The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-05 00:00:00

ATLANTIC AND GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

It is a source of no little gratification to those who have
the construction and management of this groat undertak-
ing that it has now, when barely completed, taken its
place as one of the first and best conducted railroads in the
United States. Notwithstanding the ignorant prejudice
which has existed and the interested opposition which has
been experienced from its commencement, we now see b y
the energy, perseverance, and wisdom with which its
affairs have been managed, that alliance with it is desired
by some of the leading railway companies in America.
The Philadelphia and Reading is undeniably one of the
most prosperous, earning, as it has done, during the past
two years, upwards of 20 per cent. per annum on its share
capital; and we think, when the terms of agreement be-
tween it and the Atlantic and Great Western are read, the
share and bond holders of the latter company must be more
than ever convinced of the value of their property, seeing
that a connection with it is sought and prized by an old-
established and successful neighbour.
It is also pleasing to notice, that while the traffic receipts
on many other lines exhibit a considerable falling off, that
of the Atlantic and Great Western, for the month of
December, shows an increase over the same month of

New Orleans, Jan. 21, 1866.
Brownsville accounts of the 15th inst. give an impartial
and correct statement of the capture of Bagdad, which is
as follows :—A party of 123, mostly coloured soldiers, be-
longing to the One Hundred and Eighteenth United States
coloured infantry, under the command of Colonel Reed,
crossed the Rio Grande at Clarksville and divided into
three squads. At 4 o'clock on the morning of the sth inst.
the first squad entered Bagdad, which they surprised, cap-
turing about 400 prisoners and four pieces of artillery.
The second party proceeded to the ferry, where an imperial
- guard of ten men were stationed. The officer command-
ing this guard held his post bravely, firing his revolver at
the attacking party, whereupon he was shot down, and
the others belonging to the guard surrendered. In this
affair one imperialist was killed, and another wounded.
The third party proceeded to the quarters of Colonel Rice,
post commander at Bagdad, and took him and those with
him prisoners. Colonel Rice subsequently escaped, but
was retaken. A squad of ten men were then detailed to
take the imperial gunboat Antonio, and fired on her,
killing a sergeant and wounding several others. The
Antonio fired at the attacking party, killing two and
wounding one of them. The attacking party then fired
twe shots from a howitzer at the Antonio, one of which
passed through her just above the water line. On the
morning of the 6th instant a French frigate lying out-
side shelled the place. Shots afterwards were freely
exchanged between the liberals' howitzers on the beach and
a howitzer boat from the frigate. No damage was done by
their firing beyond creating a panic among the citizens of
Bagdad,who crossed to the American side of the Rio Grande,
taking with them such of their valuables as they could
hurriedly carry off. A detachment of 200 men from the
118th Coloured Infantry was sent over to protect the Ame-
rican citizens remaining in the place. This detachment
continued on guard there until the evening of the 7th inst.,
when a detachment from the 46th Coloured Infantry re-
lieved them, with instructions, it is said, to withdraw in
case of an imperial attack. The French mail steamerlying
outside the bar left immediately after the affair, probably
for Vera Cruz. Bagdad was nearly deserted, and plunder
and pillage was uninterruptedly kept up by its captors. A.
large amount of stolen goods was crossed over the river
to Clarkesville. Those which arrived at Brownsville were
seized and returned to the proper owners After wrangling
for several days with General Escobedo regarding the
command of the liberal forces, General Crawford left for
New Orleans (Vhere he has since arrived), seeking rein-
forcements and supplies. A small force of liberals are for-
tifying Bagdad with cotton bales. Three French transports
arrived at the bar on the 13th inst. General Mejia has
commenced building earthworks and mounting guns,
whereof two are 64-pounders, between Matamoras and the
river, commanding Brownsville. He has notified Genera
Weitzel that if attacked from the American side of the Rio
Grande he will open fire, and that most likely some of the
shots will lodge in Brownsville. General Giles A. Smit
was immediately sent over to ascertain what the intentions
of General Mejia were. The result of the meeting between
the two is unknown. Is is believed that the ammunition
of the belligerents has been removed three miles from
Bronwsville. General Weitzel has ordered the rebuilding of
old Fortßrown, which is being mounted with 30-pounderPar-
rotts. A long pontoon train is also being rapidly put in
good order. General Mejia apprehends another attack, and
is making another forced loan. He betrays much uneasiness
of feeling. Several of his own guerillas, in attempting to
desert by crossing the river, were drowned. American
citizens visiting Matamoras are looked upon with suspicion
and distrust, and Unit,.4....State,s ufUvera and men are not
allowed to cross the river. On the 11th instant General
Weitzel reviewed the United States troops in Brownsville,
all of whom were in excellent health and spirits. The
Galveston Bulletin of the sth instant says that an engineer
and pontoon train ware embarking *once for the Rio
Grande.

New Orleans, Jan. 22, 18GG.

