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

a majority, but comparatively unarmed. The Cum-
berland was 60 short of her complement. When the
Pawnee came up to the Navy-yard, both the Cum-
berland and Merrimac lay broadside to her, guns
loaded, thinking she was in the hands of the Seces-
sionists. On board the Pawnee an opinion prevailed
that a similar state of affairs existed on board those
ships, and she was ready accordingly. When the
Cumberland hailed, 'What steamer is that ?' the
unwer was, The United States' steamer Pawnee.'
The cheering on board the vessels and on shore told
how satisfactory the reply was. The Union men
employed in the Navy-yard cut down the flagstaff,
Iso that it could not be need by the enemy. The guns
at the Navy-yard and St. Helena were spiked. The
Yankee has gone to the Navy-yard at Brooklyn."

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
" The steam tug Yankee, Capt. Charles Germain,
which was one of the supply fleet that went to
Charleston, arrived here yesterday noon. Through
the politeness of Mr. Russell Sturges, the owner,
and Captain Germain, our reporter learnt the fol-
lowing facts :—The Yan'aee put into Norfolk in
distress and short of coal on the 18th inst., and had
soon to leave her moorings on account of the rebels,
who were about to attempt to seize her. She. had
kept steam on, expecting them, and went over to
the Navy-yard for protection. Here the captain
found Commodore Nl‘Cauley, in charge of the
yard, with about 50 marines, His officers had
all resigned, hut still hung around, acting as spies
for the Secessionists, while rebels were making
every preparation to take both yard and ships.
'The rebels had erected batteries in the woods, neat
the yard, as well as along the river and on Crony
Island and Sewell's Point. The Yankee, after
taking in 25 tons of coal, prepared to aid the Com-
modore out of his critical position. The rebels had
laid all their plans to seize the yard and war vessels.
The Pawnee fortunately came into Norfolk on Sa-
turday with 800 men, and all. Saturday night,with
the aid of the Marines and the crew of the Yankee,
,they were at work, under directions of Commodore
.31'Cauley, destroying the arms and all property
that could not be moved, as the only alternative to
prevent its falling into the enemy's hands. The
rebela had the night before broken into the magazine
end stolen most of the powder. The forces above
anentioncd, after spiking the guns, chipping the
fuse, Sze., so that they never could be used, threw
them and all the cannon balls overboard. They
'then broke the engines of the frigate Merrimac and
-scuttled her. They blew up the granite dry dock,
Sand simultaneously set fire to the Merrimac, James-
town, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Columbus, and
left them burning. The Pawnee started ahead, and
the Yankea immediately followed, towing the Cum-
aierland, Capt. Pendergast, after her. Both frigates
_moved away with guns pointed towards the city,
threatening to level it should the rebels fire from
their batteries. So effective was the whole move-
ment, however, that the chivalry were awe-stricken.
`They stood along the wharfs like so many statues,
with muskets on their shoulders, but they did not
attempt to fire. Their batteries kept silent, and
although they had seen most of the work of destruc-
tion progressed with they knew better than to even
make remonstrance. The forces left nothing behind
that would be of any service to the rebels. Several
of the houses in Portsmouth, near the navy-yard,
caught fire from the ships, and were burning, add-
ing to the consternation of the rebels. The plan to
seize the yard and vessels had evidently been on foot
long before the secession of Virginia, and had it not
been for this prompt action of the Commodore,
aided by the Pawnee and the Yankee, the rebels
would have succeeded. It was a Providential
occurrence that the Yankee put into Norfolk, for
the Pawnee would not probably have been able to
tow the Cumberland out. The captain of the Yan-
kee is one of those determined men who would have
allowed his vessel to be blown up rather than that
the rebels should capture her. On going over the
bar the Cumberland struck the sunken vessel placed
there by the rebels to obstruct the channel, and
completely tore off her deck. The remainder of the
hull, strange to say, stuck to the Cumberland, and
was thus towed off into deep water and sunk. The
Pawnee helped to tow her part of the way, going
ahead with a hawser. The Keystone State, which
had landed Massachusetts troops at Fort M'Henry,
came to the assistance of the vessels, but not until
they had got over the bar. Captaiy Germain left
the Cumberland anchored in Hampton Roads, and
the Pawnee at Old Point Comfort, awaiting orders,
he supposes, as well as to act as a blockade of Nor-
folk. The Merrimac was a first-class frigate ; the
Jamestown and the Pennsylvania, old vessels; and
the Delaware and Columbus, as we are informed,
were almost past doing service."
