The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-19 00:00:00

JUNE 22.
The information which Brigadier-General Pren-
tiss received of movements on the part of the
Missouri Secessionists induced him, in pursuance,
I presume, of instructions from the head quarters
of his district, or, possibly, on his own responsibi-
duty, to send out an expedition secretly this after-
noon to break up the camp, and disperse or make
them prisoners. It is in that sort of guerilla enter-
prises that much of the time and strength of the
Federalists will be consumed. A good map of the

States may fail to show the little village of Com-
merce, on the Mississippi, but it is about 16 miles
east of the town of Benton, and is about two hours'
steaming from Cairo. Here the Confederates, or
"rebels," as they are called in my present latitude,
have collected in two or three small camps in num-
bers to which report adds and deducts ciphers at
pleasure. But General Prentiss does not think they
can be over a few hundred men, judging from the
force he sent against them. It is supposed these
bands are the debris of Governor Jackson's followers,
who have been encouraged by promises of support
from Memphis to assemble as rallying centres for
the Secessionists of Missouri, who would, no doubt,
collect in considerable numbers if they were per-
mitted, and would summon their defeated Governor,
now an exile in Arkansas, to their head. But the
position they occupy is very important in a stra-
tegical sense, as it commands the Mississippi above
Cairo, and if they succeeded in getting a few guns
they could stop the navigation of the river and
cause serious embarrassment to the right flank
and rear of the Federalists posted on the junc-
tion of that river with the Ohio. It was nearly
dusk before the expedition started. It con-
sisted of about 700 men and one six-pounder
field-piece, under the command of Colonel Morgan.
As they marched on board the huge river steamer
—a Pelion of light carpentery on an Ossa of engines
and boilers—the men cheered in the old English
style, and gave—three thundering " hurrahs " as
the steamer backed out and set her bow against the
stream. But now comes what seemed to me a little
of the recklessncbs and want of foresight, or at
least of precaution, which has been evident in more
than one Federalist expedition, with the usual
consequences of disaster and loss. These men and
horses and the gun were put on board this big
tinder-box, all fire and touchwood. One sma)'

boat, capable of carrying a dozen men at most,
hung at tier stern. Imagine an explosion, and her
engines are high pressure ; a shot from a masked
gun into her boiler, and her boilers are exposed;
even heavy musketry fire opened suddenly from the
wooded bank on the beehive-like deck, where the
solitary gun could scarcely be worked, and the
men could not be landed, and see what a catastro-
phe might ensue. To use a homely simile there were
" too many eggs in one basket. And there was
no necessity for doing this, inasmuch as many
steamers lay at the disposal of the authorities, and
the steamer could easily have towed up flats or boats
for the gun and men. In talking to Gen. Prentiss
this evening I was informed that the enemies' spies
visit Cairo every day. Strict precautions are used
to prevent access to the camps—a close chain of
sentries is posted all around, and in the day a pass
is necessary for admittance, unless one belongs to
the force, and at night no one is admitted without
tie countersign. An Irish gentleman who had been
evincing his satisfaction at the receipt of his wages
more Ilibernico just now attempted to get past us
—" Who goes there ?" " A friend—shure you
know I'm a friend " Advance three paces and
give the countersign." The gentleman approached,
but was brought up by the bayonet. " Send for the
captain, and he'll give you the word bedad." The
intercession was unnecessary, for two policemen
came up in hot pursuit, and the General, who was
sitting by, ordered the guard to deliver their pri-
soner to the civil power. For some extraordinary
reason this act moved the prisoner to the greatest
gratitude, and taking off his cap he exclaimed,
" Thank you, General ; long life to you. Indeed,
General, I'm greatly obliged to you on this account."
Another sentry who challenged an officer in the
usual way was asked by him, " Do you know the
countersign yourself ?" " Indeed I don't Sir ; it's
not nine o'clock, and they haven't given it out yet."
A very tolerable military band played outside the
hotel in the evening, and I was pleased to see the
quiet manner in which the bystanders of all ranks
sat down in the chairs as they ware vacant, close
to the General, without any intrusion or any sense
of impropriety arising from their difference in rank.
The expedition had not returned at four o'clock this
evening when I started in the trail for Chicago.
JUNE 23.
A large-bodied Yorkshireman, who had a full
share of most of the attributes of his shire folk, in
the service of the land department of the Illinois
Central Railroad, gave me all the information neces-
sary about the country. He was called " Major"
by his intimates, and, said he with a wink,
I was a major, but, unfortunately, there was a word
before it—l was troop sergeant-major in the Queen's
Bays." He pointed out the fat places where "we
put our Englishmen" when they come to settle on
the prairie lands on which we were just entering as
morning broke, and seemed hopeful of a grand
future for the vast plains, which only stand in need
of a little wood to render them fit for the reception
of despairing agriculturists when the war fever is
over Corn is abundant. The vast plains are rich
with crops, or are ready to yield to the tilth. A city
worthy of such a name rises above the waters of the
sea-like lake whose waves roll from the boundless
horizon in crisping foam on the smooth sandy beach.
The pure clear air invigorates the frame, weakened
by the warm, clammy breath of the South. The
notes of the mocking bird are heard no more, but
the prairie hen gets up with a sharp whirr from the
roadside, and drops with her brood into the deep,
flowering clover ; the partridge calls from the
stubble, and instead of the foul turkey buzzard and
his lazy wheel swoops the gray falcon over the
broad meadow rapid curves. Chicago receives us,
and comfort, cleanliness, quiet, good meat, butter
and bread—of which, indeed, we had a foretaste at
the refreshment rooms at Centralia, where I took
tea last night—assures the traveller that he is not
the inmate of a Southern hotel.

