The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-17 00:00:00

LONBAY MAIL.

MARSEILLES, AL G. 17.
The Valetta, wif,h the above mail, arrived here at

six a.m. this day.
The mail left for London by the 11.30 a.m. train,

Almost all the Dublin press, comprising five
morning and two evening papers, have written strongly
in favour of the Channel fleet visiting the Bay of Dublin
and harbour of Kingstown. They state that the Man-of-
War Roads there have ample water for the Warrior and
Black Prince,
bcur of Kingstown.
while the smaller ships could lie in the liar-

The shipping of New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia is rapidly increasing. On the independence of the
Confederate States they wilt be the principal carriers be•
meat North anti Smith, ED penedirg these of Boacn,
nw Y,9111) auk Maine,

in person.

AMERICA.

The ground given for the condemnation of the
Peterhoff was that—" She was laden with contra-
band of war with the knowledge of the owners.
She was not truly destined to Matamoros for the
purposes of commerce within the authority and in-
tendment of public law, but to some other place,
both in aid and for the use of the enemy, and in
violation of the law of nations. The ship's papers
were simulated and false as to her real destination."
The schooner Stephen Hart arid the barque Sally
Magree have been condemned. The brig Isabella
Thompson and her cargo have been restored to the
owners without damage or costs, and with permis-
sion to the libellants to furnish further proof.
The schooner Glen and her cargo have been re-
stored to the owners with costs and damages.

NEW YORK, August 4 (Evening).
President Lincoln has issued a proclamation an-
nouncing that the Federals will adopt a system of
retaliation if the South refuse to treat negrots as
prisoners of war.

Both the Federal and Confederate armies are
inactive on the Rappahannock.
Th 3 Richmond Dispatch asserts that Gen. Banks
nas been defeated in Louisiana.
The Richmond Dispatch of the Ist inst. asserts
that the Confederate General Taylor has engaged
the Fedcrals under General Banks, in Louisiana,
and completely routed them, capturing G,OOO pri-
soners.

News from Charleston to the 31st ult. states tha
the Federal fleet had bombarded Cumming's Poin
without material result.

Fort Wagner kept up its bombardment upon the
Federal position on Morris Island. The Confe-
deeates have erected fresh batteries upon James's
Island.

The Union ticket has been elected in Kentucky
by a large majority.
A collision has taken place between the " copper-
heads" and the " Union men" in lowa. It is re-
ported that the former number 4,000, and are fully
armed. The military have been despatched to the
scene of conflict.

Messrs. William Yancy and John B. Floyd are
very ill and not expected to recover.
News received here from Havana states that over
1,500,000 dols. worth of property was destroyed by
the late fire,

NEW YORK, August 5 (Evening).
(By Telegraph to Halifax.)
General Lee's forces, excepting Hill's corps, are
reported to be south of the Rapidan.
A brigade of General Longstreet's corps occupies
Fredericksburg heights.
The Confederates have sent quantities of stores
to Fredericksburg.
The Washington Star says :—lt is generally be-
lieved that the bulk of Meade's army has crossed
the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford, forcing General
Lee either to retreat beyond the Rapidan or to risk
a general engagement, the former being most pro-
bable.

Advices from Charleston are to the 2d inst.

At that date the situation was unchanged. The
Confederate infantry had made a sortie from Fort
Wagner, but were repulsed with considerable loss.
Heavy Federal reinforcements were arriving.
The Federal steamer Ironsides has sunk a vessel
endeavouring to run nut of Charleston. It is sup-
posed that her crew and a cargo of cotton are lost,
NEW YORK, August 6 (Evening).
The TVashington Republican, a semi-official organ,
says :

"It there should be a slight occasion for hostili-
ties, and England and America were likely to be
involved in war, the Federal steam marine will at
once be converted into privateers, and British corn.
merce will be driven from the ocean. War is not
desirable with England, but war is not the highest
of evils. Aspirited nation eannotsubmit to iPjustice,
insolence, and outrage through a series of years, and
make no effort to avenge its wrongs. The course
pursued by England has alienated every American
of the loyal States. These facts indicate what the
future has in store for America."

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEW YORK, August 4 (Evening).

Money abundant. Gold 281 per cent. premium.
Exchange on London, bankers' bills, HO. Stocks
firm and advancing. New York Centrals, 132;
Illinois, 1191 ; Erie, 1071; 6 per Cent. United
States Bonds, 106.

NEW YORK, August 5 (Evening).

