The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-26 00:00:00

THIS DAY'S SHIPPING.

LONDON, Dec. 26.--Wind this day at noon—North-
Easterly ; moderate breeze and hazy weather, with hard
frost.

FILMOUTI, Dec. 24—Wind E., fresh gale—Arrived—
Excelsior, from Rio de Janeiro. Sailed—Twas, for Cal-
cutta.

PLYMOUTH, Dec. 25.—Wind E.N.E.—Arrived—
General Kiskivick, from Antwerp for Valparaiso, with
bowsprit sprung.

MUMBLES, Dec. 25.—Arrived—Doctor Bunting, from
Quobec.

DARTMOUTH, Dec. 25.—Wind E.—Arrived—Melina,
from St. John's, Newfoundland.

BRISTOL, Dec. 25.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Louisa,
from Demerara. Sailed—Thomas Wright, for Nowfound-
land.

Bras.Toi, CRANxim, Doc. 25.—Wind N.B.—Arrived—
Antoine, from Havannah.

SPAT➢RFORD, Dec. 24.—Wind N.—Sailed—Margaret
Ridley, for St. John's, Newfoundland.

BY SCEMARINE AND MAGNETIC TELEORIPM.
GRAYESEND, Wednesday Morning.
Wind E. ' • weather fine.
Arrived, Dec. 25—Giovanni Casper°, from Marianople ;
Friendship, from Venice; Elizabeth, from Gijon ; Scandi-
navian, from Hudickswall ; Victoria, from Hamburg;
Hortensia, from Gottenburg ; Cadiz, from Algoa Bay ;
Cicero, from Bordeaux ; Little Jenny, from Terceira ; Hel-
vetia, from New York ; Mina, from Hamburg ; Do
Matrone, from Riga ; Annette Smith, from Pillau ; Swift,
from Taganrog ; Glide, from Holbec ; Alma, from Stral-
sund ; Graf Van Brandenburg, from Dantsic ; Petre Smith,
from Aalborg.

Arrived, Dec. 26,—Rope, from Bordeaux ; Sisters, from
Dieppe.

DUAL, Wednesday Morning.
Wind E. by S., moderate.
No arrivals.

THE LATE CAPTAIN BRIBAZON.—The death of
Captain Brabazon, which the telegram from China unfor-
tunately makes no longer a matter of doubt, will be read
with deep regret. It is: not too much to say that ho was
one of the most promising officers of the British army, and
ono of the most accomplished members of the distinguished
corps to which he bele:aged. Of both the theory and prac-
tice of his profession he was a master, and just before his
departure for China h D brought out a little volume, " Sol-
diers and their Science,'" which combined a most admira-
ble epitome of the art of war with the expression of mili-
tary views that show( the awthor to have brought, not
merely great research, but a vigorous intellect, to bear upon
the subject. When tl le China expedition was being or -
ganized it was felt this t the Artillery Staff should be so
selected that the Beier It ific results expected from the Arm-
strong gun should be ! manifested under the observation of
able and accomplished. men. Accordingly Brigadier Crof-
ton, commanding the Artillery, selected Captain Brabazon
for the post of Deput.r-Assistant-Quartermaster-Gene.ral ;
and up to the day on N v:hich he gallantly volunteered, to we-
company Mr. Loch bock to the Chinese lines he was looked
to by the heads of the expedition, both French and Engli!li
as one of the most val amble officers of a Staff in itself sin-
gularly efficient. Ca,eta in Brabazon was the eldest son of
Major Brabazon, late of the 15th Hussars, and of Braba-
zon-park, county of l'i tayo, and a near relative of Colonel
Ouseley Higgins, who, for several years represented that
county in Parliament. It may, perhaps, o.ssuage the
grief of his relatives to know that his loss is looked upon as
a public one, and is deplwed sincerely by the Litany who
were acquainted with his, great abilities and N'orth.

THE WAR D_EPARTMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.

The United States Secretary of War, in his ar.rual
report, states that the authorised and actual strength
of the army remained substantially the same as last
year. It had been actively engaged against hostile
Indians. The services of the army are narrated as
follows :
" The department of Texas has been restored to
tranquillity, and relieved from all apprehension of
invasion or molestation by the armed and maraud-
ing bands on the Mexican frontier. It has been

