The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-30


The transportation Of army stores from
Baltimore and the Northern ports by the
Washington Branch railway, continues una
bated /; indeed. for the last two days, it has
been unprecedented.
On Tuesday an order went from the Ord
nance Department of the u S., to the three
largest cannon founderies in the country
he Fort Pitt in Pittsburg. the West Point
and Ayers in Boston-to man ufacture to
their utmost capacity 1O-inch columbiads for
the next twelve months.
The London Post, the government organ
in Great Britain, is the most decided of the
English papers, in its belligerent course to-.
wards the United States.
| The Montreal Commercial Advertiser states
that agents of the U. S. Government have
purchased ten thousand tons of hay ON the
line Of the Grand Trunk Railroad that it is
being pressed and baled for transportation
to the United States, and calls upon the Ca
madam authorities to put stop to the trans
action at once.
The Joint Committee Of both Houses of the
U. 5. Congress to inquire into the conduct
of the war, are holding daily session. They
have had before them Gems. Mcdowell.
Heintzleman and Franklin. The committee
Run disaster, and where the responsibility
belongs. They intend also to institute RI
gid inquiry into the Ball's Bluff disaster.
Capt. Powers U. S. A., assistant edutant
general to Gen. Martindale, was seriously in
jured on Wednesday while ,iding through
the woods in tbs neighborhood of Falls
Church. lie was thrown from his horse by
coming in contact with the limb of a tree.
and lay insensble for several hours.
The Confederate Congress have passed n
bill for the naturalization of all who are not
citizens of the Confederate States, " no may
have been engaged during the war in their
naval services.
Some Of the Northern papers rather com
plain Of making " hero" Of Mr.. Ely, late
ly released from confinement in Richmond,
whore he had been detained as a prisoner
since the battle of Bull Run. Thew say he
was " volunteer locker on " at that battle
that he WAS not entitled to any special ia
yors-and that & he is not of much account
anyhow" This is the style in which, for
the Philadelphia News speaks.
1t appears, from The letters in the Northern
papers, that Christmas WAS not much of q
festival with the U. S. troops from New Ea-
gland, now on the line of the Potomac. The
soldiers from New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
&c, made more OF the day.
More serenading" in Washington on
Saturday night. Mr.. Ely, Gen. Rosccrans,
and Gen. Leslie Combs spoke. The latter
said, we were on the eve Of great events
in Kentucky"
There is said TO benog good feeling between
Mr. Secretary Chase and MIR Thaddeus Ste
vens.
II IS said chat several runaway negrues,
who have been for months past in the Fede-
raj camps in the neighborhood of this place
have returned to their masters, heartily tired
and sick of their late experience.
The decision Of the U. S. government, in
agreeing to the release Of Mason and Slideu, I
is said to have been unanimous by the Cabi-
Get.
The demand Of the British government FOR
an apology" by the U. S. government for
the capture Of Mason and Sliden, has not
been RESP onded 10 by Mr.. Seward, and no
apology has been sivcn--only the release
agreed TO.
Several Of the Northern papers continue
their complaints about the inacton of The
Federal troops on the POTOMAC lines" end
their hard sayings about Gen. Mcclellan.
Col. Re1an, commanding the regiment Of
in which lieutenaney was
advertised in the n Y Herald, az for sale,
offers araHard for evidence that any officer
in his regiment has paid for the commission
be holds.
The schooner sunk in he Potomac lass
week, is said to be the ''Ihres Sisters" which