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
" Captain Alden, who came here in the Yankee
yesterday, reports that he was sent to Norfolk to
assist in the destruction of the Navy-yard. The
Cumberland was towed out, and forms a blockade
of the James River. The Pawnee (gunboat) car-
ried the officers, marines, and soldiers to Washing-
ton. She has a powerful battery, capable of
knocking to pieces anything that Secessionists can
construct. The burning of the yard and vessels
was a perfect success, but he fears that Captain
Rogers and Captain Wright, United States Engi-
neers, who remained behind with four or five men,
perished. He had no doubt but they had perished."
The following is the proclamation of the Gover-
nor of Virginia—
" Whereas seven of the States formerly compos-
ing a part of the United States have, by authority
of their people, solemnly resumed the powers
granted by them to the United States. and have
framed a Constitution and organised a Government
for themselves, to which the people of those States
are yielding willing obedience, and have so notified
the President of the United States by all the for-
malities incident to• such action, and thereby be-
come to the United States a separate, independent,
and foreign Power; and whereas the Constitution
of the United States has invested Congress with the
sole power ' to declare war,' and until such declara-
tion is made the President has no authority to call
for an extraordinary force to wage offensive war
against any foreign Power ; and whereas, on the
15th inst., the President of the United States, in
plain violation of the Constitution, issued a procla-
mation calling for a force of 75,000 men, to cause
the laws of the United States to be duly executed
over a people who are no longer a part of the Union;
and in said proclamation threatens to exert this
unusual force to compel obedience to his mandates;
Enid whereas the General Assembly of Virginia, by
a majority approaching to entire unanimity, de-
clared at its last session that the State of Virginia
would consider such an exertion of force as a virtual
declaration of war, to be resisted by all the power
at the command of Virginia, and subsequently the
Convention
new in session, representing the sove-
reignty of this State, has reaffirmed in sustance
the same policy, with almost equal unanimity • and
•
whereas the State of Virginia deeply sympathises
with the Southern States in the wrongs they have
suffered and in the position they have assumed, and
having failed in that attempt through this unwar.
ranted'aet on the part of the President, and it is
believed that the influences which operate to pro-
duce this proclamation against the Seceded States
will be brought to bear upon this commonwealth if
she should exercise her undoubted right .
to resume
improper the powers granted by her people, and it due to
the honour of Virginia
that an
shoufdrorr exercise
of force against her people repelled ;
therefore I, John Letcher, Governor of the common-
wealth of Virginia, have thought proper t
all armed volunteer regiMents or companies within
order'tb.
the State forthwith to hold themselves in readiness
for immedate orders, and upon the reception of thiss
proclamation to report to the Adjutant-General of
the State their organisation and numbers, and pre-
pare themselves for efficient service. Such compa-1
vies as are not armed and equipped will report that
fact, that they may be properly supplied.
"In witness whereof I have hereunto set my
hand, and caused the seal of the commonwealth to
be affixed, this 17th day of April, 1861, and in the
85th year of the commonwealth.
" JOHN LETCHER."
From Virginia comes a report, among others, that
an attack on Fort Monroe was contemplated.
Eight vessels of war were reported off the har-
bour of
Pensacola on the 22d,
o. supposed to have re-
inforeements for Fort Pickens.
A telegrate tram
r
Illinois to the 23d states that
Cairo, Illinois, was invested by 1,000 Federal troops,
and 4,000 more were expected soon.
From New Orleans to the 23a we learn that 1,000
Tennesseans were on theirway
to join the Confede-
rate army. The steamer Marqu-
is de Habana had
been purchased by the Southern Confederacy, and
would soon be fitted out as a war steamer.
Governor Houston, of Texas, had
emphatically
denied having communicated with the Lincoln
Government. He also denied that he claimed still
to be Governor of Texas, and said that he had re-
tired to private life, and should never leave it ex-
cept for the defence of his country.
Mr. Seward is reported to have addressed a note
to Senor Sesser°, the Spanish Minister, protesting
an the Spanish expedition to St. Domingo, and
reminding him of the good faith of that Govern-
ment in all transactions with Spain. Copies of
the protest had been forwarded to the British and
French Legations.

THE EASTERN FI*IIERIES.—The spring herring
Bshery is proceeding on the eastern coast in a tolerably
satisfactory manner, although the catch has not been so
great as it was last year. Prices haVQ ranged front Bd, to
is, per 100,