The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 18, 186 L

AMERICA.

SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY.

The Hamburg-American Company's screw steamer
Bavaria, Captain E. Meier, arrived at Cowes at
5 a.m. from New York, with mails for England,
France, and Gerthany. She brought 6 passengers
for this port, 81 for Havre, and 277 for Hamburg.
During the passage she experienced wet weather and
dense fog, with light southerly winds and smooth
water. She was hove to for nine hours on the
morning of the 7th, to repair the feed-pipe of the
engine.

On the 12th the Bavaria spoke the British barque
Devon, in lat. 48 32 N., long. 31 8 W. ; and on the
15th the American ship Ann E. Thompson, in lat,
49 36 N., long. 10 30 W.
The President issued the following proclamation
on the 3d just., calling for 42,000 volunteers, 23,000
regulars, and 18,000 seamen :
" Washington, May 3, 1861.

" By the President of the United Slates :
" Whereas existing exigencies demand immediate
and aaequate measures for the protection of the
national Constitution and the preservation of the
national Union, by the suppression of the insurrec-
tionary combinations now existing in several
States for opposing the laws of the Union and
obstructing the execution thereof, to which cud a
military force, in addition to that called forth by
my proclamation of 15th April la the present year,
appears to be indispensably necessary ; now there-
fore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United
States and Commander-in-Chief of the army and
navy thereof and of the militia of the several States
when called into actual service, do hereby call into
the service of the United States 42,034 volunteers,
to serve for a period of three years unless sooner
discharged, and to be mustered into service as in-
fantry and cavalry. The proportions of each arm
and the details of enrolment and organisation will
be made known through the Department of War ;
and 1 also direct that the regular army of the United
States be increased by the addition of eight regi-
ments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and one
regiment of artillery, making altogether a maxi-
mum aggregate increase of 22,714 officers and en-
listed men, the details of which increase will also be
made known through the Department of War. And
I further direct the enlistment, for not less than one
nor more than three years, of 18,000 seamen, in ad-
tion to the present force, for the naval service of
the United States. The details of the enlistment
and organisation will be made known through the
Department of the Navy. The call for volunteers
hereby made, and the direction for the increase of
the regular army and for the enlistment of seamen
hereby given, together with the plan of organisa-
tion adopted for the volunteers and for the regular
forces hereby authorised, will be submitted to Con-
gress as soon as assemlAW. In the meantime, I ear-
nestly invoke the co-operation of all good citizens
in the measures hereby adopted for the effectual
suppression of unlawful violence, for the impartial
enforcement of constitutional laws, and for the
speediest possible restoration of peace and order,
and with those of happiness and prosperity through-
out the country.
" In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal of the United States to be
affixed.

" Done at the city of Washington this 3d day of
May, in the year of our Lord 1861, and of the in-
dependence of the United States the 85th.

" ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

" By the President,
" Wm. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State."
The New J ork Herald of the 4th gives the fol-
lowing sketch of the position of affairs relative to
the war :

" Intelligence from Washington last night was
to the effect that the war would be vigorously
opened in a few days by demonstrations upon
Alexandria and Norfolk. A movement upon Havre
de Grace was also ordered to take place yesterday
from Perryville. Three or four companies of Col.
Dare's command will cross the Susquehanna with a
battery of artillery and occupy Havre de Grace.
Troops will then be sent forward 20 miles to Bush
river. The last movement may not be made till
Sunday. On Monday a strong force of carpenters
and builders will be sent forward to Bush river with
timber and tools, and the bridge there will be re-
built. The bridges over the Big and Little Gun-
powder rivers will be rebuilt as soon as a sufficient
military force is sent forward to protect the work-
men. The three bridges will be completed by
Thursday next, and this road to Baltimore will then
be open. Troops will be sent forward from Phila-
delphia to reinforce those at Perryville.
" The position of the New York troops in and
about Washington yesterday was as follows :—The
7th were in tents at Meridian-hill, George-town ;
Col. Corcoran, with a detachment of the 60tb,arrived
ie
d WashingtonaitnAthneantra2 o'clock
epaorlios,f in the
tkt
hh m
Kirkwood-house;
05otdoh.rhn(oGiungesre,m;aantnhd
ewBetrhe
qiwnuearretest
r
regi-
ment) were occupying the Naval Academy.
" Major Anderson passed through Perryville yes-
terday, and proceeded to Annapolis en route for
Washington: At both places he was received with
marked respect, and passed through the lines of
troops with head uncovered.
" Affairs remain quiet at Baltimore. Fort Madi-
son, an earth work fortification commanding the
city and harbour, is in possession of Government
troops, The steamer Maryland landed a lorce of
the Massachusetts troops from Annapolis and large
quantities of stores at Fort WHenry yesterday,
and afterwards steamed up to the city with the
Stars and Stripes flying.
" The intelligence from Richmond is important.
Considerable alarm is said to exist there in conse-
quence of the activity of the United States Go-
vernment, and the expected unity of the North in
supporting the Constitution and the flag dis-
honoured at Fort Sumter. It was believed in
Richmond that Mr. Davis has just notified the
Governors of the border States now acting in hos-
tility to the Government to assemble at Mont-
gomery, there to confer with the rebel Government
upon the momentous issues before them. The
Conservatiue portion of the people in Richmond
are in favour of an armistice, in order that some
peaceful settlement of the difficulty may be arrived
at, and several leading men from Virginia, Mary.
land, Kentucky, and Tennessee, it is said, are
actively exerting themselves to bring it about.
The Virginia Legislature adjourned on the Ist
instant until the 12th of June, by which time it
was expected that the returns of the popular vote
on the ordinance of secession would be received.
The Government, meantime, is authorised to call
the Legislature together at any time during the
recess.

