The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-04-24
BY Telegraph.
Exclusively for he Duly .Arg,s,

An ertensire pim for lake deitaceg. FJm,a,
arie', Armor,es eic,-Mryllnm does a
handsome thing .tor Mussaclmefis-.i rebel
steamer cdpsured on ne Tennessee -Highh
W'trt8tHg HewS from he iowcr .Mssiysipp.
-.iTtrai NJ cotton al CdrO-- Matters al
lorktorH More Gbom tie Merrimac.-
Items from tie Potomac- Particulars 81
the H,sIb@ cry Hght-Stcrctuy JFcles
10 hf hrAfi ow and yirH another oHce.
WAsmNGToN, April %, The bill reported
from the committee on military affairs, au.
thrr4rs aud requires the president ~ convene
board Ia cun,ls, oi two officers of the corps
f engineers, ne artillery, two officers Of the
navy two members elected by reason #
their scientific practical attainmcut-, and an
lthcer ui the corps Of engineers; a secretary
Whose duty 1t shall be 10 examine and con
cider cur system OF sea coast and lake forti.
hcation1 with special reference 10 such chan.
reS ~ ma a recommended by the commits.
SION, t" 10" commenced and prosecuted with.
out the .cylous assent Of congress.
The bill further provides that the amount
appropriated ut this session, for Qualifications,
shall he expended under the direction Of the
president, upon such defensive works rs shall
be recommended by the commission, and au.
thorIaes the president 10 accept any sums of
money loaned or advanced by the several
states Tor the construction Of defensive works
tor the preservation of the states, making
such loans upon such terms as shall be agreed
On between the proper authorities.
! The board Is also requested 10 examine aud
consider the prOprlcty 0i constructing navy
yard aud depot on the northern lakes, Of q
foundry for heavy ordinance aud also an mr..
mory and arsenal # construction west of the
/ Allcghanic- iorau additional arsenal Of de.
| po'itc aud repair, aud shall IT, subject to the
| approval Of the president 10 locate the same
| ut such points ~ shall, from purely military
| considerations, appear best for the defense Of
! the country.
! The bill also provides that there shall be-
! added ~ the number of cadets AZ both the
military aud naval academies, number
equal 10 the present number allowed by the
existing laws To- be selected from each con.
gressIonal district, by the academy board of
directors, from among such applicants as
shallapply tor admission, and who, upun cx.
animation shall be- deemed best qualified;
provided that the number added shall have
expenses paid by parents or guardians, who
shall be required 10 deposit with the superin
tcudcntS Of the academies, each wear the es.
timat"d amount Of money necessary To- pay
all expenses, aud the cadets to be subject to
al! the rules aud regulations, governing the
academies.
Bo-roS, Ap'l "a resolution adopted by
the legislature OF Maryland, and signed bv
Gov Bradford, appropriatng = 900 for the
relief Of the families OF the killed and for the
disabled Of the Massachusetts S,h regiment
by the mob in Baltimore, was read this after.
noon in the house, and caused marked sensa.
ton and applause,
PrTsBrRG Landing, April 23.-The gun.
boat Tyler, while reconnoltering up the Ten
nesSee river, captured the rebel steamer j
Rubb near the mouth of Crane Creek This is
one Of the boats that cludc! our first expcdi.
ton up this river after the fall Of Fort Henry,
Her name has been changed to Lady TYLER. .
The weather is rather more pleasant.
CAIRO, April 23.--Spccial to the Chicago
Times:
The steamer De Soto arrived today from
the tlOtila off Fort Pillow, having on board
the first shipment of cotton sent up the river
since the commencement Of hostilticS.
citizen Of Kentucky, connected with the
governmental secret service, returned on
bonrd the De Soto from Il visit to Memphis, /
where be was sent By one of our generals in .
the field, and, having obtained information of .
value to the government, is making his way
back.
lie brings Memphis papers of the Eth and
New Orleans papers Of the jth
At the latter place the battle Of Pittsburr
was pronounced Il splendid success IF the
Confederate army. The people were iubiant
over the achIcycment,a and enlistment of forced
ievies was going on with rapidtv.
lie was at CUrlnth, and estimates the forces
there at present TO be fully $50, 900.
The CONSUMPTION act had been passed bv
the Confederate congress, and under its prov.
islons every able bodied man between the are
OF Is and 80 were enrolling themselves tor
the defence Of the Confederacy.
The citizens OF Mem ohis are manifrstiny
considerable alarm for the safety of their city'
The greatest eXertions are being made to nut
the deIenses OF their city in the best possible
condition. Two new gunboats are already in
the stocks and will be ready for their arma.
ment IN week. These are to be named
Beauregard and Arkansas, and are to be rem. {
dered almost imprcgnablo by shot and she'll. {
The former is defended by compressed cotton |
bales between her timbers Her side will ex
coed feet in thickness. The Arkansas is {
iron plated
Both gunboat- will be provided with pow c
artul engines, and will be constructed accord. q
ny to the best naval architecture, besides be- c
ne ftted with IRON rams, with which they
Expect to run down our fleet at their leisure,
Fort Harris, just above above Memphis, is
being thoroughly fortified, and the rebels de- r
'iare they Wall contest the passage Of the 7
iankee fotilla mile by mile, on the river he.
ween Memphis and Fort Pillow. q,
The rebels have II gunboats at Memphis {
The citizens desperately declare they will r.
'urn their property rather than give it up to \
he Yankee hordes ~
The approach .ng contest is expected to re. ,,
ult in the deiverance Of the southern soil -,
rom the presence of the Yankees who are ~
characterized as Goths and Vandals. Their +,
reat stand is to be made at Corinth, and on =,
he result OF the battle is deemed to depend 81
he fate OF the cOntederacy, nor do the south /;
rn people doubt the issue of the contest. ;,
The churches in New Orleans have given =,
p their bells to be made into cannon. =,
The women are giving their jewelry to en-. .;
ch the southern treasury, and throughout
lie entire south there is universal FEELING IT
enthusiasm and sympathy for the cause. il
The entire contederacy is reposing on the
ol'ty OF Beauregard to whip the enemy and on
claim the country, SO much so that the re-
ut oi their defeat is not discussed G,
The report OF the wOunding of Beauregard G,
false
The remains Of 4. 5. Johnston were re o-
iyed at New Orleans with impressive dem. do
STATIONS, and after lying in state for two or
Us in the city hall, were placed in the re.