MEETING OF MIDDLESEX MAGISTRATES.The
ordinary meeting of the magistracy of Middlesex, for the
consideration of business relating to the county, was held
yesterday at the Court-house on Clerkenwell-green. Mr.
Pownall's year of office as chairman having expired, Mr.
Kemshead was voted to take the chair, when, upon the
motion of Mr. Armstrong, seconded by Mr. H. Harwood
Harwood, Mr. Pownall was re-elected chairman mail the
next July quarter 600444,

Yesterday the War Department transport Sebas-
topol, Mr. Andrews, master, arrived at the Ordnance
Wharf, Chatham, and landed 810 cases of the 100-
pounder Armstrong shells, for the ships of the steam
reserve at Chatham, ordered to be furnished with
100-pounder Armstrong guns. The Henry, War
Department transport, Mr. John Bull, master, also
landed at the Ordnance Wharf yesterday 13 of the
8-inch smooth-bore guns, each of 65 cwt., from the
factory at Woolwich.
The Pylades, 21, screw, Captain Michael de
Courcy, sailed from Spithead, under canvas and
steam, at 3 p.m. yesterday, for Sheerness. The
invalids brought to England on board her from
the Pacific were landed from her while at Spit-
head by the Sprightly steamer. The Pylades sailed
from Valparaiso on the Ist of May, and arrived at
Rio Janeiro on the 28th of the same month, sailing
thence for England on the sth of June. Fine
weather was experienced during the passage home.
Some interesting experiments were again made
at Portsmouth yesterday, from the launch of Her
Majesty's ship Britannia, off the harbour's mouth,
to test the efficiency of the plan proposed by Lieut.
G. S. Nares, senior lieutenant of Her Majesty's
ship Britannia, for forming a communication be-
tween a stranded ship and lee shore. Lieut. Nares's
plan consists simply of a kite with two lines, in
addition to a tail, the latter being used as a tow-
tine if required. Of the two flying lines of the kite,
one is made fast in the usual manner in the centre
of the kite and the other at the bottom. If the
object be to send a hawser to the fop of a cliff, sup-
posing that the surf breaks too heavily at the cliff's
base for any one to land, as was the case in the
wreck of the Royal Charter, the kite is given suffi-
cient line to fly over the highest point o' the cliff;
when sufficiently far inland the line from its centre,
by which it has been flown, is let go, and the one
made fast to the foot of the kite, being held on,
brings the kite to the ground, and places in the
hands of the people on shore the line with which a
hawser can be sent from the stranded vessel, a boat-
swain's cradle rigged, and ultimately the crew of
the ship rescued. If again, on the other hand, a
ship lies stranded on a low coast, with her boats
destroyed, the kite is sent on shore with its tail in
this instance towing through the water to the shore
a man, a raft, or any other object to be saved. The
trials yesterday had reference to a ship placed in
the latter position, and were of a most satisfactory
character. As a final test, Lieut. Nares jumped
overboard from the launch with the line from the
kite made fast to a selvage strop under his arms,
and was, by means of the apparatus, towed over the
intervening distance between the boat and the
shore, over deep wstcr and through the surf, in
perfect ease and safety, without even the necessity
