Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-04-05
News of the Day.

The secretary of the Navy has appointed
board Of naval officers consisting of Commo-
dore Gregory, Captain Blake, Commanders
Foote and Tucker and Lieut.. David d. Por-
ter to visit the various navy-yards, examine
into their condition, and ferret out any
changes for their better and more economical
organization. They will commence with the
New York yard, and then visit others in sue
cessi0n.
The boiler of the steamboat Augusta, ex-
ploded on Friday night last, when the boat
was about 40 miles below Augusta, Ga, on
the Savannah river. Henry Day. the engi-
neer, and three slaves were drowned. Seven
hundred and eighty bales of cotton, 80 bar
rels of -four, besides other produce, were
burnt The boat and cargo are total loss.
The cargo was partly insured in New York.
The United States Mail Steamer Arago,
Captain Lines, left New York, on Saturday,
for Southampton and Havre, with 203 pas
sengers, and SS4s,lS3 in specie. Among
the passengers are Jerome Napoleon Bona
parte, Loriug Andrews, and family, Mr..
Souchard, French Consul of Boston: G.. H.
Goudie, American Consul to Switzerland.
The third sale of the interest of the city of
Baltimore in the McDonogh estate, took
place ut New Orleans on the 2Sth ult. The
property offered consisted in improved and
unimproved lands in the parishes of St. Ber-
nard, Orleans and Jefferson, and brought
about $75 900, making total for the three
sales of $594,435. Several lots in the town
Of McDonogh are yet to be sold.
The Bloomington (Ill.) Photograph says
that fifty head of prime cattle started from
the depot in that place for New York on
Saturday afternoon, Goth ult. Their age
is four years, and their average weight, fit
teen hundred and sixty pounds. Another
lot of 56 head, and averaging 1000 pounds,
is soon to be shipped.
The London Critic is at length enabled to
state upon the evidence of the highest au-
thority, that the author of the cele brated
Vestiges of the Natural History of Gre
alton, first published in 1914. and which has
since gone through several editions, was the
late DR.. George Combe, who died about a
year ago.
The ship Grey Eagle has arrived at Phila-
delphia from Rio, with dates to February
Dist. Wet weather had prevented the bring
ing of produce to market. The stock Of cot
fee was consequently reduced, and higher
demands made for the article. The steamer
Metvermet. of the Paraguay expedition, ar
rived at Rio on the 10th of February.
Wednesday last will be remembered by
the clerks in the New York Post Office
The foreign letters despatched were IS, 49,;
the foreign letters received per Niagara
kangaroo and Persia were I2,499; add to
these 1000 for domestic, sent and received,
and we have total Of nearly 2OO,0OO let
ters, making the largest and heaviest days
work ever known in that Post Office.
The gold coinage at the United States
Mint for the month of March, was Sll9,5l9.
The silver coinage was Sl0S.0 600 in half and
quarter dollar pieces; S27 900 worth of cents
were also coined, making the entire value OF
the coinage for the month 1854 ,jl9, covering
3,095, 551 pieces. The deposits of coin for
the month amounted to Sl771,7T7T5.
On Thursday last fire occurred at Chris
tansburg, Virginia, destroying a block of
buildings, including the Odd Fellows Hall
and Herald newspaper office. Among the
sufferers are J. II. Guggenheimer, 81 900;
insured $4,000; Herald Office, 5000; Odd Eel
lows, $500; Masons, $3.50.
Oscar W. Sturtevant died at the Astor
House, in New York, at eleven o'clock FRI
day night, after an illness of three days. lie
was elected Alderman of the Third ward
three times successfully, was II lawyer by
profession, and was well known throughout
New York. His age was 40 years.
Marley paper Mills, on the Little Elk,
three miles from Elkton, Cecil county, Md,
were sold by ii. Mccullough, esq, trustee,
Monday week, fer 50 $40, to William White
lock. of Baltimore city. There were one
hundred and sevcnty'five acres OF land at
tachcd to the mills, with good buildings.
Charles A. Appleton of Maine, commit
ted suicide in Washington on Sunday, by
drowning himself. He had been subject to
fits of mental alteration. His brother, Mr..
-AppletOn, ASSlsldHt totSiCtai va 's'''' '''N
charge of his remains.
The Rockville, Md, Journal, Of Friday
last, says: Fears are expressed that the
frost on last night seriously injured the early
fruit. We hope the blight has not been as
serious as at present apprehended.
Judge peterborough, Of Wheeling, Va,
was robbed of his pocket-book, containing
about $3.50, on Wednesday night last on the
Baltimore and Ohio express train, going
West The robbery was committed near the
Relay House.
John d. Pennybacker, esq, Of Rocking
ham, is announced AZ candidate to repre-
sent the counties of Rockingham and Pendle-
ton in the next Senate of Virginia. Mason
Bare, esq, of Rockingham, is also announced
for the same position.
In New York, on Wednesday afternoon,
Miss Anna Card, very interesting young
lady, Is years of age, left home in rather n
mysterious manner, and has not since been
seen. The parents Of the missing girl are III
great distress at her absence.
On Thursday week a terrible hall-storm
passed over Natchez, Miss \ correspon-
dent Of the Free Trader informs the editor,
that a single hailstone fell near the residence
r ~ III E,rLae which mpa Sured TWENTY-FIVE