The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-15 00:00:00

.RESULTS OF 717 E WAR.

The New 7 ork Tribune, in noticing the recent
proposal of Napoleon 111, to offer mediation, says—
M. de Lhuys' proposal to interfere between the
United States and the Confederate rebels assumes
that we have made no progress toward the over-
throw of the rebellion. Here are his words :
" From the commencement of the war, an armed
force was set on foot by the belligerents, which,
since then, has almost constantly been kept up.
After so much bloodshed they are now, in that re-
spect, nearly in the same position."
Is this the fact ? Let us consider.

The Southern Confederacy claims to be composed
of the fifteen Slave States, Delaware and Maryland
excepted. It professes also to include the Indian
territory, New Mexico, and Arizona.

Let us—for the end of the year approaches—take
a hurried account of stock, and see just where
we stand:—

1. The Confederates, though they recently in-
vaded Maryland in force, and have made petty raids
into Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, &c., do not hold
at this hour a single foot of territory outside of
what they claim as their own, nor do they seriously
threaten to acquire any. 2. Alter having for
months desperately contested the great State of
Missouri, fought many important battles therein—
some of them successfully—they have been driven
out of it, so that only two or three guerilla bands
of no importance now lurk in its swamps or forests
and occasionally steal out to commit depredations.
3. Kentucky has in like manner been in good part
under rebel domination, not only last winter but
again two months ago. Now they are wholly ex-
pelled from it, and likely to remain so. 4. Ten-
nessee is one of the States most important to the
slaveholders' Confederacy. Half of it, including the
two most important cities, Nashville and Memphis,
have been held for the Union throughout the last
six months, and we are an the point of trying to re-
claim the residue. 5. Virginia is the most populous
State belonging to Jeff's Confederacy, and inc.udes
his metropolis. Very nearly half of it is now in
Union hands, including the cities of Norfolk and
Wheeling, while its chief fortress, Monroe, has
never yet seen a rebel flag floating from its walls.
We expect to have a good deal m, re of it before the

year is out. 6. Of North Carolina, the Union has
held Albermarle and the connected sounds, with
their islands and the beach outside, forts Hatteras
and Macon, the cities of Newbern and Washington,
with a considerable strip of the main land, for
several months, almost without resistance. We
hold also the water line of transit thence to Hamp-
ton Roads through the Dismal Swamp Canal. 7.
Of South Carolina, we hold the Sea Islands, imclud-
ing the forts built by the rebels to guard the
entrance to Port Royal inlet or sound. 8. Of Georgia
we have long held Fort Pulaski commanding
the water way to Savannah, and the islands of Ty-
bee, St. Simons, &c., are actually or virtally in our
possession. The whole coast, with its inlets and
mouths of rivers, is in our possession, 9. Nearly
all the seaports of Florida (Pensacola, St. Augus-
tine, &c.) have long been in Union hands. All the
fortifications also (Fort Pickens, Fort Taylor, the
Tortugas) are and ever have been Union. 10. Of
Texas we have Galveston and most of the seaports.
We can take the residue when we choose with
little effort. 11. Of Louisiana we hold Forts St.
Philip and Jackson, which guard the ascent of the
Mississippi, with New Orleans, the chief mart of
the south-west, and a large area of the adjacent
sugar-growing region: And we have held the city
and the forts more than half a year undisputedly.
12. We hold a considerable strip of Northern Mis-
sissippi, and have a victorious army there ready to
fight all corners, only the rebels insist on being
goers instead. 13. Ditto as to Arkansas. 14. We
have quiet possession of all New Mexico and Ari-
zona, which, one year since, were mainly in the
possession of a triumphant rebel force. 15. This
is also the fact as to the Indian territory.
It thus appears that nearly one-third of the popu-
lation, and more than a third the area claimed by
the Confederacy, are to-day under Union control;
most of it won by hard fighting within the past
year. New Orleans, St. Louis, Louisville, Memphis,
Galveston, Santa Fe, Lexington, Norfolk, Newbern,
Pensacola—all these are claimed as belonging
to the Confederacy, and most of them have been
held by it, but they are now all Union. More than
1,000,000 people who were under the Confederate
flag a year ago, now peacefully repose under the
Union eagles. And we are just on the point of
marching on with larger and better disciplined
armies than ever before.
With what justice, then, with what fairness, does
M. Drouyn de Lhuys assert that the belligerents
"stand nearly in the same position" as they did a
year ago ? Where is the square foot of ground we
have lost ? Where is the ;Confederate offset for
Kentucky, half of Tennessee, Missouri,New Mexico,
New Orleans, Memphis, &c. ? Why should he who
proposes friendly mediation between the contend-
ing parties introduce the subject by assertions
which prove him alike hostile to the Union and
singularly inconsiderate of truth'?

FIRES ON BOARD SHlP.—Yesterday morning
between 3 and 4 o'clock, a fire broke out on board the ship
Adelphi, of South Shields, lying off Bell-wharf, Lower
Shadwell. The discovery was made by some persons on
board ships lying in the same tier, who saw smoke igsuiug
from the alter cabin. They at once raised an alarm, and
after some time succeeded in making those on board the
Adelphi sensible of their danger, excepting the mate, who
was sleeping near the place where the fire broke out, so
soundly that he could not be awakened. The lower steam
floating engine by Shand and Mason was quickly brought
to spot. The crews of the surrounding ships, having
scaled the bulwarks, succeeded in cutting away the deck,
and by pouring copious streams of water upon the blazing
cabin they were enabled, with the aid of the firemen, to get
the flames extinguished, but not until the vessel was much
injured. As soon as the ship was sufficiently cooled the
firemen entered. They found the dead body of the unfor-
tunate mate, Thompson, who had been burnt in a frightful
manner, As to the origin of the misfortune not the least
reliable information could be obtained beyond the mere fact
that it commenced in the cabin before spoken of. The ship
was insured in the Blyth Club. The body of the deceased
remains until an inquest is held, which it is expected will
take place on Wednesday next.