The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-20

Wg ietter 70 LORD Lyons
DEPARTMENT STATE WASHINGTON Oct "a 1861
MY L9RpYour letter of the 1lth OF October last pre-
srnting the claim of Mr. Wn Gray owner OF the British
snip Perthshme for damages incurred by tho detention
OF ta, vessel by the bockading squadron OF the Untei
States was referred by the Secretary the Navy
for for attenuation upon the subject. have now received
the answer OF the Secretary Of tho Navy thereupon
which fails 10 show me that the detention OF the Perth
shire by Commodore Smith, commanding the United
s,'es M sencr Massaohuset's was warranted by law or
ny the Presidents proclamation nsttuting the
blockade, although ! am satisfied that that officer
acted under misapprehenson Of his duties,
belong consras. e sppsopale e sas sam of two hum M
dred POUNDS claimed by Gray, which sum seems to me
not an unreasonable one. The President viii ask Con
gress Ior That appropriation a. they shall meet
ana ne VIII direct that such instructions shall be given
70 Commodore Smith as wal caution HIM against rope
tion Of the errors Of which you have complained.
avail myself Of this opportunity renew TO your
ordship the assurance Of my high consideration.
WIN. H. SEWARD.
Right Hon. Lord LYONS, &c, &c.
On these facts the committee report bill for the pay
ment Of The sum claimed by the British government in
behalf of Gray, and recommend its passage.
RESOLUTION OF SENATOR TEN EYcK RESPECTING THE
The resolution offered by Senator Ten Eyck
TO the war, Is follows
Resolved, That the present is for the Union ac
cordng to the constitution that its object is 10
former and enforce the latter; the beginning is
now as carried and should be TO the last that
measures extreme and radical, dsruptve themselves
should not bo resorted and that crushing treason
Widespread and hateful il is, the government itself
cannot prove traitor to organic law.
FIRING OF REBEL BATTERY ON THE POTOMAC.
! new rebel battery on the Potomac opposite Run
Point consisting OF three guns one Of which is sixty
four FOUNDER, opened fire last night One the shells
carried away the Of Cemens' House, and two fell
the camp New Jersey regiment on the Maryland
neither Of them exploding The last was fred about
| twelve O'Clock last night. Mt
| AFFAIRS ON THE LOWER PoroMAC--sHARP FIRING
FROM TIE REBEL BATTERlEs--NARRow ESCAPE OF
THE RELIANCE.
The Potomac correspondent Of the HERALD makes the
| following report
| UNITED SrArR STEAMER ASKxs, OFF MArwonAs CRsxx
PorchAc RIVER, Dec. 16--7 p. NJ
AT sundown this evening the Unitod States steamer
Reliance, Acting Master Harrison, left her noorings in
this neighborhood, order pass the rebel batteries
with the view Of communicating with the lower hoti!a
Shortly after she left the rose throwing faint
light the river. The batteries at Opossums
Nose have just opened fire. Three bright flashes OF fame
are seen, succeeded by Ms many loud reports FROM heavy
guns. short pause follows, and then there are four
more flashes and many reports. The Reliance must
| show n clean pair Of heels, or she In liable TO
be crippled, If not sunk; but Captain Harrison has
taken the precauton TO have much steam up as his
engineers can produce and the rebels fire brsky
1 H.,
now the lightning like flashes and the mimic thunder Of
the guns quick md incessant Shells are describing
what Mrs Partngton would correctly enough call the
| "dabolic curve" through the air bursting over tho
Maryland shore, and exhibiting momentary CLEAN,
followed In few seconds by sharp report indicating
that they have exploded None explode oyer
the river. and there are consequently hopes that
Reliance has run The gauntlet unharmed, though il is
possible that she may have struck by solid shot o.
unloaded shell. Still the Reliance continues her
| onward course, under a full head Of steam and
still the batteries oontnno TO pour out Of Gre
from their guns Battery after battery opens Shipping
Point reached and the messengers OF death on
tnue TO be sent after the little The roar or the
rs nearly continuous nermngcd with the sbrl
whistle Of the shells as they cut through the evening air
Though the Yankee six miles from the battery
that first opened the concusson Of the atmosphere
peroeptble tremor board this vessel The batteries
at Chapawamsc creek, the lowest along the line now
| open. Several more rounds fred ard at hafpast
| seven O'Clock the firing ceases, after twenty
| seven shells have been thrown. Ono OF the
engineers has Just descended TO tho wardroom
and intimated that the Reliance has blown her
whistle twice. This proves that she has no. been sunk
and Judge by previous part Of the rebels
il is Improbable that she seriously inferred She has
not returned the fire. that would only tend to still more
! plainly expose her position.
gunssr heard (about eight O'Clock this time
from the Maryland shore. few minutes eapse and tho
compliment returned by two guns from Shipping
| Point batteries.
This the battery at Cockpit Point fired
two shots from heavy gun Il supposed At brig
| that lay at the entrance to ,Matawoman creek a
1 little above Stump Neck. Captain Eastman sent the
| Murray down 10 tow the brig further up
| out Of range, which done, the battery at
| Cockpit Point did opsn the Reliance.
| rHE TRIAL OF COLONEL KERRIaAH.
| The trial Of Col. Kerrigsn was resumed todsy Can't
Ferguson Of Company H. twenty NTH regiment testified
that he had seen the accused eavea camp at various
times since il Virginia and thai he was not seper
ally in full uniform He heard CoIeAe say that he had
received letter from Lieutenant Fay Of his regiment
had beou taken prisoner The Colo1el said Far was
hard up and wanted fifteen dollars waness asked the
Colonel II he wanted the officers to make mp the amoun,
and he replied that he would attend 10 It, that Fay had
been officer in the regiment should not want FOR
money The accused did not tell witness how ne received
the letter from Fay III will be proved that this letter wa
taken 70 the camp in the mail bas). On occasion
witness rode out with German rnemen three miles
beyond cur lines, and after returning stated in
| conversation with the Colonel his belief that
he had been further into the enemys country than any
other officers IN the regiment He described some land.
marks the route and the Colonel said he had been
still farther Wtoess said that in this conversation both
OF them were, perhaps, speaking in bravado Evidence
was also put to show shat captain q
picket post arrested tolgate keeper and him to
camp On the way Colonel Kerrgan and some oilcers
mel the party and released bin, Tho tellmap re4,ncd