Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1861-12-26
From Washington.

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army, and no prospect of what is com.
monty called an advance, is any long
err perceived in the vicinity of Wash.
ington. Indeed, the natural obstacles
to any important movement are toe
great to be overcome by any force
within the control Of Major-General
Mcclellan; accordingly about hall
the troops are being supplied with
comfortable wooden winter quarters
for which purpose the railway trains,
arc pcrpetually bringing in great
heaps of lumber. Coal and wood are
somewhat more plentiful than last
month, although the former still sells
at $S,5 per ton, and the latter So, 90
to 1000 per cord. The weather has
been severely cold for a week, and as
the uncertainties Of the summer pre-
vented most of the inhabitants from
laying in provision of fuel in ad-
vance, the fuel dealers arc ow doing
an enormous business.
The steamer Reliance came up from
the Potomac flotilla on the 18th, and
states that two new rebel batteries
arc erected above those heretofore re-
ported. One of them is nearly oppo-
site the mouth of the Mattawusa Creek.
At both batteries heavy guns are
mounted, evidently, as they throw shot
over upon the Maryland shore.
The difficulty between Conway and
Fouke, growing out of the debate in
the House. remains unadjustcd. 1t is
reported that there is some doubt as
to the party on whom rests the re-
sponsibility ofseending a challenge.
Secretary Seward this morning gave
it as his opinion that no foreign coils
sion would take place. The remark
was made in conversation with dis
tingulshed Englishman.
The Naval bill. pending in Congress
and likely to pass, retires all officers
of more than forty-iivc years service,
and will operate to strike from the ac-
tive list forty-six officers, among whom
arc Dupont, Bell, Stribling, Stringham,
Kearney and Shubrick. But the bill
gives the President power to suspend
the operation of the law in individual
cases, which would preserve to us the
valuable men Of the service, and re-
lieve it Of the dead-wood. The meas
ure is intended to legislate certain in
capables out of Office, doing that
which, it is said, can never he reached
by a board Of naval officers.
There is petticoat at Washington
taken from she secesh, that weighs
fifty pounds. The garment is appa-
rcntly quilted one, but instead of
the usual filling, it is thickly wadded
with the finest quality of sewing silk
of assorted colors. the skeins beign
carefully arranged in layers. 1t is
provided with straps by which the
weight may be supported by the Shout
ders. Sewing silk is one of the arti-
cles most needed, next to quinine, in
the South. This is the second attempt
at smuggling the article into Dixie by
women that has been discovered.
Mr. Sumner, from the committee on
foreign relations, will report a bill
giving one thousand dollars to the
owners Of the British ship Perthshire,
Illegally detained by our blockading
squadron in the Gulf The bill has
the unanimous sanction of the COM
mittee. ....
The Navy Department has intclli-
from St. Thomas that the ship Mont
morency, from Bath Me-, was over
hauled on her way to st. Thomas with
coal for the British mail steamer COM
pany, and released upon paying a ran
som Of twenty-thonsand dollars, after
a quantity of ship stores had been ia.
ken from her. The Sumpter was seen
four days afterwards OH the Goth,
steaming northeast.
Col. IIalstcad, Of the lst New Jer-
sey cavalry. was to be tried on a
charge of drawing forage both in kind
and in money.
A prominent and influential citizen
Of Maryland, who has recently been
in Richmond, reports that the Union
sentiment in Eastern Virginia is rap
dlyincreasing. He says that if Con-
gress shall not legislatc unfavorably
on the slavery question, that portion
of Virginia is safe for the Union.
A gentlemen just arrived from Mis-
souri, states that Senator Polk has
gone over to the rebels, and is taking
counsel with them at Memphis. His
treason has long been fragrant as well
as that of Johnson, his colleague.
A despatch from Gen. Banks head
quarters, at Frederick, Md, dated the
18th, says it has been ascertained that
the rebels had considerably increased
their force at Martinsburg, probably
by contingent from Gen. Jackson's
command.