Colonel Lawrence Kip, of Sheridan's staff, who has been
investigating the Bagdad affair, returned on Sunday morn-
ing. About four companies of black soldiers were doing
provost duty in Bagdad at the solicitation of the American
citizens, and no ono could leave the town without a pass
from the head-quarters of the United States forces in Bag-
dad, Mexico. The Times' Brownsville correspondent says:
—Cortina now occupies Bagdad with about 200 men. It is
understood that General Weitzel disapproves the action of
our officers in the recent capture of Bagdad and already
has arrested some of thorn. A new party has sprung up
in Mexico called the Ortega faction, the leaders of which
hold commissions from Ortega, and refuse to recognise
Crawford, and Cortina is said to belong to the party. All
the heavy ordnance had been ordered from Brazos to
Brownsville. Preparations of a belligerent character con-
tinued Both at Brownsville andMatamoras. Tho Rancheros
says Canales had issued a proclamation to his soldiers, ad-
vising them to submit to the imperal authority rather than
unite in a filibustering expedition with the Yankees. Gen.
Crawford, Colonel Edgar, District Adjutant and Gover-
nor Leon, of Tamaulipas, have arrived hero en route for
Washington.
Washington, Jan. 19.

Telegraphic despatches of the 18th inst., from General
Sheridan, at New Orleans, disavow all knowledge on his
part of the filibustering attack on Bagdad, and state that
his orders to subordinate officers have been to preserve a
strict neutrality. lie disbelieves the popular account of
the affair, and considers it a " sensational story."
The New York Times, in an article on the news received
from the Rio Grande, says :

We are not surprised to hear that peremptory orders
have been sent by the Government to General Sheridan to
take instant steps to enforce the laws against Crawford and
his filibusters, wwo are attempting to get our country into
difficulty on the Rio Grande. It is strange that General
Sheridan should have needed directions about such a
matter. It is singular that he should have permitted the
occurrence, repetition, and continuance of such things as
have been taking place along our Mexican frontier. It
shows he regards his duties there in a very different light
from what he regarded his duties in the Shenandoah Valley
a year ago. Were it Early, the rebel, instead of Crawford,
the filibuster, who was in his department, we should
quickly see him sent "whirling down the valley " in a style
more amusing to spectators than to himself. And yet to
the true soldier or intelligent patriot the duty required by
the Government would be performed with as great alacrity
in the one case as in the other.

In the Now Orleans news, telegraphed to us this morning,
there is what is called an " impartial and correct state-
ment" of the capture of Bagdad. According to this it ap-
pears the exploit was performed by negro troops wearing
our uniform ; and that it was really an affair got up for
the most discreditable purposes, such as riots and plunder.
We have no doubt that the authorities will now see to the
prompt punishment of the offenders, for the coolness and
audacity with which Crawford continues to operate may
be seen by the following among other sentences in the
telegraphic despatch :—" After wrangling several days
with General Escobodo regarding tho command of the
liberal forces, General Crawford left for Now Orleans
(whore he has since arrived) after reinforcements and sup-
plies." It is evident that a man is needed in our service
on the Rio Grande who has the comprehension and skill of
a statesman as well as the 'vigour and courage of a soldier;
and the sooner we have such a man there the sooner will
these wretched troubles which aro Perturbing the country
be brought to an end.

IMPORTANT RAILWAY CONTRACT. A very
important contract has been negotiated between
the Atlantic and Great 'Western, and the Phila-
delphia and Reading Railway Companies, which
provides for laying a line in the narrow gauge upon
the Atlantic and Great Western Road to Cincinnati,
Cleveland, and other Western cities, and also the
immediate construction of a line of narrow-gauge
railroad through Clarion, Jefferson, Centre, Union,
and Northumberland counties, Pennysl vania, to
connect the Great Western with the Catawissa
Road, thus forming, by means of the latter road
and the Philadelphia and Reading Road, a continu-
ous line of narrow-guage railroad from all the
great cities West to Philadelphia and New York.
One immediate result of this contract will be the
establishment of a line of steamships between
Philadelphia and England, for the building and
equipment of which the two companies have
agreed to contribute half the amount necessary.
,

The Times, in commenting on Mr. George Pea-
body's second gift of one hundred thousands pounds
to the poor of London, in addition to the one hun-
dred and fifty thousand pounds previously given by
that gentleman, thinks it will be pardonable if it is
unable to find adequate terms in which to express
its acknowledgments of this noble act of charity.
The mount of the gift, though not, perhaps, its
most admirable characteristic, is of itself sufficient
to render any expression of gratitude insignificant.
With the former endowment the donation now
amounts to a quarter of a million. Such a gift from
one person is, probably, the most splendid act of
munificence on record. But the manner of this
gift is even more admirable than its magnitude,
and is, in a still greater degree, beyond any ex-
pression of our thanks. It is not one of those
posthumous bequests in which, however praise-
worthy they may be, a man only surrenders his
property to the benefit of others when he can no
longer retain it for his own gratification. This
gift is made during the life of the donor, and, that
he may increase the happiness of others, Mr.
Peabody has denied to himself the use and the
pleasure of a quarter of a million of money. It is
true, indeed, that such charity brings with it a
satisfaction far greater than any pleasure which is
to be derived from the mere possession of riches,
and Mr. Peabody, we may be sure, will not be
without this recompense for his benevolence. But
it is not every man who is capable of appreciating
this generous pleasure ; and it is one of the highest
virtues of humanity deliberately to prefer the satis-
faction of such charity to the reasonable enjoy-
ments which attend the possession of great wealth.
When to these considerations it is added that the
boon is spontaneously conferred upon the poor of
this metropolis by one who, though he has resided
among us for many years, is not himself an Eng-
lishman, nor bound to us by any particular tics, we
appear to see every circumstance that could heighten
the benevolence of the gift and overpower our
gratitude. All England, moreover, rejoices in such
a benefit conferred upon the poor of London, and
it is the profound feeling of every Englishman which
will thus be moved by Mr. Peabody's generosity.

