at 3.15 p in. for Liverpool. All well.

(Per Canada.)

NEW YORK, MARCH 3, Evening,.
General Grant continues his operations against
Vicksburg.

The Confederates have cap4ured the Federal
steamer Indianola 25 miles below Vicksburg. They
enaployid the ram Queen of the West in her cap-
ture.

The Federal Commander Porter attributes the
loss of the Indianola to 4 non-compliance with his
instructions.

Reports are still current that the Confederate
General Longstreet is at Cumberland Gap with a
large force preparing to invade Kentucky.
It is rumoured that a large Confederate force has
appeared at Leesburg.
The Confederate cavalry raid across the Rappa-
hannock is said to have been a failure.
It is reported that the Confederates have laid a
network of torpedoes across the entrance to Charles-
ton harbour.

Two hundred Union cavalry have been captured
near Strasburg, Virginia, during a pursuit of 20
miles. The disaster occurred through disobedience
to orders.

President Lincoln has called an extra session of
the Senate for March 4, to receive, and act upon,
such communications as m2y be made by the Exe-

cutivc.

Senator Sumner has reported to the Senate from
the committee upon foreign relations concurrent re-
solutions regarding mediation. After referring to
the French offer of mediation the resolutions de-
clare that any idea of mediation or intervention jE
impracticable, unreasonable, and inadmissible. Also
that any offer of interference so far encourages re-
bellion, and tends to prolong the contest, and that
Congress will therefore be obliged to regard any
further attempt in the same direction as an un-
friendly act.

The resolutions express regret that the foreign
powers have not frankly informed the Southern
chiefs that the work in which they are engaged is
hopeless, and that a new government with slavery
as its corner-stone, and with no other declared ob-
ject of separate existence, is so far shocking to civi-
lisation and to the moral sense of mankind that it
must not expect welcome or recognition in the com-
monwealth of nations. The resolutions express an
unalterable purpose to prosecute the war until the
rebellion is suppressed. The resolutions will be
communicated to foreign governments.

The Senate has passed an amendment that negroes
shall not be commissioned in the service., except as
company officers of exclusively negroe companies.
The House of Representatives has passed the bill
of the Senate authorising the President to issue
letters of marque; also a bill taxing the sales of
torn ( ? gold).
Both houses of Congress have passed a bill in-
demnifying the President for the suspension of the
writ of Habeas Corpus ; also a bill imposing a tax
of 2 per cent. upon bank circulation. The duty on
paper has been reduced to 20 per cent.

The Legislature of California is putting the state
upon a war footing.

Fifty thousand persons were present at a Union
meeting held at Indianopolis, Indiana, at which
strong Union resolutions have been passed.
Gen. M'Clellan has declined a public reception at
.Baltimore.

The privateer Florida has captured and burned
the ship Jacob Bell, from China for New York,
Jan. 12, in lat. 24, long. 65. Her cargo is valued at
1,000,000 dollars. The steamer Columbian, with a
cargo of cotton, has arrived at St. George's from
Wilmington. The Federal government has pur-
chased the steamer Princess Royal.

Dispatches received from San Francisco discredit
the capture of Guaymas by the French.

The French steamer Pallas arrived at Mazatlan
on Feb. 4, but did not communicate with the shore.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Money easy. Gold, 711 per cent. premium.
Exchange on London, bankers' bills, 189. Stocks
quiet. New York Centrals, 118 ; Illinois Shares,
92 ; Erie, 77i.

NEC YORK, March 5 (Noon).
Immense excitement exists among bankers and
the bullion dealers. Gold has fallen 5 per cent.
yesterday, and 10 per cent. more to-day, and is
now quoted 57 per cent. premium. The panic was
caused by the legislation in Congress concerning
transactions in gold. Money easy.

NEW YORK, March 5 (Evening).
The Confederate steamer Nashville ran aground
at Fort Macallister, Savannah, and was destroyed
by Federal iron clads.

Doubtful reports are current of the capture of
Fort Macallister by the Federate.

During the last few days the city has been full
of rumours concerning fighting at Vicksburg and
the evacuation of the city by the Confederates, but
up to the present no authentic intelligence has been
received confirming these reports.
The Federal expedition to open the Yazoo River
is said to have proved successful. Six Federal
gunboats have reached Tallahatchie by way of the
Yazoo,

Two dredges are working on the Vicksburg

CA rill.

The Mississippi is rising so rapidly that the
tamps on Island 95 are seriously inconvenienced.
The levees have been broken down, mid the water
is pouring over at a fearful rate.
It is apprehended that the Confederates may
take the ram Queen of the West and the Indianola
down the Mississippi, to attack the Federal fleet
before New Orleans.

