Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-05-23
NEWS Or THE DAY.
"To sAoo the us,y age and body ofths TIMES. !,

can give British ships, is to get off rs fast as
possible without serious inconvenience
After the effective blockade has been com
mcnced, they will be allowed fifteen days 10
take their departure, but they will not Dc
allowed to carry out any cargo or part VI d
cargo, taken on board after the e1tectiVe
blockade was actually beginning. indeed
according to the ruses OF blockade, Ne
lieve they will be liable to conilscatlon
for ATTEMPTING 20 go cut with cargo
Skinned after the commencement of block
AIDE, But the effective blockade does
not bepin until the blockading squadron &C
tually appears off the port. The Presidents
proclamation is only the declaration oil an
intention to blockade"
John La Mountain, the eronaut, has or
cred his services to the general government
in the capacity of scout He proposes to
initiate bis balloon, and, accompanied by an
engineer. to ascend to any desirable eleVa-
ton, taking notes of the country, the sltua-
| ton and strength of the enemy, &c. Ihls
| idea is by no means novel. 1T occurred 10
| the first Napoleon, when the art OF Dailoon-
| ING was but little understood. During the
| Crimean war the allies frequently made use
| nf those Observation-Disclosures to ascertain the
preparation making by the enemy. But 1t
was in the great plan of Northern Italy, IN
the campaign of 1859, that their utility be-
came most apparent. Before the battles OF
Magenta and Solferino, Louis Napoleon
| had employed ;eronauts to survey she
grounds; and while the Austrans were III
retreat, every motion made by them was no
ticed by these geni of the upper atmosphere
-. CT
The wheat crop of Middle Tennessee is IN
the most promising condition. 1t is growing
most luxuriantly, and the yield is likely 10
be greater, per acre, than ut any time since
the over fruited season of 1850. Some OF
| it will be ready for the reaper in three weeks
from this date. We shall therefore, III a
short time, have new flour and plenty OF 1t
allow prices. The oat crop is also growing
finely, whilst the old staple Indian corn
looks little yellow from excess of rain
This however, will soon disappear under the
genials rays Of the sun with which we are
blest There has been greater breadth
of land devoted to these crops, so there may
be no deficiency in either.
The Pensacola correspondent OF the Mo-
bile Evening News, ai>er specializing upon
the time Of opening Of fire upon Fort Pick
ems, saws: "But commence when it WILL don't
think risk much IN saying that IN sixty hours
after the first gun istired, there will not be a
Yankee left in Fort Pickens. 4 hundred
and forty guns converging on any one point
sixty hours, would drive the devil from his
hole. For several days it will be essentially
big Gun fight, such n fight as was never
witnessed on this continent; cannonade
that will shake the land and the sea-
The stock Of wheat in Chicago during the
past week or two has decreased over 500, 600
bushels; corn upwards of 300, 900, and flour
5000 bbls. On the 29ih of April the amount
Of -four, wheat corn and oats in store was
4,36l. 0l9 bushels, while on the 18th inst.
the footing up was only ., $50 27 bushels
so that within two weeks the stock OF grain
10 Chicago has been reduced nearly two mil
lions Of bushels.
The Richmond Dispatch offers the sub
Joined suggestion: Our guerillas on the
banks of rivers who are good shots, would
render service, when hostile vessels infest
our waters, BY taking aim at the man at the
wheel. There are not often many men on
board Il vessel who can steer her, especially
in strange waters, and it is coed policy to
devote the attention oi the best shots to the
steersman.
Ii consequence of the closing Of the Bank
Of Albany and the Bank Of the Capital last
week, there was some run on the Savings de-
partment of two or three banks there, but
| the promptness and readiness with which it
was met in every instance. speedily restored
confidence and Quieted excitement. Extra
teIiers were employed, and depositOrs paid is
fast AS they could present checks.
One Of the sufferers by the irregular ac-
ton of the military at St. Louis, was Mr.
Wm. ?. Summers, formerly cashier of the
Cataract City Bank. Paterson, n. J. He
had gene to that city on business, designing
| to return home last week; but, through an
| unfortunate desire to witness the capture of
| the SaccssiOnists, was present in the melee,
and received Il gunshot wound, from the eff
| fects Of which he has since died.
1t is said that the Secretary Of the Senate
has removed Mr.. Montague, one of the
clerks Of his office, it being understood that
| he Is Sbiu!eF III tIc iISlhId IOiCeS. JAS
McHenry, ,Jr., Of Baltimore is an officer in
the same service, and Hugh McHenry, who
has 50 long been Prof. Baches private clerk
in the Coast Survey Office, has resigned and
gone South,
The names Of number Of veteran Brit
ish officers in Canada, who have taken COM
mand in the Regiment of the New York
British volunteers and raised companies for
it, are given in the Montreal Gazette, and
with nplmentary notices. 1t seems that
they are not inclined to take the advice Of
the British Prime Minister On this subject.
On Saturday, Q ceremony took place at
Fort Hamilton, on the occasion Of the adj
ministration Of the oath Of allegiance to
the Sumter garrison, in accordance with
general order Of tho War Department.
john Winsluw, esq, District Attorney of
Kings county, administered the oath to the
soldiers and u large mum Der Of citizens who
were present.
Charles Whitehouse escaped from the
temporary prison in the City Hall, Dover,
\. II. last week. His cell was in the attic,
and, converting a razor into saw, he cut off
his irons, got out on the roof, got into the