The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-18 00:00:00

SHIPPING INTELLI GEN CE.

lan,jeaBntmY's, anhdipCsygEnedtgaWrero at Port Royal,
Dfltereera)M, (flag of Admiral

the royal mail steamer La Plata, with the out-
ward mails of the 17th ult., had not arrived at St.
Thomas up to 5 p.m. on the 3d inst. (This was
only 14 days.) The Avon was on the Spanish Main
route ; the Teviot at Jamaiea ; the Thames on the
Havannah route; the Wye at Barbadoes ; the Clyde,
Der went, Solent, Tamar, and Trent, at St. Thomas.

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

(From the Special Correspondent of the Times.)

NEW YORK, FEB. 27.

This brief letter must be accepted as the prepa-
ration for a longer epistle, which may be full of the
most important details of military movements on
the Potomac. The press is bound in a rigid cen-
sorship, which, indeed, is submitted to by the people
of the North with a very good grace, because they
expect to be astonished and delighted by intelli-
gence of signal successes when the restrictions are
removed. Neither telegram nor correspondence re-
ferring to military movements can be published
with safety. Rumours fly about the city. It is
reported that Banks has been defeated, that Fitz-
John Porter's division advanced yesterday ; that
Heintzleman moved to-day. It is beyond doubt
that General M'Clellan has left Washington, and
that his staff and a strong escort have proceeded
towards Harper's Ferry or Frederick, by the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad. Some reason there is for
thinking that a large mass of troops is following
his steps. If so it is obvious that the plan indi-
cated some time ago will be followed, and that,
leaving a sufficient force in the lines before Wash-
ington, General M'Clellan will make an attempt to
turn the left of the Confederates and to force his
way to the rear of their position. There are, how-
ever, serious obstacles in the way of such an ad-
vance,—the country is yet difficult,—the transport
will be severely tried,—Western Virginia has been
laid desolate. In a day more I trust that more
accurate information of what has taken place at
Washington will be available for foreign use. The
occupation of Nashville is now beyond a doubt,
unless one can be created by the authority of all
newspapers and the unanimitywith which the report
is promulgated. Arkansas is now the theatre of a
large guerilla. Missouri for the time seems to be
much in the state of Burgundy during the wars
of 'Duke Charles. The notion of a strong Union
feeling being latent in the South is weakened
by experience in every part of the coun-
try save Tennessee, and it is well to state that the
districts in which that sentiment has been dis-
covered were always opposed to Secession.
It is creditable to the sense of the Northern people
and to their comprehension of the value of facts that
no undue elation has been excited by their recent
triumphs. One or two journals have, of course,
pursued their folly to its bent. However, there is
no better sign on the part of a people in a great
struggle than calmness in victory. Those who ex-
claimed when Donnelson yielded its 12,000 prisoners
or more that " Secession is dead !" hold their tongues
or speak with moderation in face of the unyielding
attitude of the South. The papers from Richmond
and elsewhere utter no uncertain notes. They are
full of resolution and vigour. They acknowledge
their reverses, admit the force of the enemy, criti-
cise the course of their Government with bitterness;
but their counsels breathe resistance to the last.
" Tune cede malls, sed contra audentior ito ;" and
the Roman takes his counsel, his oath, his procla-
mation, and his cocktail, burns his bridge, shoulders
his rifle, and marches off to make a new battle-field.
If the position at Manassas be turned, and the Con-
federates are beaten in the open in their attempt to
cover Richmond, there will be a blow given to their
cause far more heavy than that which would come
from the capture of all the villages along the coast,
the occupation of the seaboard towns, or the seizure
of the best cotton ports. Virginia is a great moral
stronghold. Richmond is a grand strategical posi-
tion, a centre from which the blood flows and comes
through Secessia. It is believed that the outlying
corps which protects Leesburg does not exceed
12,000 men, but it is capable of being reinforced
rapidly by rail. Winchester is a point of great con-
sequence in reference to these movements, and if
Banks has really moved it will be his aim, in all pro-
bability, to seize it, and in that case he will break
the line of communication, and thus defeat any at-
tempts of the Confederates to reinforce their corps
covering the extremity of their position on the right.
Landor's recent reconnaissances and the appearance
of the enemy on their extreme left seem to show that
there are apprehensions of some such danger. The
former found the Confederates in a position which
could not have been occupied unless they were very
tenacious of their hold on their left. The columns
commanded by Banks and General Stone's successor
may probably number 20,000 men all told,includ-
ing Landor's force, and with Rosecrans, tropps there
is, perhaps, a force of 33,000 or 34,000 available for
operations. If General M'Clellan succeeds in rein-
forcing this army with 25,000 men and abundance
of field batteries in such time that the Confederates
cannot meet his movement by fresh dispositions,
there. appears to be every chance of his rolling up
their left and sweeping their line back, or forcing
them to change front and fight or retire. In any
change of front the Federals on the Occoquan would
prove very troublesome. At all events, with the
end of winter comes a movement of the army of the
Potomac, and with that there will be events which
will contrast strongly with its long inaction. No
one knows what to think of the stories which aro
afloat respecting offers of compromise—the flags of
truce at Columbus and the like.