General Rosencranz has advanced to Middle-
boro, halfway between Murfreesboro and Shelby-
ville.

One thousand Federal cavalry from Murfrees-
boro have encountered the enemy at Bradyville.
The Federals drove their antagonists out of the
town, capturing 70 prisoners and a number of
official documents.

• The Harriet Lane is still at Galveston, being con-
verted into an iron-clad.

The reported arrangement between Gen. Banks
and the New Orleans planters for negro labour is
confirmed. The military will not be allowed to take
any slaves from the plantations.
Public meetings have been held in Trenton, New
Jersey, calling upon the state authorities to assert
their state sovereignty in reference to the Conscrip-
tion Act, and advocating a convention to devise
means for restoring peace to the country.
Both Rouses of Congress adjourned yesterday ;
but the Senate reassembled in accordance with Pre-
sidP-nt Lincoln's proclamation, and 17 new members
took their seats. No bills to assist any state in
emancipation have been passed by Congress. A bill
was passed rendering void all loans on gold over par.
The steamer Bermuda has been condemned.
An excited meeting of the New York Chamber
of Commerce has taken place. The meeting was
called to discuss the burning of
the Jacob Bell. A
committee was appointed to report -what measures
are proper to adopt concerning the burning of the
Jacob Bell by a pirate fitted out and supplied in
England. The president of the Chamber intimated
that a war with England was a possibility, and one
not to be dreaded. England's neutrality was de-
nounced, and the conduct of England towards Ame-
rican merchants declared to be a disgrace to the age.
Efforts should be made to call the attention of Bri-
tish merchants to the circumstances, and it was
thought that multitudes would respond.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK, March 5, Evening.
The excitement canned by the fall in gold is un-
precedented. The fluctuation in the prices is so
quotation changes every ten minutes.
rapid that its
The latest quotation is 55 per cent. premium. Ge-

neral markets are so unsettled by the movements in
gold that prices are nominal.
Money easy. Exchange on London—Bankers
bills, 173 to 175. Stocks steady—New York Cen-
trals, 1171; Illinois, 94; Erie, 771. Cotton heavy
—Middling Uplands, 84i. Flour, wheat, and corn
heavy. Provisions dull_ Coffee depressed. Sugar
steady. Crude Petroleum, 40.

(From the Times' Correspoh,*nt)
NEW YORK, MArch 3.

The term of the present Congress expires to•morrow
at 12 o'clock, It has passed the Conscription Act,
the Banking and Currency Bills, and the Act autho-
rising the President to suspend the Habeas Corpus
at his discretion. There being still business for the
Senate to transact, the President has issued a pro-
clamation summoning an extra Session of that
body, to commence immediately after the adjourn-
ment; in consequence, the meetings of the Senate
will not be for a moment interrupted. _

The Bill of Indemnity for the recent acts of arbi-
trary arrest and imprisonment by the President
and the Secretaries of State and War was brought
up in the Senate yesterday. Tho debate lasted till
5 o'clock this morning. Mr. Bayard, of Delawale,
was protesting against it as unconstitutional at half-
past 4, when a motion for adjournment was made.
The motion was not carried. On attempting to re-
sume the discussion Mr. Bayard was called to order
by the chair on the ground that the bill had passed.
As no vote was taken upon it the Democrats con-
tend that it is not law, and must be resisted. Con-
siderable excitement exists upon the subject, and
the debate will probably be renewed in the extra
Session of the Senate.

Rumours have been current for the last five days,
both in Washington and New York, of a disastrous
repulse of the Federal arms before Vicksburg, at-
tended with an enormous sacrifice of life, The re-
port is not traceable to any trustworthy source,
but, nevertheless, it creates considerable anxiety.
The Secretary of the Navy publishes official in-
formation from Admiral Porter of the loss of
another Federal ram, the Indianola, 25 miles below
Vicksburg. The Indianola had been sent to retake
the Queen of the West, but was so fiercely attacked
by that vessel, aided by three Confederate gun-
boats, that, after an obstinate resistance of several
hours, she was compelled to surrender. The whole
of her officers and crew were made prisoners.
A detachment of 80 Confederate cavalry entered
the Federal lines near Strasburg, Virginia, on the
25th, and captured 12 of the Federal pickets and a
number of horses. They then retired beyond Wood-
stock, closely pursued by 500 Federal cavalry, who
succeeded in recovering most of the prisoners and
horses. Shortly afterwards the Confederates, having
received reinforcements, turned upon the enemy,
threw them into confusion, and drove them 20
miles, killing and capturing 200 of them in their
flight.

