The Local news. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-20

Trent u ). case, and that opinion is unta
voraole to the construction of internationa
law. The legal advisers of the British Cab
met deny the right of an individual Office
Ito assume to himself on the high seas th
functions of an Admiralty Court, and con
a. mn ship or its cargo on his own author
ity." They say that the conduct which
Capt: likes ought to have pursued was t.
have taken the Trent into port and have be,
guilt or innocence established by prize
court. While this is the opinion of the law
officers Of the Crown, the British press %
much further.
The Paris correspondent of the D .ily
News learns that when Mr.. Slidell vas tax.
ing leave of his wife on board the Trent he
placed his dispatches in her hand; told her
to 20 to the cabin sit at the port-hoe, and
that II an attempt was made to take the box
from her, to drop it into the sea. Mrs. Sli.
dell obeyed his orders, was not molested.
and took the dispatches safely to England.
The British prize ship Cheshire, captured
of the mouth Of the Savannah river has
arrived at New York. She has a cargo Of
coffee, salt and army blankets.
The commercial world in Europe has been
startled with another If those stupendons
frauds which every now and then fright the
British isle from it's propriety. The Nation
al Insurance and Investment Assocat;on
has suddenly wound up under the Joint
stock companies act and the bankruptcv
code, disclosing an Indebtedness of upwards
Of $4,8Oo,OOO, while its assets amount to
only $275,O0O.
The U. 5. steam gunboat New London has
ust come in, having captured two steamers
md two schooners near Mobile. Lieut.. Reed
'ommands the New London.
Lord Byron said he "woke up one morn.
ng, and found himself famous" It is uro.
'able this will be the case with Gen. Phelps.
ie has issued one pro ,lamation-his first
nd, it is said. it will be his last
perfect storm of indignation and ridicule
poured upon him. Even the abolition
SITS denounce his "folly."
Kerrigan's court martial is still in sea.
ion.
The Washington correspondent If the N.
F.. World says that the Federal army on the
otomac lines is not going into winter quar-
rs, but that it is waiting the completion and
'parture Of Gen. Burnside's expedit ion:
le reinforcement Of Gen. Wool, whose num- q
'rs at Fortress Monroe are greatly reduced +
I'd Of Gen. Rosecranz, who can lust now a
axe two more brigades useful; the further e
ncentratlon OF the columns led by Gems.
lel and Halleck; foally, the effect Of The
'ristmas holidays on the internal condition p
the Southern States" OF the meaniny +
the last phrazes the public must Judge. .
"
An account Of the last 'Levee' at the .,
esldents House, in Washington, is given 70
the N. Y. Herald. 1t is said that the Min II
ers of England, France, Spain, and prus- .,
did not appear; but the Ministers of Rus =,
Sweden, Bremen, and Nicaragua were a.
'sent, and the Russian Minister was es.
'ially cordial in his conversation with the
esident.
len. Mcclellan and his lady were theob. &C
we'd OF all observers at the Reception at the RI
ssldent's House, in Washington, on Tues. gu
night. The General was warmly well Pc
ned ny Mr.. Lincoln. fit
'n Monday morning, eight men, three ie'
the Sec md and five from the Fourth ITO
" Jersey Regiments in Gen. Kearnev,s nu
5ade, Gen. Franklin's division, left their wo
'ectlve companies, which were on picket
= at Edsall's Hill, and went to a house Pc
Seen Burke's Station aud AnandaIe.- t.
lie there, body Of Confederate cavalry the
lenly came upon them, and three who Cor
9 In the house were taken prisoners. tee
en Mccullough, tits said, has been sum- enc
led to Richmond to answer the cbaroes thr
On nave been preferred against him. Of "
1iessly burning the property of Southern
y and OF refusing to reinforce General Ger
70 when the latter was pursued bv the Cor
eral troops. McCullough's forces were ton
inter quarters in Benton county A,L.n Ian,