The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-16 00:00:00

47r

AMERICA,

QUEENSTOWN, MONDAY NIGHT.
The Cunard steamer America, from Boston on
Vie 2q inst., and Halifax on the 4th, has arrived.
Iu the Senate on the 31st ult. a petition was pre-
sented from the workmen in the late armoury at
Harper's Ferry, asking for the re-establishment of
the armoury and for work. A joint resolution ap-
pointing Theodore Woolsey Regent of the Smithso-
nian Institute,in place of President Felton, deceased,
was passed. The Secretary of War was asked to
furnish the Senate with a copy of Gen. Mansfield's
report of the fight between the Merrimac and the
Monitor. A bill to create a Bureau of Transporta-
tion was introduced and referred. A bill to provide
a Territorial Government for Arizona was intro.
duced. Resolutions from the Legislature of Maine
were presented in favour of the President's eman-
cipation policy. The bill for the abolition of slavery
in the district of Columbia was taken up, and Mr.
Sumner, of Massachusetts, addressed the Senate in
favour of its passage. The bill was postponed.
In the House the Senate Bill remitting duties on
arms imported by States was passed. The Com-
mittee on Elections reported that S. F. Beach
was not elected a member from the Seventh Con-
gressional District of Virginia. The Tax Bill
was then further considered in Committee of
the Whole House until the adjournment, and
the clauses relating to leather, enamelled cloth,
skins, hides, wines, varnish, and furs were
amended. A resolution was adopted that no duty
shall be collected on furs until the expiration of the
Reciprocity Treaty. The tax on diamonds, emeralds,
and other jewellery was fixed at 3 per cent. ad valo-
rem ; the tax on flour was struck out ; the tax on
cloth and all textile fabrics was fixed at 3 per cent.
ad valorem. A paragraph was adopted that on and
after the let of May a tax of 1 cent per pound
'roe charged on all cotton. A tax was also placed on
melodeons and organs kept for hire, also on pleasure
yachts, and on dogs. To the section relating to
cattle was added a proviso that the Commissioners
of Internal Revenue may make further rules and
regulations for ascertaining the accurate number of
cattle, hogs, and sheep slaughtered, liable to taxa-
tion under the bill- In the course of the debate
the statement was made by Mr. Spaulding, of New
York, that the existence of the Reciprocity Treaty
with Canada causes a loss to the United States'
Treasury of thirteen millions annually through dis-
criminating duties.
In the Senate, on the Ist, a resolution was adopted,
instructing the Committee on the Conduct of the
War to collect evidence in regard to the barbarous
treatment by the Confederates at Manassas of the
killed in battle there ; also,whether the Confederates
enlisted Indians who committed unheard of atro-
cities, and how this savage warfare was conducted.
A bill was introduced for the better organization of
the District of Columbia Militia. A resolution was
adopted requesting the Secretary of War to furnish
the correspondence of General Wool with the War
Department relative to the movements of the army,
or part thereof, since he has been in command of
Fortress Monroe. The bill abolishing slavery in the
district of Columbia was taken up. Mr. Davis
offered an amendment to the original bill,—that
persons be permitted to retain possession of their
slaves until the money appropriated be paid them.
—Rejected. Mr. Davis offered another amend-
ment,--to strike out the limit of 300 dole, as the
average amount to be paid for each slave.—Re-
jected-11 against 30. Mr. Browning moved to
amend Mr. Clark's substitute by making the aver-
age value of the slaves 500 dole., and providing
that one-half be paid to the master, if loyal, and
the other half retained by the Secretary of the
Treasury, and when any person liberated
by the bill emigrates to another country
to be paid over to him or his.—Adopted. Mr. Willey
moved an amendment to Mr. Clark's substitute, so
as to provide for the submission of the question to
the people of the district before it becomes a law.—
Rejected-13 against 24. Mr. Trumbull offered an
amendment to the original bill, that no payment be
made for any slaves to any persons who have borne
arms in the rebellion against the United States, or
in any way given aid thereto. After further discus-
sion the Senate went into Executive Session.
There has been no further encounter or move-
ment on the part of the Merrimac or Monitor.
The siege of Island No. 10 had continued without
any important change.
A special despatch to the Times, dated of Island
No. 10, March 31 says,—
" The river is falling several inches a-day. The
rebels have erected a large intrenched camp in the
bend of the river, directly in front of our gunboats.
An embankment half a mile long has been thrown,
up on the shore, behind which guns are mounted in
large numbers. They are masked as yet, and we
have no means of ascertaining what artillery they
posted at this point. Several batteries, however, are
plainly visible. Their intrenchments extend from
the centre of the bend to the upper point of the
island. They are constantly busy with steamboats
and men. The mortars were fired yesterday and to-
day every 15 minutes, with what effect we are un-
able to decide. The shells are all thrown upon the
island. The rebels make no answer, except an occa-
sional shot at a transport. Occasional firing is heard
in the direction of new Madrid, caused by engage-
ments between the batteries, which are placed on
opposite sides of the river below that place. We get
no news from there."
Another despatch says,--.

