The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-23

Rumors were prevalent in Washington yesterday,
and it is said upon good authority that the general
admission among the foreign diplomatic corps was
that Captain Wilkes is perfectly justiable accord
ing to international law, in having arrested Mason
and Slidell from the deck of British vessel, and
that England should be the last Power to object to
It, inasmuch as no other nation has done more to
establish the principle upon which Captain Wilkes
acted on that occasion.
Lord Lyons has expressed no opinion upon the
subject, either officially or informally, to any men,
Der Of the administration up to this time.
force Of General Smiths division made re-
connossance, on Thursday, in the direction ofFair-
fax Court House, to point near Flint Hill, but did
not discover the enemy. They brought home, how
ever, no less than eighty wagon loads of forage
and in this respect were successful. Their princ
pal object was to obtain supplies.
Our vessels continue to run the blockade on the
Lower Potomac. The Wyandank ran through on
Thursday night reaching the Navy Yard next
morning. Though three shots were fred at her she
was not struck-a fortunate circumstance, as she
had forty barrels of powder and number of loaded
shells on board The steamer L. B. Hall also ran
the blockade downward, having on board large
quantity Of ammunition and ordnance stores gene
rally Two schooncrs, loaded with wood, also ran
the blockade successfully on Wednesday night.
The naval expeditions from the Eastern Atlantic
ports appear to be progressing. The splendid
transport Constitution, which left Boston for the
South, touched at Portland early yesterday morn
regiment; but finding large quantity of ammun
ton and stores awaiting her there, she was unable
to take the troops on board and was to start i'm
mediatey her mission. It is said also that Cap
tain David D. Porter, of the navy is now actively
engaged in Boston in getting up an expedition for
some point in the Standardization unrevealed
vernment vessels of various tonnage now lying in
Boston harbor, most of which arc ready for imme-
date service, and it is probable that Captain Por-
ter will have an opportunity very soon of employ.
ing them on the Southern coast.
We learn from Baltimore that General Dix re.
ceived news yesterday that the DISCRIMINATION of
the rebel forces in the county of NORTHAMPTON.
Virginia, was complete. The commander Of
the rebel forces, Colonel Smith, was attempting to
escape with some of his officers from the lower ex
tremity of Northampton county; but by the orders
of General Dix, Flag Officer Goldsborough had put
the whole coast under close watch SO that their
escape is very likely tobe intercepted
The frigate San Jacnto with Messrs Mason and
Slidell on board, which lay at Newport on Thurs
day evening and left there at midnight, reached
Holmes Hole yesterday morning en- route for Fort
Warren, where she was expected to report herself
last night and deliver up her prisoners.
Intelligence reached jefferson City, Missouri
yesterday, by train from the West that the
rebels had burnt down the town Of Warsaw on the
night previous, to prevent its being made winter
quarters for the Union troops. A large quantity
OF government stores were destroyed in the confia
grafton.