WHO IS SENATOR CHANDLER ? - The New
York correspondent of the London Herald
thinks Englishmen may ask, who is this Chan-
dler that burns the candle at both ends—who
would plunge into another great war even before
our civil war is settled ? Well, Mr. Chandler is
popularly known as the " Great American Blood-
letter." Judge him not by his name ; he bath no
heart of tallow. It was Chandler, according to
this correspondent, who, when the friends of con-
ciliation and peace were endeavouring to avert the
disasters that seemed so imminent in the early
spring of 1861 (during the session of the Peace
Convention), declared in his place in the Senate
that " without a little blood-letting, the Union
would not be worth a —." 'Tis true, Chandler
has never spilled any of his own blood ; he
has never yet sniffed the battle-smoke, but he has
been and he is willing to sacrifice the lives of
any number of American citizens or foreigners--
like Ward, all his own and his wife's rela-
tions—to maintain the cause of freedom. So he
has clothed his neck with thunder (and filled
his epigastrium with cock-tails), and has de-
molished several thousand rebels (in debate) ;
having finished which little job, he is now pre-
pared to annihilate Great Britain. And by the
way, as the late President would say, that reminds
me of a little story. On the 27th of November,
1861, Chandler addressed a large number of his
brother Michiganders in Kalamazoo. In the
course of his speech he was interrupted by a call
from some one in the crowd, " How about England,
Zach ?" " England—England is disloyal to the
core—worse than the rebels." Doubtless it is to
punish this " disloyalty" (which was at the time
made the text for many a joke by wicked Copper-
heads) that Chandler now coolly proposed the
withdrawal of our Minister and complete non-
intercourse.

[ADVERTISEMENT.] Dyspepsia (indigestion), Constipa-
tion, debility, consumption, and all nervous, bilious, stomach,
and liver complaints in every stage, are only aggravated and
aocelerated by drugs of every description, but perfectly cur-
able by Du Barry's health restoring Revalenta Arabica
as proved by thousands of oases which had been con-
sideredsu,th as—cough, asthma, also diarrhoza,
Fd
hopeless,
ii ascrrholds, liver complaints, flatulency, nervousness,
biliousness, fevers, sore throats, diphtheria, catarrhs, colds
influenza, noses in the head and ear 4, rheumatism, gout, im-
purities, eruptions, hysteria, neuralgia, irritibilitv, sleeples.-
ness, acidity, palpitation, heartburn, headache, eeblitY.
dropsy, cramps, spasms, nausea and sickness, even in preg-
nancy or at eta, sinking fits, bronchitis, scrofula, tightness of
the chest, pains in the pit of the stomach and between the
shou!ders, &c. We quote a few : —Cure No. 46,276. 111rJarues
Roberts, limber merchant, of Frimley, Surrey, of
years'
diseased lunge, spitting of blood, liver derangement, and par-
tial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacob of ex-
treme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings; low spirits, and
nervous fancies. —Cure No 1,771. Lord Stuart de Dectes, lord
lieut. ot Waterford, of many sears' dyspepsia. —No. 49,832.
Fifty years' h; describable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness,
asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sidiness, and
vomiting—Naria Joly —Cure No. 51,816. The Rev, James
T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, of indigestion and torpid-
ity of the liver, which bad resisted all medical teatment.—
In tins, 11b., 2s. 9J. ; 21b., 4s. Cd ; 51b., Its. ; 121 b., 2 e, ; 241 b,
40s.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London;,
also Phillips, tea dealers, 8, King William-street.; likewise
Bishopsgate-
sattre6et ch
t,
IGvritahcien;ur63c,ll3-508 t,reaentd;
249,8,Cohxieaoprsdid.
Bet;r
ele9t, ;
330,
Strand ;
51, Upper Baker-street; 103, Tottenham-court-road; 90,
Upper-street, Islington, N.; Harvey, Notting-hill; Close
Brothers, 65, High-street ; and
Stubbs, Queen's-terrace, St.
John's-wood. London; and all respectable grocers and che-
mists.—Beware of spurious imitations.