of moving an arm to assist himself in his progress
or keep him afloat.
Yesterday a contractor's trial of the engines of
the Liverpool, 51, took place outside the breakwater
at Plymouth. This frigate was launched last year
at the Devonport Dockyard. She is of the same
class as the Bristol, Newcastle, Dublin, and Aurora.
The burden of the Liverpool is 2,654 tons, Her
length between the perpendiculars is 235 ft.; her
extreme breadth, 50ft. lin. ; her depth of hold,
18ft. Sin. The engines, by Messrs. Humphrey and
Tennant, of 600-horse power. are remarkable for the
simplicity of their construction. The screw shaft
is 90ft. long by 151 inches diameter. The screw,
Griffiths', has a diameter of 18ft., with a pitch of
26ft. 6in. Her bunkers will contain from 350 to
400 tons of coal, and the daisy consumption at full
speed is estimated at 60 to 70 tons. Alongside the
dockyard, on Monday, 58 revolutions per minute
were obtained, with a pressure of 131 b. to the
square inch, and a vacuum of 24 inches. At the
trial yesterday Captain Key, Commander Risk, and
Mr. Steel, of the Indus, and Mr, Ward, from the
Keyham Steamyard, represented the Government.
Messrs.! Humphrey and Tennant were themselves
on board. The wind was from the south-west,
force of from 4to 6. The Liverpool is not yet pro-
vided with spars, guns, or provisions. She draws
16ft. 6in. forward and 19ft. 3in. aft. After run-
ning six times on the measured mile, a mean speed
of nearly 121 knots was obtained; revolutions per
minute, 78 to 60 ; pressure of steam on boilers,
201 b. ; vacuum, 26in. The engines were exerted
up to nearly 2,600 horses.
The screw steamship 'Sanspareil, 70, will be out
of the hands of the artisans of the Devonport
Dockyard before the end of the month. The
supernumeraries which she will embark for re-
lieving the ships on the China station will include
one captain, 12 lieutenants, three masters, 11 second
masters, 33 engineers, 11 warrant officers, and one
subaltern Royal Marines.
In the West India intelligence appearing in The
Sun of Monday, it was stated that some apprehen-
sions were felt for the safety of her Majesty's
steamer Spiteful, there referred to by a misprint as
the Spitfire. It will relieve the minds of many
having friends on board to know that intelligence
has since been received that the vessel is safe, she
Laving run into the Caymans when short of coal.
A naval court-martial assembled on Wednesday
on board the Formidable, 84, in the Medway, flag-
ship of Vice-Admiral W. Hope Johnstone, Com-
mander-in-Chief at the Nore, for the trial of William
Knight, a supernumerary stoker of and belonging
to the Cumberland, 70, on a charge of having, on
the 11th of July last, made use of disgusting and
insulting language to Capt. Henry Cardew, of the
Royal Artillery, near the Royal Artillery guard-
house, Sheerness, such conduct being in breach of
the 18th Article of War. The Court was presided
over by Capt. W. G. Luard, of the Formidable, and
Mr. G. H. Knight, of the firm of Essell,
Knight,
and Arnold, Admiralty solicitors, Rochester, offi-
eiated as Deputy Judge-Advocate. The Court, at
the close of the evidence for the prosecution, con-
sidered the charge fully proved, and sentenced the
prisoner to be imprisoned in the county goal at
Maidstone for 15 months, and for 12 months of that
me to be kept to hard labour..