The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-22 00:00:00

Miscellaneous American News.

The Legislature of Virginia has met, and Governor
Pierpont is the first Governor of any unrepresented
State, to recommend the adoption of the Constitu-
tional Amendment, which he does fully and earnestly,
urging it as the only remaining means of recon-
struction, and predicting a dismal political future
for the South if it is persistently rejected. The
finances of Virginia are in good condition, the re-
ceipts of the year giving a ba!ance of nearly a million
dollars over the expenditures, to be appropriated
to the payment of the State debt. The State
has been quiet, the laws well enforced, and difficulties
between the freedmen and whites few and unim-
portant. The Governor recommends just treatment
and education of the freedmen and the promotion
of the general industrial interests of the State. The
Richmond papers are generally pleased with the Pre-
sident's Message, as is natural, but the TVhig is not
quite satisfied that the President should recognise
the fragmentary Congress as legal, and should
refrain from threatening resistance to its usurpa-
tions.

Among the interesting items from the Pacific
coast we see that San Francisco has exchanged its
volunteer fire department for a paid one; the United
States Steamer Vanderbilt, that carried Queen
Emma home, has returned to San Francisco, bring-
ing E. M'Cook, United States Minister at Hawaii,
as a passenger, who returns on account of his wife's
health ; Colonel C. S. Bulkley, chief engineer of
expedition, the Russian American telegraphic
ar-
rived at Victoria on Monday, on
his way to San Fran-
cisco ; San Francisco continues to export large
amounts of wheat both to New York and Europe.
The number of immigrants that arrived in New
York in November was 16,900 ; and at Baltimore
1,048.
Mr. Stanton, in his report on the War Depart-
ruent just delivered to Congress, says Under
the Act of July 28, 1866, the regular army now
comprises ten regiments, or 120 companies of
cavalry, 5 regiments, or 60 companies of artillery,
and 45 regiments, or 450 companies of infantry ; of
which 2 cavalry and 6 infantry regiments are com-
posed of coloured men, and 4 infantry regiments of
men who were wounded in theline of their duty. One
regiment of white cavalry had been fully recruited
on the 15th of September; the other regiment, as-
signed to the Pacific coast, is very nearly completed.
Forty-eight of the fifty-four companies required to
convert into regiments the single battalions of the
nine three-battalion regiments of the former orga-
nisation have been completed and sent to their
regiments. The four veteran regiments have been
assigned to districts where the men may be usefully
employed in guarding storehouses and cemeteries,
and on similar duties. The coloured regiments will
be recruited, as far as possible, from the coloured
volunteers still in service. The law authorises an
assignment of 100 privates to a company as a maxi-
mum, 50 being the minimum, and the maximum
strength of the army is thus placed at 75,382 rank
and.file. The present strength of companies is fixed
at 64 privates for cavalry, artillery, and infantry,
and 122 privates for light batteries of artillery,
making an aggregate strength of 54,302. As soon
as the ranks shall be well filled it is designed to in-
crease the efficiency of the military force by raising
the standard of qualifications."
It appears from the annual report of the Ameri-
can Secretary of the Navy that the North Atlantic
squadron, under Rear-Admiral Palmer, has had
pleasant summer's cruisingat and around the fishing
grounds on the north-eastern coast, after having
taken a survey at the Antilles and other tropical
latitudes. The fishery question, which it was feared
might give rise to collisions on what has been claimed
as British maritime ground, caused Admiral Palmer
no anxiety whatever, for the Secretary says, ‘
liberal and conciliatory policy of the British ‘rf h e
Govern-
ment dissipated all apprehended difficulties."

lbe Poston Ackertiser of December 5 Rap