found necessary to occupy with a sufficient force
the commanding posts on and near the Rio Grande,
so that we have that frontier well protected from
Fort Fillmore to Fort Brown. These important
movements were not made without much toil and
fatigue ; and while looking 'minty to defences upon
the Rio Grande an important consideration was also
to hold in check the Comanche Indians of that
frontier, and to protect the settlements from their
marauding parties. The hostilities of last year with
the Kiowa and 'Comanche Indians, upon the head
waters of the Arkansas and the Canadian, have rot
yet been brought to a close. A very active cam-
paign has been carried on against them, and they
have been met and chastised on several occasions.
In one of these engagements, towards the head
waters of the Republican Fork of Kansas River, a
large body of these Indians was encountered by
Captain Sturgis, of the let Cavalry, and severely
chastised. They have been broken and dispersed
in every direction, but, being entirely nomadic, they
may concent rate and again make hostile demonstra-
tions somewhere within the boundaries of the im-
mense region over which they roam. In New
Mexico the outrages and depredations of the Indians
have been very daring and numerous, and nearly
the whole territory may be said to have been in-
fested by. them throughout the season. To make
an effective campaign against these Indians, and to
chastise them in an exemplary manner, it became
necessary to take a large part of the troops sta-
tioned in Utah southward to New Mexico. This
march was performed in a very creditable manner,
and in good time. The troops, after accomplishing
a march of 600 miles through a trackless wilderness,
were ready, after a short halt, to make a movement of
150 miles more, and prosecute a campaign against
the numerous and powerful tribe of the Navajoes.
There is little doubt but that these savages will meet
with the chastisement which has become necessary
in order to bring them under control again.' The
Pa-Utes, a powerful tribe of warlike Indians about
the region of Carson Valley, in the territory of
Utah, broke out into hostility to the whites
very suddenly this summer, and committed many
atrocious murders. A party of volunteers from the
vicinity of Washoe Silver Mines was organised,
under the command of Mr. Ormsby, for pursuit.
The Indians, who were very numerous, succeeded
in drawing this party into an ambuscade, driving
them back with considerable loss. Among the
killed in that unfortunate affair was the leader, Mr.
Ormsby, himself. This incident created great
excitement and alarm throughout all the mining
country of Carson Valley, then rapidly filling up
from the flattering reports of rich silver deposits
there, and it became necessary to send a sufficient
force there promptly to chastise the Indians and
restore quiet and confidence amorg the inhabitants.
Before, however, the United States troops could
reach the spot the people of the country determined
to organise a force of sufficient strength to pursue
and chastise effectually the savages. A few days
were sufficient for the purpose, and a considerable
body of active, daring, and enterprising men rallied
under the command of the celebrated Texan Ranger,
Colonel J. C. Hays, and, after equipping themselves
as best they could, they set out in pursuit of the
Indians. At no great distance they mere overtaken
by these volunteers, in conjunction with a detach-
ment of United States troops, who joined them.
They commenced at once the attack. The
Indians were very powerful in numbers and
strong in position, and were assisted greatly, if
not commanded, by white men. But the practised
eye of the cool and daring leader enabled him to
lead the assault with such skill that the vastly
superior number of the Indians availed them
nothing. They were driven from their strong posi-
tion after a severe conflict, and finally put to
complete rout. The Indians dispersed in every
direction, as their custom is, nor have they since
rallied or given much cause for uneasiness to the
settlers. The interest and numbers of our citizens
in that region were deemed by the commanding
officer of the department of sufficient importance to
require the establishment of a military post there,
which has accordingly been done. The Snake
Indians in "Washington Territory, on the road
recently opened from Fort Bridger to Fort 'Walla
[Walla, have been hostile during the past season ;
and, although a campaign was undertaken and
prosecuted with vigour against them, it did not
result in reducing them to subordination. Since
the troops have been withdrawn from active opera-
tions in the field, a large body of emigrants were
attacked, almost on the borders of the settlements,
and many of them murdered. Efficient measures will
be taken to chastise these Indians. It should be
borne in mind that, while appropriations have been
made to sustain our army upon a peace footing, it
has been called upon to prosecute an active and
sanguinary war, for a distance extending from the
3ith to the 46th degree of north latitude, with very
numerous tribes of hardy and warlike Indians. It
should be remembered, also, that the scenes of these
operations have been over the wildest and most
remote regions of our mountainous territories lying
between the plains on the eastern slope of the
Rocky Mountain chain and the Pacific Ocean.
Under these circumstances, it has required the
greatest watchfulness and care to keep the expendi-
ture for the year within the appropriations for it.
A sum not less than 500,000 dols. has been required
for these movements, the necessity. for which was
not and could not be foreseen in this department."
The Secretary impresses upon Congress the im-
portance of restoring to the War Department the
control of the Indians, it being quite impossible to
impress upon these savages the idea of obedience
by any other means than military power.
" Knowing nothing in this department of the
I Indians, except when in a state of actual hostility,
it often—indeed, continually—happens that impor-
' l tant marches are necessary to be suddenly made to
' I overawe or chastise those guilty of threatenings and
' 1 murder, and consequently
.these movements are
attended with an expense disproportionally large,
but at the same time unavoidable."