Owing to insuperable differences with General
Hooker, General Sigel has resigned his command in
the Federal army.
The secret organisation of whites and blacks,
reported by the Tribune to be in existence at Hilton-
head for the purpose of instigating an insurrection
among the slaves in the States composing General
Hunter's department, is pronounced by the other
journals of this city to be wholly untrue.
The disagreement that existed between Generals
Hunter and Foster in regard to the command of
the Charleston and Savannah expeditions is stated
to have been adjusted.

Mr. Opdyke, the Mayor of New York, has voted
a series of resolutions adopted by the Board of
Aldermen, condemning the action of the Govern-
ment in dismissing General Porter from the Federal
service, and tendering that officer a public reception
at the City-hall. Mr. Opdyke is a prominent mem-
ber of the Republican party.
The Confederate steamer Florida has captured
and burnt the merchant ship Jacob Bell, bound from
China for New York, with a cargo valued at
1,500,000 dole. The capture was effected on the
12th ult., in lat. 28 deg. N., long. 65 deg. W. The
news is brought to Halifax by the Delta from St.
Thomas's and Bermuda the 20th and 25th ult. The
passengers were transferred to a Danish vessel and
landed at St. Thomas's.

Gold has been sold to-day at from 1718 to 171 t.
Exchange, 188 to 189.

Stocks are lower—Erie, 76 to 76/; New York
Central, 1171 to 117/ ; Illinois Central, 91 to 91k.
Cotton, 87c. per lb. Flour has declined from sc.
to 10c. per barrel. Provisions slightly improved.
The investments in real estate continue numerous.
(Via Halifax and Roche's Point.)

MARCH 5.

Wall-street has been in a state of great agitation
since the commencement of business yesterday
morning. Among the amendments to the National
Tax Bill adopted by Congress on its last day of sit-
ting was one designed to check gold speculations.
For the future all contracts for the purchase of gold
and silver must be reduced to writing and stamped
under the Stamp Act, at the rate of one half per
cent. on the whole amount, and bear interest at the
rate of 6 per cent. per annum. Loans or deposits
made for less time than three days, when renewed
or extended, are to bear the same burden, and all
loans of currency made by brokers on secarity of
gold or silver shall not exceed par value of the coin,
under penalty of non recovery before courts of law.
The effect of this legislation was to create a panic
among speculators, and to send the premium on
gold yesterday from 711 74. To-day the excite-
ment was still greater, and sales were effected as
low as 50. The price rallied to 56 at noon, and at
the Second Board went up to 57i, a decline since
the day before yesterday of 141 per cent.
The discussion on the alleged unfair passage of
the Indemnity Bill was resumed in the Senate yes-)
terday morning.
By motto' consent it was agreed to take a test'
vote on the question whether the bill had not been,
legally passed. The Senate decided in the affirnm-
tive by a majority of 25 against 13.
The correspondent of the Journal of Commerce,
at Hilton-head, writing on the 25th, states that no
immediate attack will be made on Charleston,
Savannah, or Wilmington; that an expedition is
being fitted out at Port Royal, in which every con-
ceivable engine of destruction will be concentrated
to render it successful. Its destination is not known.
The Mobile Southern accounts state that the Con-
federate steamer Nashville grounded in front of
fort Macallister on the list inst., and was destroyed
by shell from the Federal iron-clads that were
bombarding the fort. The steamers Ruby and
Douglas, from Nassau, ran the blockade and en-
tered Charleston harbour a few days previously.
No confirmation has been received of the rumours
of a great battle at Vicksburg.
Her Majesty's ships; Petrel, Vesuvius, and Des-
perate have arrived in Hampton Road..

110...• II•••••• .......

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
Stocks have slightly improved—Erie, 76f, to 77;
New York Centrals, 1171 to a ; Illinois Central,
911, to 92.

BIRD MURDER IN SUSSEX.—The West Sussex
Gazette mentions that at the last annual meeting
of the Shipley Sparrow Club, upon examination of the ac-
counts it appeared that 3,999 sparrows and 3,262 other
birds, total, 7,261, had been destroyed in the past year, and
prizes were awarded to the three members who had de-
stroyed the greatest numbers, and it was resolved to con-
tinue the club another year. Sparrow clubs were supposed
to aim at the destruction of that particular bird, from the
damage it has the reputation of doing to the wheat and
other corn; the good the sparron may do is not taken into
the account ; but the above statement shows that in addi-
tion to 3,999 sparrows 3,262 other birds were also destroyed.
It is to be hoped some naturalist may show the Shipley
farmers the probable quantity of destructive grub their lands
would have been relieved of had they permitted the birds to
remain ain en earth the brief term assigned to them, doubtless
Constitutions.
for some wise purpose, by Providence.
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