Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-10-11
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

cluded by Hon. VIM. b. Reed, our Minister TO
China, with their excelicncies, the Imperial
Commissioners, at Tientsin, has arrived in this
city. We learn that he also brings other des-
patches from Mr.. Reed, one OF which is re-
quest of that gentleman 10 be allowed to return
to the United States. In letter sent by Mr..
Reed to Com. Tstnsll, and by the latter trans
mitted to the Secretary Of the Navy, he states
that he would make such request of the Gov
eminent, and if it was granted, hoped to start
on his return about the first of December. He,
likewise, states in that letter and in the des-
patches sent by Mr.. Bradley, that he had, cub
sequently to the conclusion of the treaty, made
arrangements with the Imperial Commission
ers for the indemnifcation of American citi-
zens for losses sustained by the difficulty at
Canton. A portion of the duties collected at
Canton, Fou Chou, and Shanghai we're - be
appropriated to this object, but owing to the
interruption Of commerce consequent upon the
war between China and the allies, that govern.
ment was allowed to postpone the payment of
the indemnity until the restoration Of business,
probably about the LIST of November.
In view Of this arrangement, Mr.. Reed ad.
vises Com. Tatnall, in the letter addressed to
that officer. that it would be we'll for the squad
ron to make its appearance in the waters of
China about the period on which the payment
was to commence being made, in order that the
Chinese authorities may infer that this Govern
ment will peremptorily insist on the fulflment
of that stipulation. Mr.. Reeds letter to Com
L. was dated July 5th, on board the Minnesota,
in the Gulf of Pecheli, and he was then about
proceeding to Shanghai, to await the arrival of
the mail from America; after which, he would,
If circumstances were favorable, repair to one
of the northern ports of Japan, to spend the re-
naming summer. months
Com Tatnall's dispatches to the Navy De-
partment bear the same date with the letter of
Mr.. Reed, only they were written on board the
POwhatan. He states that owing to the recent
treaties, and the swarms of English and French
ships Of war which were then in the waters of
China, all lawful interests of foreigners were
safe from interruption from the Chinese and
he, therefore, regarded the moment as auspi-
cious for Withdrawing the squadron from the
waters of that country and showing it to the
japanese. Accordingly he had ordered all the
vessels to sail to Japan. He intended that the
Powbatan should go to Hokadadi and have her
engines Overhauled and her rudder repaired
As this port is the usual stopping place of
American whalemen, he believed his detention
there would advance their interests. He stated
that the British still held Tientsn, and had
just been reinforced there by the arrival Of
1000 to 800 men from Hong Kong. He in
tended returning with the squadron to the wa
of China in 0ctohar
THE STEAM PLow.-There is at length rea-
son to believe that the long sought agricultu-
raj desideratum-the steam plow-is about to
become fixed fact. More mechanical genius
and far more un-mechanical nonsense has been
expended upon it in the last decade than to
produce aught else mechanical-up to yery
recently without an apparent prospect of sue
cess When such a machine has been pro-
duced to work satisfactorily and economically
Al advantage will have been achieved for our
country hardly second to that resulting from
the invention and perfection Of the cotton gin
The following brief extract from late number
OF the New York Journal of Commerce ex-
plains why we at length entertain hopes that
the steam plow is indeed thing accom- lished:
SUCCESS OF THE STEAM PLow-The State
Board OF Agriculture of Illinois offered a pre-
MUM of -, 600 for steam plows II was expected
that three different inventions would be eY
hibited and tested at the State Fair but only one
was on the ground. That was Fawke's locomo.
tive steam plow, Lancaster, Pa which excited
great interest among the prairie farmers, ard
performed we'll The machine and apparatus
with fuel and water, weighs only about seven
tons, and by the use of MN or barrel sha ped
driver, for proPelling the locomotive the din.
Guilty Of miring in soft soil, and slipping on hard
smooth ground, is overcome The steam pIow
Is easily managed, and is described as a cross
between locomotive and a tender, combining
the essential elements of both mounted on two
guiding wheels and a huge roller The prairie
ground on which II was tried was baked as hard
nearly as brick, but the engine turned six fur
rows side by side In the most workmanlike
manner. The excitement Of the crowd was be.
yond control, and their shouts and wild huzzas
echoed far over the prairie.
TIE CALIFORNIA OVERLAND MAIL.-On Sat-
urdsy evening dispatches were received here
from st. Louis, announcing the arrival in that
city OF the Great Overland Mail, in twenty
three days and four hours from San Francisco.
Six passengers were brought through by the
stages. President Buchanan transmitted to
John Butterfeld, Esq, the following congratu-
latory message on the success of this enter
prise:
WARRINGTON, Oct 0, 1858.
SIR Your dispatch has been received cor
daily congratulate you upon the result Ii Is a
glorious triumph for civilization and the Union
Settlements will soon follow the course of the
road, and the East and the West will be bound
together by chain Of living Americana, which
ooh never De broken JAMES BUCHANAN.
This mail was not due at st. Louis until
o clock to-day, the 1lth instant. Information
has not been received from Memphis, but there
is little doubt that the mail has also reached
there. The last mail by the Panama route left
San Francisco on the 9th of September; while
these by the overland route left on the 10th,
and are, therefore, ten days later.
NICARAGUA AFFAIRs.--0ur readers have
already been informed that General Jerez was
received a few days ago by this Governmauf as
Envoy Extraordinary from Nicaragua; but
the statement made by several of our cotem-
poraries in this connection, that he will super.
sede Senior frisarri, as the representative from
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