"It was stated upon reliable authority in
Washington yesterday that there are only 1,500
Virginians at Harper's Ferry, and that they are
not half armed, and very short of provisions.
d'A deputation of Kentucky gentlemen waited on
the President yesterday, offering two volunteer
regiments to the GoVernment from the western part
of that state, in despite of Governor Magoffin's
refusal to furnish any troops. Some gentlemen
from Baltimore are also in Washington for the
purpose of tendering the service of one regiment
from that city to the United States Government.
" General Harney has prepared an address to
the people of Missouri urging them to remain in
the Union, and pointing out to them that to join
the secession movement would be to bring destruc-
tion upon their State.
"It has been decided by the War Department
that no more troops, except volunteer regiments,
are to be concentrated at Washington for the pre-
sent."

The Herald of the 3d says :
" The Navy Department at Washington has
moreplete
vessels will be
fanfrgaeltmlh
e e
tn havehtpesetrospoousteof
hn ports,
erls ships
of war to sea
amt a do
blocke arrangements
acer
er
oo
within the nexteffectingin
and
odad complete
ms
inf 0
orre awdeienkess,s s
o for
that t the same
from service
this time every inlet on the Southern coast, from
the mouth of Same
be effectually closed. The
sliver to the Rio Grande, will
Administration do' not
anticipate any complication foreign Govern-
ments arising out of this blockade, ockade, inasmuch as the
ports closed are not foreign ports, and, moreover,
as it is intended to render the '
blockade
effectual,
which, according to the deci •
sion of the Convention
at Paris in 1856, is to be recognised as an actual
blockade.
,i It appears that a vigorous blockade is already
enforced by the Government transports • in Norfolk
Bay, no steamers from Baltimore being permitted
to pass beyond Old Point Comfort, where they are
compelled to land mails and Pastexigers. The
blockade of the Mississippi river at Cairo is also
well preserved, although one boat was, through some
mishap, permitted to pass down and land some 400
Colt's revolvers at Paducah, Kentucky, The steam..
boat C. E. Hillman, however, with 175,000 dollars'
worth of arms mad munitions of war, consisting of
powder, cartridges,_ and lead,. purchased at st.