- -
"The mortars fire every halt hour, but elicit no
response. The rebel mail, captured ye6terday at
Union City, contained letters from the rebel troops
at Island No. 10, representing that the forces
there were disheartened and dispirited. There
is nothing from General Grant's column. To-day
40 or 50 soldiers came into Hickman, gave up their
arms, and desired to return. to their allegiance and
join the Federal army. They were a portion of those
who escaped from Union City yesterday. They
report that large numbers of the rebel troops are
also disposed to yield."
A special correspondent of the New York limes,
speaking of the rumours regarding the bombard-
ment and the real progress of affairs, says,—
" When it is known that for the last week we
have laid from two to three miles from the nearest
batteries, and, added to this distance, there have
been clouds of smoke along the horizon, whereby,
with the most powerful glass, we are unable to see

the enemy and not even his cannon, the value of
such information will be at once highly appreciated.
After laying for 48 hours, unable to catch a single
glimpse of the enemy, and not firing at him more
than half-a-dozen shots in the same time, it is in-
spiring to learn from the daily files that during that
period we have dismounted a dozen cannon, killed
a senft of rebels, shot down a flagstaff, and created
in general no small panic among the sons of the
sunny
and gallant South. it is these accounts
which ehoe,eleur flagging spirits and encourage us
to persevere with the hope of a speedy and glorious
end, The day before yesterday Capt. Steiner made
his long looked-for
aerial reconnaissance. The
balloon was filled en
a fiat boat, and thence, by
'means of a cord, was
allowedt to ascend slowly a
distance of some goo
fa e:o,or thereabouts. The
ascent was made from
was
probably point about a mile above
the Point, and hence
not less than
three miles from the nearest battery,ab Capt. Steiner
went up first, and af7cr him Col. Buford,
ne:anTdhceondsaey-
was as smoky as an Indian summer 0-
quently, the prospect was not of the best. no' ,ever,
they succeeded in learning that the rebelshai
some
batteries on the main or Ken Lucky shore,beside,forlt.a
fications and guns on the island. This Was learnt,
together with the fact that there is a floating battery
on the side of the island and several transports
lying at the foot—all of which was eminently satis-
factory. We knew all this before, but then it had not
been discovered from what particular point of ob•

servation, and consequently was novel in one sense,
if not in anoiler, The tents having disappeared

from the barks and the head of the island, it was

inferred that they had been removed back, in order
to get them out of range. This circumstance was
fully corroborated by the aeronaut, to the extent
that not being able to see any of the tents, from the
atmospheric haze, it was concluded that they had
been removed .somewhere. No enemy was seen
from the ‘balinou; from which circumstance it was
ifil,,rred either that the rebels, frightened at th©