The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-05 00:00:00

AMERICA.

NEW YORK, MAY 25, 6 P•)S.
(PER NOVA SOOVIA TO FATHER POINT AND via
LONDONDERRY.) ►
The advices by telegraph from Europe, by the
Etna, made a favourable impression politically.
The reported fight to-day, near Alexandria, has
proved a hoar. The Federal forces are in quiet
possesion of the Virginian bank of the Potomac
.from Washington to Alexandria.
Nothing of moment had occurred at Fort Munroe
up to last evening, except the pushing of the
reconnaissances as far as the town of Hampton
and beyond.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.
The Great Eastern, which arrived off the bar
yesterday evening, came up the river this morning.
Her passage from New York to the bar occupied
nine days nine hours, mean time. The Persia on one
occasion made the passage to the Rock Light in
nine days two hours, mean time.
Her Majesty's ships Nile and St. George reached
Halifax on the 22d. Prince Alfred was on board
the latter vessel.
It is stated in the Washington advices that Secre-
tary Seward, on the 24th April, sent instructions to
the United States' Ministers in Europe to notify
the parties to the Treaty of Paris that the United
States Government accepted the first point of said
treaty, and agreed to the abolition of privateering.
On this the New 1 ork Times remarks :
" This must prove a crushing blow to the
Southern Confederacy, for it not only debars
Great Britain, France, Russia, Prussia, Sardinia,
and Turkey from countenancing Jefferson Davis's
privateers in any way, but it obliges them,
through active operations by their fleets, to sup-
press such privateers as pirates. This ends that
dream, and leaves the Southern conspirators no
means of doing us serious harm except by invading
the Free States. Another point is gained by the
Secretary's master stroke of last month. The
United States now become entitled to all the bene-
fits of all the points in the Paris treaty. The fourth
point, providing that blockades, to be respected,
must be effectual, carries with it the corollary that
if effectual, it must be respected • consequently, so
long as our blockade is made effectual against the
public enemy, all the European Powers abovenamed
are bound to respect it, and certainly cannot inter-
fere by force. This conclusion dispels that other
Southern dream, that England and France will raise
the blockade in order to get cotton. They are
clearly bound by treaty stipulation not to do so, to
say nothing of the general obligations of morality
and international law."
In another issue the same journal says:
" There is no expectation that the notice served
by Secretary Seward upon the European Powers,
that this country accepts the propositions of the
European Governments, will be regarded, as in
time. The letter of Secretary Marcy was at that
time considered conclusive and final. It was so
regarded by the European Powers, and it will be
remembered that the people and press of this coun-
try hailed with delight and universal satisfaction
the conclusions stated by Secretary Marcy. The
great Powers will hardly be willing to open a nego-
tiation which we closed with such a shout of
approbation."

Here is another piece of gossip from the capital :
" Since the news brought by the Persia Lord
Lyons has maintained a studied silence, declining
to speak upon the political questions in dispute.
It is evident that he does not himself know what
will be the policy of his Government, and that he is
surprised at the position assigned to Great Britain
in accordance with the last advices. If the British
Government should determine to recognise the
Southern Confederacy, Lord Lyons will probably
resign. His opinions that a different policy would
prevail have been so freely expressed that he can-
not in honour represent a different course of action.
Indeed, as for that matter, if England is against the
United States, the dismissal of Lord Lyons will be
promptly made out."
On the 22d President Lincoln in person hoisted
the Union flag over the Post•office buildings at
Washington. Secretary Seward on the occasion
said