Aloney easy. Gold, 271 per cent. prem. Ex-
change on London, bankers' bills, 1401. Stocks
steady ; New York Centrals, 130 i ; Illinois, 1181, ;
Erie, 106i1 ; 6 per Cent. United States Bonds, 1051.
Cotton very firm—middling Upland, 66c. Flour
and corn advancing. Wheat slightly firmer. Pro-
visions inactive. Coffee and sugar quiet. Molasses
steady. Crude petroleum, 32 to 33.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
(Per the Africa.)
NEW YORK, Aug. 4.
The steamship America arrived at New York,
Aug. 2, and the City of Manchester, Aug. 4. The
steamship Arabia arrived at Halifax, Aug. 3.
The following is the " situation" from the New
York Herald of Aug. 4. According to the rebel
accounts a heavy bombardment from Fort Wagner
was comwencLd at daybreak on Friday, and con-
tinned until two o'clock p.m, when it ceased.

The Army of the Potomac is not making any for-
ward movemerkt, nor is it likely to do so for a while.
Reconnoissances and skirmishes, however, continue
daily. On Friday, for instance, the 4th Pennsyl-
vania regiment encountered a company of one
hundred rebel cavalry near Little Washington,
twelve miles from Sperryville, and drove them
through the town. It was ascertained that a full
brigade of rebel cavalry are posted between Sperry.
ville and Little Washington.

Oar War Correspondence from the Potomac will
be found very interesting to-day.
There is nothing very new to report from the
Mississippi Valley or Tennesseo.
By the arrival of the Arabia at Halifax yester-
day, with eates from Enrope to the 26th, we have
information as to the progress of the American
question, ILL th lionso 0 Commons, 4D the 23J,

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)
QUEENSTOWN, Aug. 16.
The royal mail steam ship Africa, from Boston
on sth and Halifax on the 7th inst., arrived here at
9.45 p.m. yesterday. She brings 96 passengers
and £7,578 in specie.
The Africa landed all her mails, and eight pas-
sengers, and proceeded for Liverpool immediately.
All well.
Sha was detained at Halifax by fog.
NEW YORK, Aug. 3 (Evening).
General Lee's army is concentrated near Cul-
pepper.

Gen. Buford's cavalry crossed the Rappahannock
on Saturday, and proceeded towards Culpepper,
near which place they encountered a large force of
Confederate infantry with artillery. A fierce fight
ensued, Geu. Buford being compelled to withdraw
to Brandy Station.

The expedition from Vicksburg has arrived at
Port Hudson. General Gract is said to command

The Northern journals state that the Raleigh
North Carolina Standard denounces President
Davis's Government, and urges North Carolina to
send a delegation to Wcshington to see what terms
can be obtained without waiting for Davis.
The liichmond Enquirer urges President Davis
to suppress the Standard, and to wipe out the North
Carolina Supreme Court.

It is stated that 100,000 negro troops will be
organised to defend the navigation of the Missis-
sippi.

President Lincoln has officially proclaimed that
if the enemy enslave or sell any one because of his
colour the offence will be punished by retaliation
upon the enemy's prisoners.

For every Federal soldier killed in violation of the
laws of warfare a rebel soldier will be executed, and
for every one enslaved or sold into slavery a rebel
soldier will be placed at herd labour on public
works, and kept at labour until the other be re-
leased, and receive the treatment due to prisoners
of war.

Mr. Cobden referred to the proceedings cf the
Alabama, Florida, and Virginia, all built in British
ports for the rebels, and to the fact that two iron-
clad ships were now fitting out in Liverpool for the
same service, which, if allowed to leave England,
would prove a easus belli with the United States
Government. He declared that American shipping
had becorre almost worthless in consequence of the
operations of the rebel cruisers. Lord Palmerston
justified the course of the Government, saying that
be did not see the difference between selling arms
to the Federals and selling ships to the Confeaerates.
Mr. Cobden attempted to read a letter from our
Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, but was
ruled out of order. The letter, however, was pub-
lished in the British papers as far back as April last.
The following are the latest despatches received
from Charleston. A private letter received iu this
city, dated July 29, says—l went yesterday to
Block Island, and made a recognoissance from the
tallest tree there. Bleck Island is between James
Island and Morris Island. and distant from the
former about 1,000 yards. I saw from my elevated
position that the rebels were erecting a line of bat-
teries and building rifle pits almost the entire dis-
tance from Fort Johnson to Secessionville along the
river. I could look over into Charleston and see
what was going on there quite plainly. It is the
nearest view I have yet had of Charleston, but our
brave boys will take a nearer one and astonish the
rebels.

FORTRESS MONROE, Aug. 3.
The _Richmond Whig of Aug. 1 has been received
here, and contains the following:—

CHARLESTON, July 31.
Cumming's Point was severely bombarded yes-
terday morning, commencing at about 10 o'clock.
The Ironsides and two Monitors were engaged. The
bombardment lasted until 3 p.m., when the vessels
withdrew. The batteries Gregg, Simpkins, Wag-
ner, and Sumter responded to the enemy's fire.
Two men were killed and one wounded at battery
Gregg. The battery was not materially injured.
There was no firing on James Island to-day, and
very little from Fort Wagner. Beauregard visited
the James Island works to-day.