Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-12-18
LATER FOREIGN NEWS,
The Letter of General SCOTT.
What THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH
' PAPERS SAY OF 1T, '

n
City sailed to-day for Fortress Monroe with
$50 Hatteras prisoners, released by the Gov
eminent.
HARRISBURG, December 1.-THE subject of
the defense of Philsdel pbia Is being urged
upon the National Government by Governor
Curtin. He is also actively engaged in pre-
pairing arms for State defense.
WASHINGTON, December lZ-A man came
within General Heintzelman's lines to-day
who left Alexandria in July for more dis
tant Southern quarters. Hs stated that he
had been living at Charlottesville for some
time that no rebsl troops had recently gone
South from the army of the Potomac, but
that during the last three weeks two Georgia
regiments have been added to it. He also
says that the sickness in the army was great,
and averaged from Manassas and Center.
vile, a cart-lcad of invalids day conveyed
to the hospitals at Charlottesville.
Especial to New York Times.I
WASHINGTON, December 1.-THE House
Post. office Committee unanimously decided
to introduce bill to abolish the franking
privilege. The Committee have also con
cuded to grant no further privileges in the
case of soldiers letters other than that now
given, that Of sending their letters for ward
without prepayment.
Especial Dispatch to the New York HeraId.1
This afternoon the pickets of Blenker's di.
vision were driven in by the enemy. The
rebels were soon driven back; many of them
were killed. .
aTbe Secretary of War has submitted to
Congress statement of Quartermaster Gen.
eral Meigs, asking the early appropriation of
$l,000,000 TO complete and pay for the gun
boats, mortar. boats and tug-boats of the
Western flotllla so that they may not be de-
layed at st. Louis until the interruption of
navigation by ice.
He states that the $500 900 appropriated
by Congress at last session is sufficient only
for the construction, equipment and main.
tenance Of seven of the gun boats, and with
out expressing any opinion as to the neces.
sity of the feet ordered to be built by Cen
eral Fremont be thinks the Government is
bound to pay for them, and if armed,
equipped and we'll manned, they will add to
the strength of the army In the West and
the success of the expedition intended to
open the Mississippi 1 '. . .a
The report of Chief Engineer Barnard,
which has Just been submitted to Congress
by General Cameron, shows that the defenses
around Washington. consist of forty works,
mounting three hundred guns that, the
whole defenses occupied are about thirty
five miles, exceeding by several miles the
famous works on Torres Vedras, the most
in modern times. General Barnard asks the
appropriation of $780, 900 from Congress
for the completion of these works.
Secretary Cameron has also submitted to
Congress report in favor of an appropria-
tion of $470,000 for putting our coast de-
lenses in order from the lakes around to San
Francisco, large portion of which is to be
devoted to the defense of New York harbor.
WASHINGTON, December 17.-van Wyck's
Investigating Committee to inquire into
Government contracts, say in their report
that they have examined 265 persons. The
report embraces ], 100 pages, and their labors
are far from being finished. They propose to
push the Investigations vigorously so long as
they are demanded by public interests. The
affair OF the steamer Cdtdline was thoroughly
sifted. There was great conflict in theeyi.
dence as to what would be fair price for
charter and cost of running her. The COM
mittee especially call attention to the ar
rangement between the Secretary of the
Navy and Mr.. Morgan for purchasing vessels
for the Government. The committee next
devoted themselves to the subject of the pur-
chase of arms.
The extraordinary demand for them. re-
sulting from the conspiracy to overthrow
the Union, has resulted in an extraordinary
expenditure, and, exciting the cupidity of
large numbers OF persons both in Europe and
America, has opened system of unprece-
dented speculation. The Government has been
the victim of more than one conspiracy, and
remarkable combinations have been formed
TO rob the Treasury. The profits from the
sale of arms to the Government has been
enormous, and realized, too, in many in-
stances even by our own citizens, through q
system OF brokerage as unprincipled and dis
honest as unfriendly TO the success and vel
fare OF the nation as the plottings of actual
treason, the Government and the several
States entering the market in active and
direct competition, stimulating, it is true, to
some slight extent, and temporarily, the i'm
portation and manufacture of arms, but
scarcely compensating for general prohigacy
in the expenditure of the public treasure. q,
The Committee examined into army sup
plies, and say that in the Western Depart.
ment especially acquisitions have supplied the
place of contracts.
The committee say that, in the purchase of
cattle, there have been gross mismanage-
ments; and in the purchase of horses and
wagons in New Work. they find great
Irregularities. s.l7.l.'f %.
The Committee also say thata man by the
name of Wood, enjoying the confidence of
the President was appointed Commissioner
of Public Buildings, place requiring not.
only great business capacity, but unfinching
integrity; and that Wood, from his own
declarations, made himself an instrument for
plunderiDg the Government. The com.
mittee, in discharge of their duty, made a
representation of the facts TO the Executive;
but before any action was taken, the Gov
ernment was relieved by his resignation.
The Committee next approach the subject
of Notifications at st. Louis. The circum-
stances surrounding this work being of the
most extraordinary character, and marked
by eXtravagance, Iecklessness, insubordina-