" You here have known well the statesmen and
orators of some of the Southern States. We have
known their courage, and the courage, the spirit,
and the resolution of the people of all the Southern
States. But knowing all these, we know two
things which even they cannot do. One is to de-
stroy Hail Columbia, and the other is to destroy,
the star-spangled banner. (Repeated cheers, inter-
mingled with exclamations of No !" Never !')
They will fail to do it, only because human nature
needs that the one shall continue to be so, and that
the other shall float over the sea and the land, and
what human nature needs, God Almighty, the
father of human nature, decrees. (Cheers and re-
peated applause, and music from the band.)"
The Government " had temporarily prohibited
the passage of citizens into Virginia, but immense
quantities of provisions and tools for throwing up
intrenchments were sent to the troops stationed on
the heights."
Tenders for the supply of gunboats were about
to be issued.
A battery of Whitworth field guns had reached
New York; each gun bears the following inscrip-

on

" From loyal Americans in Europe to the United
States Government, 1.861."
The refusal of the Cunard Company to allow the
Persia on her last passage from Liverpool to carry
munitions of war for the Federal Government had
created some irritation. The proceedings of the
British Consuls at Norfolk and Havannah were also
a subject of complaint.
The War Department had issued orders for the
immediate withdrawal of all the regular troops
from New Mexico and Utah.
On the night of the 23d 10,000 men crossed the
Potomac at Washington, and captured Alexandria
without resistance, while a detachment pushed for-
ward to seize the point of junction of the Manasses
Gap with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, to
cut off all communication between Richmond and
the northern portion of the State. A body of Ohio
troops is moving from Wheeling by way of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad upon the same point.
The forces were disposed at various important
points—Alexandria, Arlington Heights, and Fair-
fax Courthouse—the movement on the last point
being made for the purpose of taking possession of
the junction of the Orange and Alexandria and
Manasses Gap Railroads. The advance into Vir-
ginia was made from three points—over the Long-
bridge, at the mouth of the Potomac Aqueduct at
Georgetown, and at Alexandria.

Of the doings at Alexandria a Washington de-
spatch of the 24th says :
"As I telegraphed last night, the Zouaves were
ordered to enter Alexandria this morning. In
accordance with this order, the command was em-
barked on the steamers Baltimore and Mount Ver-
non. About five o'clock they reached Alexandria.
Just before reaching the wharf the commander of
the Pawnee sent a flag of truce to the rebel forces,
giving them one hour in which to withdraw from
the town. The Baltimore and Mount Vernon then
made fast to the wharf. As the steamers ap-
proached the rebel sentinels fired their guns in the
air and retreated back upon the main body, said
to have been about 500 strong. Simultaneously
with the landing of the Zouaves the Ist Michi-
gan Regiment entered Alexandria by the road
leading from Longbridge, and proceeded direct
to the railway depot, of which they took pos-
session, capturing a troop of rebel cavalry num-
bering 100, with their horses and equipments.
The Zouaves landed in good order in double
quick time, each company forming in company
order on the street facing the river, Com-
pany E, Capt. Leveridge, was the first to disembark.
Capt. Leveridge's company was at once detailed to
destroy the railroad track leading to Richmond,
which service they promptly perfzmed. After de-
tailing Company E, Col. Ellsworth directed the ad-
jutant to form the regiment, and then with his aid
Lieut. Winser, and a file of men, started for the
Telegraph-office for the purpose of cutting the wires.
Col. Ellsworth and his detachment proceeded in
double quick time up the street. They had proceeded
three blocks, when the attention of Col. Ellsworth
was attracted by a large Secession flag flying from
the Marshall-house, kept by J. W. Jackson. Col.
Ellsworth entered the hotel, and meeting a man in
the hall asked, ' Who put that flag up ?' The man
answered, I don't know ; lam a boarder here.'
Col. Ellsworth, Lieut. Winser, the chaplain of the
regiment, Mr. House, a volunteer aid, and the four
privates, went up to the roof, and Col. Ellsworth
cut down the flag. The party were returning down
the stairs, preceded byPrivate Francis E. Brownell,
of Company A. As they left the attic, the man wlo
had said he was a boarder, but who proved to be
the landlord, Jackson, was met in the hall, having
a double-barrel gun, which he levelled at Brownell.
Brownell struck up the gun with his musket,
When Jackson pullad both triggers of the gun. The