Lord C. Paget, Sir F. Baring, Sir J. Pakington, Sir
J. Elphinstone, Mr. Corry, Mr. Phillips, Mr.
Beamish, Mr. Stansfeld, Nr. Clay, and Mr. Finlay.
Admiral Sir Thomas. Cochrane was called and
examined. In reply to questions by Admiral Dtin-
combe, he said—l think it most extraordinary that
the business of the Board of Admiralty should have
been conducted in the manner in which it has been
for so many years. Nothing can be worse than the
present system. I consider the board as now con-
stituted, from its liability to constant change, not
competent to manage our naval affairs. I never
could understand why the Admiralty should be a
political board at all. If it be necessary to have a
Minister of Marine of a political character, let that
be so. Whatever the construction of the board may
be, the naval lords should be permanent, not
changing with the administration of the day. I
think the naval board should exercise the patronage
exclusively. The 1' irst Lord might be allowed a
veto. Under the present system the commander-
in-chief on the home station is a mere secretary. I
have no doubt that many contradictory orders are
issued to the outports. The great and crying evil
is the eternal changes which are taking place at
the board. I have known five changes in eight
years. Since I have been in the navy there have
been twenty-two changes.
By Mr.,Beamish—lf the First Lord had only the
power of exercising a veto, the board would be
responsible to the Government of the day. The
First Lord may, in common parlance, be considered
responsible to the House of Commons, but he is in
reality responsible to hii Sovereign. Should the
board be made permanent, of course the Govern-
ment would retain the power of removal. I think
the patronage would be best administered by a
naval board, because naval authorities are the best
judges of naval services. I have no doubt the First
Lord always comes in with a determination to ad-
minister the patronage fairly, but it is not in his
power to do so.
By Mr. Phillips—The Admiralty interfere very
much with the admirals in command. They have
got too much into habits of centralisation. I have
known specific ships ordered here and there with-
out allowing the admiral in command to exercise
his discretion:
By Mr. Finlay—l should prefer seeing the Board
of Admiralty altogether disconnected with the Go-
vernment, and in that case I should have nil objec-
tion 'to see a civilian at the head of the Admiralty.
lam rather inclined to prefer 6 civilian. The navy
is the only profession in which a man does not know
how he is to get on, or when he is to get on. The
principle of selection is carried further in the navy
than in the army. If honestly carried out, it would
be the best system, the merits of the parties being
known to the board. Simple seniority in the navy
would not do.
By Lord C. Paget—l believe that the system of
distribution of patronage which I recommend would
give great satisfaction to the navy. To show the
effect of the system of change in old times, I may
state that my father hail command of a fleet of 120
vessels, fn the West Indies, and that he received a
letter from the Admiralty directing certain promo-
tions, which took place accordingly. Some time
afterwards a fresh First Lord came in, and then a
different list was sent out.
By Sir J. Elphinstone—l think naval officers,
possessing a permanent character, should be placed
at the heads of the departments, particularly so far
as regards the manning, discipline, control of the
navy, and ship building. I think the service has
lost in efficiency since the system of centralisation
and interference has been carried to such a great
extent.

Sir J. Graham—You have referred to old times.
May I ask what age you were when you were made
commander P—Sixteen or seventeen.
How long were you in command before you were
made post captain ?—Five or six months.
At what age were you in command of a frigate ?
—At eighteen.
Were these appointments made by your father
or by the Admiralty P—The appointments of lieu-
tenant and commander were made by my father.
Mr. Clay—Have you noticed that when the Whigs
were in office they promoted more Whigs than
Tories, and that when the Tories were in office they
promoted more Tories than Whigs ?—I certainly
think so, and have not noticed any difference be-
tween the two in that resp( ct. (A laugh.)
Have such promotions been more frequent of late
than they.were formerly P—l think less so than
formerly. At any rate they are not so glaring.
(Laughter.)
By the Chairman—When I was in command I
think the Admiralty gave themselves a great deal
of unnecessary trouble respecting small ,hatters of
detail, which might always be left to the discretic
of the commander-
Admiral Sir George Seymour was the next wit-
ness examined.
Admiral Duncombe—Has it ever struck you that
there is any fault in the administration of our naval
affairs, and that you could suggest an improve-
ment P—l do not see my way to a better system, on
the whole, than that of a Board of Admiralty, pre-
sided over by a man competent to the task; but I
do consider that the Admiralty should be more of
an administrative and less of an executive board in
practice than it now is. I think it works too much
in detail.
You think it necessary to maintain a Board of
Admiralty with a minister at its head am not
prepared to say that if there was a heaven-born
admiral in the service competent to undertake both
the political and professional task, that he might
not be better than a Board of Admiralty. But,
taking the world as it goes, I think we must be
satisfied with the constitution of the board.
Supposing such a desirable individual cannot be
found, do you think the First Lord should be a
civilian or a naval officer ?—I do not think that of
much importance. provided the council 'be a real
council. Otherwise there would be great objection
to a civilian. He should have a professional board
to guide him in all professional matters.
Would you make the board permanent P—l think
it desirable to prevent them going out with the Go-
vernment, and think they might be appointed for five
years, but it would be difficult to lay down any fixed
rule. I think they ought not to be subject to political
change. I would leave the patronage in the hands of
the First Lord; but I think it would be advantageous
for him to submit the names of the board in order
that they might have the opportunity of pointing
out anything objectionable in the appointments.
The commi tee then adjourned.