THE HARTLEY COLLIERY FUND.—The total
amount received at the Mansion-house in aid of the Hartley
Colliery fund up to Saturday was £20,524, of which nearly
£2BO came to hand during the week, whereas the amount
in aid of the Merthyr fund is only £4OB. There seems to
be an impression in the minds of many that a portion of the
surplus of the Hartley fund will be devoted to the assist-
ance of those at Merthyr, but it is the intention of the
committee at Hartley to make a reserve fund for only such
exigencies of the kind as may in futuro occur in the dis-
tricts of Northumberland and Durham,

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR.-0o Saturday morning
the police of the Staffordshire constabulary discovered a
bonnet and a letter on the banks of the Soho Pool. Com-
ing to the conclusion that they belonged to some one who
had drowned herself, they immediately commenced drag-
ging the pool, under the impression that some unfortunate
creature had Committed suicide. Notwithstanding the
most careful search, however, no body has yet been found.
The following is a literal copy of the letter referred to :
•' This wicked and dreadful occurance is the chief cause of
a false deceitful young man, the name of Thomas Johnson
which much rather depart this world than be brought to
shame hoping the Lord will forgive me for what I have
done farewell to all left. My friends left a mark for
mockers fingers I withdrew from gazing eyes like the rose
in shade to linger bloom unseen to wither die for thy
faults let others chide thee I thy madness will implore 3et
may all the good betide the through on earth we meet no
more fare thee well i can repeat to fare the well as kindly
say if these lines should chance to meet you Spurn them
not like mo away. I conclude with a broken Heart."
The bonnet and letter are in the possession of the Police,
and lie at the Handsworth police station for identifiot4ti°n'
,—Birmingham .POBl.

The iron steam-frigate, Resistance, 18, was to-
day floated out of No. 3, dock, in this yard, for the
purpose of being masted and completed for sea.
The operation was conducted by o.• Lang, Esq.,
master shipwright, in the presence of Captain
Superintendent E. G. Fanshawe and a very nume-
rous body of spectators, consisting chiefly of the
military. The proceedings throughout were of the
most successful character, no hindrance even of the
most trifling nature being experienced. Imme-
diately upon leaving the dock she was hauled along-
side the floating shears, and in the afternoon her
propeller was lowered into its position. According
to present arrangement the Resistance will leave
to-morrow for Sheerness, for the purpose of testing
her speed at the measured mile.
A large body of caulkers have to-day been placed
upon the Royal Oak, 50, 1,000 horse power, one of
the new class of armour-plated frigates building in
this dockyard.
The naval department transports Ajd and Lively,
having each shipped a full cargo of stores alongside
the Anchor-wharf, sailed to-day for the western
yards.
One of the gunboats recently converted into
transport vessels at Woolwich was to-day brought
alongside this dockyard for the purpose of discharg-
ing a number of the immense armour-plates for the
Royal Oak, manufactured by the Thames Iron
Shipbuilding Company.
WOOLWICH, MARCH 17.

ROYAL ARSENAL.—The Victoria steam transport
vessel and the Tartar transport are now in the
river to return stores. The Pathfinder has shipped
a full cargo of guns and war stores for the West
Indies.

A detachment of Royal Artillery arrived at head
quarters this day, from Shoeburyness, and a de-
tachment of the depot brigade has left Woolwich
to undergo a course of instruction at the Govern-
ment school of gunnery.
A sum of £50,000 having been appropriated by
the estimates for the present financial year towards
the cost of building the new General Military Hos-
pital at Kidbrook Common, near Shooter's Hill,
active operations will be commenced by the con-
tractors during the present week.
By permission of the Commandant, a temporary
theatre for the amusement and recreation of the
troops in garrison, has been established at the en-
campment on Woolwich Common. The perform-
ances are chiefly coneucted by non-commissioned
officers of the Royal Artillery and Military Train
corps.

DEPTFORD, MARCH 17.

LAUNCH OF THE RATTLER.—Every arrangement
was this evening completed, under the superinten-
dence of Mr. ii. L. Peake, Master Shipwright, for
the launch of her Majesty's screw steam sloop
Rattler, of 17 guns, at two o'clock to-morrow after-
noon at this dockyard. She is now in a very
forward state for the reception of her engines and
screw machinery, which are manufactured by
Messrs. Maudslay. Her principal dimensions are—
length between perpendiculars, 210 feet ; breadth,
extreme, 32 feet 6 inches ; depth in hold, 17 feet 8
inches; burden, in tons, 951 ; and engines, 200
horse power. After launching, she is ordered to be
immediately towed to Sheerness for completion.
Admiralty orders have also been received for the
launch of the screw sloop Columbine, of 11 guns and
150 horse power, at this yard, on the 2d April next.
The Mauritius, hired steam transport vessel, left
Deptford this day after discharging stores at the
Victualling Yard.