The New York herald., 1862-03-16

our We ssels from the rebel batteries the Lower
Potomac, at Dumfries, Evansport and other points
The batteries at Aqua creek and Boyd's Hole
were shelled yesterday by the gunboats Anacostia.
Yankee and Island Belle. No damage was done
to our vessels from the shore. 1t is evident that
their few remaiain batteries cannot hold OUT
long.
The rebel flag la vanished from Missouri. With
the evacuation of New Madrid the State has seen
the last of the rebel forces They have been
driven down the river on the southeast, and over
the Arkansas border on the southwest, never to
return again. Island No. 10 has most probably by
this time been also abandoned leaving the Missis
sppi free of its most trusted rebel defences. The
map of the Mississippi river, which we publish in
another column, will show all the positions in this
vicinity recently occupied by the rebels. The
official despatch to Secretary Stanton states that
the enemy left all his artillery field batteries, tents
and military stores behind him, valued in all at q
million Of dollars. The rebels fed in such haste
that they left their suppers untouched on tho ta-
bes and the candles burning in their tents. They
betook themselves into neighboring swamp, ut.
terIy demoralzed.
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.
The Assembly of our State Legislature was in
session yesterday and transacted considerable
business. Remonstranccs were presented against
the Broadway Railroad and Concert Saloon bills
Favorable reports were made amongst others, on
the proposed sl0O 900 annual appropriation to the
Peoples College, and the bill to regulate adver-
tising in New York. The Annual Supply bill was
reported from the Ways and Means Committee,
and recommitted. An annual tax bill for general
purposes was reported The proposed prohibitory
amendment and the report on the Excise law were
made the special orders for Friday next. The
select committee the transactions of the State
Military Board, reported bill for compensation
to volunteers who have suffered loss from iniper'
feet clothing furnished to them Notice was given
Of bill to provide for the payment OF the bonds
issued by this city for the defence of the Union.
meeting of the journeymen segar makers OF
this city was held last night at the Metropolitan
Rooms, Hester street, to take into consideration
the proposed tax on manufactured segars. The
sense of the meeting appeared to be that tax
L
imposed on the manufactured article would be
positively detrimental to the working man, as it
would leave him entirely at the mercy of his en-
ployer, as well as cause material falling of in
business large proportion of the journeymen
segar makers avail themselves Of their spare time
to make segars in their own private residences,
and they complain that should the tax, as propos.
ed be carried into effect, il would be great hard.
ship for them to be compelled to pay heavy Ii
cense for this privilege. They are of opinion that
the tax should be levied ON the raw material, and
that heavy import duty should be placed on TO-
reign segars. Speeches were made in support Of
these views by Mr.. Thomas George Duganne and
others, and it was finally resolved to send dele
CATION to Washington, and also to call mass
meeting at the Cooper Institute on Tuesday even
ing next.
The following table shows the present annual
pay of the members Of the Cabinet, members of
Congress and the officers of the army. together
with the amount to which the bill which passed the
Senate on the 18th inst. reduces the salaries Of
these officera