The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-19 00:00:00

'and devastating the commerce which we are now engaged
in rebuilding. We laboured especially under the disad-
vantage that European steam vessels, employed by our
enemies, found friendly shelter, protection, and supplies in
the West Indian ports, while our own naval operations
were necessarily carried on from our own distant shores.
There was then a universal feeling of want of an advanced
naval outpost between the Atlantic coast and Europe. The
duty of obtaining such an outpost, peacefully and lawfully,
while neither doing nor menacing injury to other states,
earnestly engaged the attention of the executive depart-
ment before the close of the war, and it has not been lost
sight of since that time. A not entirely dissimilar naval
want revealed itself during the same period on the Pacific
coast. The required foothold there was fortunately se-
cured by our late treaty with the Emperor of Russia, and it
now seems imperative that the more obvious necessity of the
Atlantic coast should not be less carefully provided for. A
good and convenient portand harbour capable of easy defence
will supply that want. With possession of such a station by
the United• States neither we nor any other American nation
need longer apprehend injury or offence from any Transat-
lantic enemy. I agree with our early statesmen that the
West Indies naturally gravitate to, and may be expected
ultimately to be absorbed by, continental states, including
our own. I agree with them, also, that it is wise to leave
the question of such absorption to this process of natural
political gravitation. The islands of St. Thomas and St.
John, which constitute apart of the group called the Virgin
Islands, seemed to offer all advantages immediately desir-
able, while their acquisition could be secured in harmony
with the principles to which I have alluded. A treaty has
therefore been concluded with the King of Denmark for
the cession of those islands, and will be submitted to the
Senate for consideration.
- • -- •

BPI

,IT .0P THE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

THE :SUN, LONDOY. TiItHISOAY BVENJNG, DECEMBER 49, 18 7.
--------
-LL CASE 47 DUBLIN.

of 1866 Under the assumed natie of Mr. Torrence, Dublin
When walking on a warm evening in August he fainted
and Mr. Webb, of the firm of Cook and Webb, seeing hint •
fall, sprang from his buggy, and tended such a warm and
kind assistance, as to gain the young man's friendship.
He left America in November of that year, and Mr. Webb,
a few weeks ago, received a package from London, con-
taining a letter from his friend, his real name, with a sketch
of his family history, and a ring as a memento of undying
friendship, consisting of a cluster of brilliants of the first
water, pronounced by the jewellers to be worth $7OO.
General Hancock was last reported as on board
a MissisSippi steamer aground in the river, and General
Mower is awaiting his arrival at New Orleans.
Among the eua3tments of the Tennessee Legis,
laturo a curious ono may hereafter be found, if the Act.
now being discussed be passed "to encourage and protect
loyalty." Therein will be observed a provision making
the possession of a picture of Jefferson Davis or General
Lee a treasonable offence.
General Hancock had reached New Orleans, and
assumed command of his district.

An American paper says that Captain Semmes
has three lectures on the Alabama ; one on her outfit, and
two, on how sho fit when she was out.
John S. Reynolds, of Illinois, is candidate for the
commissionership of agriculture, but it will be offered, it
is said, to Orange Judd, conductor of the American Agri-
culturist of New York. _

Mr. Jones, the member for Halifax in the Cana-
dial]. House of Commons, has been putting questions to the
Government on the subject of the Reciprocity Treaty with
the United States. Mr. Cartier replied that Canada would
take the first opportunity of proposing a renewal of the

treaty.
On Nov. 25 Mr. Jefferson Davis and General
Lee met at Richmond, for the first time since the fall of

that city.
Mr. Stillwell, United States Commissioner at
Venezuela, will, it is understood, proceed as Commissioner
to St. Thomas's, to take over that Island from Denmark.
The Rev. Newman Hall sat by Speaker Colfax
on the 25th Nov., and delivered the opening prayer in the
House of Representatives.
General Sherman has told Brigham Young that
he shall hold him personally respntfrAn -if any more
Gentiles are murdered by Mormons, and Brigham Will
probably find it for his interest to hove fewer murders in
his dominions than there have been.
General Al.'llowell and staff have left San Fran-
cisco, to make a thorough inspection of the military posts
in Idaho.
Fenton Harney, of Albany, ran 64 miles in
11
hours 50 minutes. Since Weston commenced his walk,
pedestrian feats have been the fashion.
Mr. B. F. Reinhardt, a well-known American
portrait painter, has returned to-yiinaerica from London,
and opened his studio at 658, Broadway, NOSY Yorli
where ho has met with a gratifying welcome and success.
Mr. Lirace ii-4315ut to return to New York from
a summer in California, in improved health, to carry oil
the work to which he has devoted himself among the
vagrata children of that great city. His newsboys' Lod
ings has,: since its foundation thirteen years ago, honse4
and fed nearly 50,000 boys. Last year 8,000 boys bad in
its rooms' nearly
_50,000_ jodgipgs and nearly 34,000 meals.
The boys have contributed towards its funds $15,000, sea
deposited a similar sum in the saving's bank connected
with it. Many orphans havetreceived a permanent benefit
lac
through the institution, by which they have been ped
in circumstances Where they have been enabled to become
useful citizens. Mr. Brace now appeals for pO,OOO to
provide new, larger, and more permanent quarters.
Governor Bullock delivered an eloquent address
on the 16th November, on the dedication of the illeuw
ment at Mount. Auburn. to the memory of the Boston la"
dependent Cadets, who fell in the war. The monument is
of Concord granite, 20 feet high, bearing on each The
panels with appropriate devices, and cost $7,600. The
names of 15 fallen heroes are inscribed on it, among
are those of Colonel Wyman, Captains Shurtleff and Cabc),t,
and Lieutenants Dehon and White.
A. E. Gibbs, teacher of the Westfield high school,
has been offered the superintendency of the Rochester
(New York) public schools, with a salary of $2,000.
The Hamburg American Company's steamship
Bavaria, Captain J. Meyer, from New Orleans on the 2501
November, arrived off Cowes early this morning (the
12th) with $84,735 specie for England, s2d X 3 ditto for
France, and a few passengers for Havre and ilarabere•
She had a largo cargo of cotton for Hamburz.
The Royal Academy of Arts, last Tuesday, at 5%.
general assembly awarded gold medals, together with
scholarships of £6O each, to Miss Louisa Starr for the bes
is
historical painting, and to Henry Wiles for the best
torical groups of sculpture. We are glad to record this
handsome recognition of the great artistic merit a 5
young lady, the daughter of a well-known and higbir
esteemed American gentleman. We believe this
first instance in which a goll medal has been awarded Oa
a woman. Two other artists received gold medals, 0'
,hirteen were awarded silver medals. is tlie