, 1861-12-18

Charleston Fire-*-Loss s7.W0,o0o.

The Privateets Sumter Again. |
=:
Lord Iyons's dispatches Home
FROM WASHINGTON.
{special Dispatch to the Chicago Tzibune}
NAsH1s6Tos, December Il, 1851.
Mr.. Washburne's report Of the summers
Investigation into government contracts fills
one hundred and thirEtyy-sm pages The prin-
cipa1 items arc the charter Of the steamer Cata-
line; the purchase Of vessels for naval and
port service; the erection Of fort;tications at
St. Louis and shc contracts for arms, horses,
mules, railroad cars, forage, etc, in the West
crn Department; and. contracts for wagons
and army supplies at New York.
As to the charter oE; the Catalinc, it appears
that Gen. Wool ordcfed tho Quartertnaster
(Mr. Tompkins} to ftAEter two steamers Of
Capt Con,stock, TO ply between Hayre dc
Grace and Annapolis. i:Con1stock selected the
Cataline, and informed D. e. Deyelln Of the
| fact, who induced Chas l. stetson, Of the As
tor House, to buy ,khe boat for eighteen
+AOAEkll44 Ab4ii4G- nay aN4
the purchase by II. IL; Freeman, ship broker.
| The contract was tllan made between Com
| stock and Tompkins at the rate Of $780, per
month, and 4 guaranty for $4,000 If the boat
| should be lost By any other casua3ty than those
usually covered by uaarinc and fire insurance.
| The committee find: no malftasanec on the
| palt Of Mnlor Tompkfns, but simply haste and
| misplaced confidence III Comstock. The
/ committee censure Comstoek, Dc1elin aud
stetson for taking advantage Of the public ex-
igcney for private gaia, hut they not being
Government employees, arc hence not punisA-
able. TAurlow Weeds name appears as hay
ing procured the clearance Of the Catalina with
i private cargo for Annapolis This first trip
being contrary to Government regulations
then existing, Collector Barney refused the
clcaranca; when Weed procured pass from
Gen. We9A: apparently by false representa-
tons, because Wool atter7ards tried to stop
her, but too 1ate- j.
The Committee find the arrangement made
between the Secretary Of the Navy and his
brotbcr-in-lnw, George D. Morgan, highly cen
| surab1c. Morgan VIE q wholesale grocer,
never had any experience IN dealing in ships,
. | and was appointed over tic head OF Commodore
Brcesc, Commandant Of tic Brooklyn Navy
t Yard. Mr.. Morgan is indeclso inexperienced
that three naval officers have been appointed
to go with him aud correct blundcFs. Hc Wae
I allowed to charge two and ha1f per cent. on
purchases, by which he has realized over nine
! ty-tiye thousand dollars. These commissions
: were apparently paid by the Sellers Of vessels
but it appeared tue sums al came cat Of tht
; public treasury IN the cnd, as the sellers addci
the amount Of the commissions to the pric
: Of the vessels. The testimony befor,
: the Comnittce showed that the bes
!, talent and experience for buying vessels conf,
;. have been obtained for i've thousand dollar
per annum.
Matters relating to the asAirs of the Westeq
, Department, when under Gen. Fremont, ar
= | reported substantially thc same as was put
0 | lisllcd in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE about tac Is
e ! Of November, only that there is considcrabl
= | more Of the same sort.
# The quasi~Eecessionists in Congress arc a
II / eager for war with England. Vallandigham'
IS resolution yesterday, and Cox's speech to day
:. were in pursuance of the policy marked OF
d | by that faction.
Sc Lord Lyons has detained the steamer Afrie
IL one day to take back dispatches.
~ Senator Carlilc's speech creates general Iii
satisfaction and dis4uict. His remarks til:
: If the war was waged to overthrow slavery, o1
army would melt away by desertions, il 1ecn
~ ~ I'd hardly less than treasonable.
st Mr. Sumner, from the committee on forein
I'd relations, will report bil giving one thousar
is - dollars to the owner Of the British ship Pert
ST shire, Illegally detained by our b1ockadi1
squadron in the Gulf. Tie bill has the unan
nous sanction Of the committee.
49, The Navy Department has intelligence fro
;" st. Thomas that the ship Montmorcner, fro
~ BATH, Me-, was oyerhauled on her way to
~ Thomas with coa1 for the British mail steam
~ company, and released upon paying ranso
nv ~, Of twenty thonsaEa aellars, after quantity
ha ship stores had been taken from her. Il
~ Sumter wassecn for four days afterwards. I
the 10th, steanaing northeast.
The evidence in the Kerrigan case, to-da
related to his draving pay for q man after i
th dcsertion, and to drunkenness On duty.
Ae Col. Halsted, Of the 1Et New Jersey cayal1
re- | will be tried tomorrow TN charge Of dra
nd ing forage both in kind and IN money
ch Gov. Morton, Of Indiana, and lady, with
ia accompanying party, Terc the recipients
de- an excursion TO Fort Washington. to-day,
the steamer Mount Washington- including
inspection Of the new war steamer Pensaco
OF opposite Alexandria, and sham fight on
OF brig Perry.
WASHINGTON, Dec 1T.-The President b
" ~ received no Official Information from Ensla
the | relative 10 the Mason and SlIdeu afEair. Z
nee Cabinet 1yas in session for several hours :,
the terday, during which our difficulty with Er
wv land was discussed with great calmncss a
len frmness- Whatever the demand from Ell
land may be (and the English newspaper bit
ter is not taken as any true indication Of t
81 Intention Of tie Government our Goye1
Nh mcnt has resolved that Mason and Siidcu sh
hg- never be given up. This may be relied up
7ay Us a fixed fhct. The impression is that Engla
= Of viii mike demand for the release Of the n
els seized, but that lengthy correspondent
tne would settle the matter without war.
T Of The rumors Of messenger arriving d
haste, are false. No uItiulatnul from the Ell
Nsh Government il regard to Mason and
,ort dell is expected at the beginning Of diploma
last A prominent and influential citizen Of Ma
ad- land, who has recently bean in Richmo,
onr reports that the Onion sentiment in Ea
euf- that it Congress shall not 1egislaie unfar
ably on the slavery question, that portion
Virginia is sale for the Union.
ton | 4 gentlemen Just arrived from Misso
,,ae ! states that Senator Folh las gone over to
''.e rebels, and is taking counsel with them
ants | Memphis. His treason has long been flasra
rice / as well as that Of johnson. his Colleague
1 dispatch from Gen. Banks's headg quartz
at Frederick, Nd, dated the 18th, SAYS it
been asccrtained that the rebels had cousid
olo- ablf Increased their force at 3Iartiusbu
that probab1y by a contingent from Gen Jackso
ap- command.
~ WASHINGTON, Dec. 17.--The difficulty
! a. tween Conway and Foukc, growing out
the definite in the House, yesterday, rsma
unadjusted. II is reported that there IS 50
d in doubt as to the party on whom rests
p Of responsibility Of sending challenge
80 Secretary Seward this morning gave it
"no his opinion that no foreign war would t
has place. The rcmnrk was made in conyersat
aolic with distinguished Enlishman.
WAsH1sGTos, Dec 1.-THE steamer r
ance came up from, the Potomac fotiIla, .
teEday, aud statcs that two more rebel bat
ntea les are erected above those heretofore rep
el OF ed. One Of them hnearly opposite the stai
ncnt Of the iotil}a ut Indian Head, and tho OF
,.7,v nearly opposite the mouth Of Mattawau CT
loy At both batteries heavy guns are mounted
not ident1y, ,'as they throw shot oyer On the N
land shore.