The New York herald., 1861-12-20

II1E SITUATION.
The Queens messenger, with dispatches to Lord
Lyons arrived at Washington yesterday morning,
and very soon after him came Captain Cook of
Boston, bearing the dispatches from Mr.. Adams to
our government. The latter were transmitted in n
mail Dag, which was pnt into the charge of Capt.
Cook in Boston. The bag weighed a hundred
pounds. Tho dispatches were placed in the hands
OF Mr. Seward. While stating in detail the feel
ings of the British government and people, Mr..
Adams expresses no knowledge of the nature Of
the instructions sent to Lord Lyons. Private
letters, however, received at Washington from
several prominent statesmen in England state
that no exorbitant demand will be made on our
government for the surrender of Mason and Slidell
bnt that only such apology and satisfaction will be
demanded rs the United States government CON
ho"ordo'y grant. Other letters from authorita-
tive parties in England confirm these views It ia
certain that Lord Lyons made no commune alton
whatever to the Secretary of State up to eleven
O'Clock last night.
some ideas were entertained in Washington
yesterday that the excitement about tn. Mason
and siidell seizure is only pretext to cover the
schemes of the tripartite expedition to the Gulf
Mexico The proceedings of the Senate were in
terrupted yesterday to give place to an important
message from the President on our foreign rela.
tions, in which document no allusion was made to
tho affair Of the Trent, but the Gulf expedition
was graveIy alluded to.
The Africa which has boen detained in this port
since Wednesday, will sail for Liverpool early this
morning. The intelligence she will take, we
opine, Will not prove of much importance, except
it be that contained in the files of the HERALD
The rebel batteries on the lower Potomac have
been very active yesterday and for the mast few
days in firing on our vessels and throwing their
shot across to the Maryland shore, but they have
not affected much far. The fact, however, shows
the tcnacity with which they maintain their posi-
tion on the banks and creeks of the Potomac.
The Committee on Foreign Relations, to whom
was referred the case Of the British ship Perth
shire, which was captured and detained by
the United States steamer Massachusetts on
the 9th Of June last, on the misapprehenson
shat she had run the blockade with q cargo OF
cotton from Mobile, reported bill yesterday re.
commenting Congress to reimburse the owner to
tho extent Of his claim-f200 sterling-for the
damage sustained by the error Of the Bnited States
captain Thus, while England is crying out against
the injustice Of our seizing known traitors on the
hgh seas, our Congress is honorably making
amends for the mistakes of our officers by which
British subjects have suffered injury.
While the news from Gen. Banks' column m tho
Upper Potomac indicates the continuance of great
disquiet, we have no account Of o general engage
ment. Gen. Kelly, who is pushing on to Winches
ter, has daily skrmishes with the rebel pickets,
and II IS not at all improbable that fight of some
magnitude may take place in that vicinity within
few days.
Inc intelligence from Missouri is important. Des
patches received from General Pope state that on
"euhesuay he got between the enemy encamped
m TWO bodies, one at q point near ChiIhovee md
another IN Clinton and Henry counties; that thew
retreated upon his arrival towards Rose Hill ,oov.
'og al 'heir baggage and valuables in his posses.
sion General Pope followed them up, but at John
son. Bates county, they scattered in al, are,t;o,s
With strong cavalry reconnaissance Cens-o,
Pope captured $50 rebels, near osceola. and a, ae
ferent other points about as many more. The
whole country between Rose Hill and Grand river
70 now clear of rebels
Tho map OF the vicinity Of Mumordsvile, KY.
which appears in this mornings HERALD, will Ire
tound very interesting toOur readershaconseq equsuce
of the recent brilliant fight which there took place.
Many may look upon the aifaar as skirmish ana