The New York herald., 1862-03-23

Passes to Fortress Monroe refused to all civilian
at tho War Department. General Wool has complained
that many strangers have bOen allowed to visit the
fortress GentlsRo2 OF distinction applied in vain for
passes to-day. saa
ARREST OF AN ALLEGED sEcEssIoNIsr.
Mr.. Edwards, a prominent lawyer of Fairfax Court
House, was arrested last night by order of
General Sumner, and taken to Alexandria this
morning Edwards voted eganst the ordinance
Of secession and has until recently been regarded as
strong Union man but very recently his dsoyal expres
sons rendered him exceedingly obnoxious and induced
General Sumner to mako an example Of him. Several
residents of Fairfax whose disoyal proclives are we'll
known still lnger at the county seat but this summary
proceeding has put eectua check upon any further
secession demonstrations in that region.
LOCOMOTIVES F6R THE ALEXANDRIA, RAILROAD.
Two fine locomotives, one from New jersey and the
other from Massachusetts, have arrived here by rail- and
being fitted up in Aloxapdra for upon the several
railroads leading from that point
TIE CONDITION OF LIEUTENANT woRDEN.
Lieutenant Worden's condition has materially im-
proved lilo has been great sufferer Three surgeons
have given him the benefit Of their skill.
TIE HEAVY ORDNANCE OF THE REBELS.
We assured from perfectly reliable source that
thOre s not an Armstrong gun in this country has
Sir William Armstrong made gun for any other
service than that of the British government.
The large rasd ordnance procured from England by the
rebeis made at tho Lowmoor Works and are made
after the designs Of Captain Blakely, formerly OF the
royal artillery.
About twonty Of these Blakclcy guns, ono hundred.
FOUNDER rcd cannons have boon delivered to the re-
bells, which, with thirty smooth siege cannons consti
tute all the heavy ordnance Of the enemy obtained
from abroad which has escaped capture.
Most OF the ri1ed cannon OF the rebels have been
-,
from the enormous strain put upon them, which they
were not designed to bear.
PRoJEcTILEs In WARFARE BETWEEN ARMoRED YES
Assistant Secretary Fox has to-day quite collection Of
relics, which afford practical hints upon gunnery
and ron-ciad ships Among them are specimens Of
plates from the armor of Commodore Foote'S gunboats
which were damaged in the attack upon Fort Doneson
One OF the plates, threequarers Of inch thick was
struck apparently at angle Of forty five degrees
tho ball glanced Off making ndentation corresponding
to onethrd tho thickness of the ball. and about fifteen
inchos long, The plate partially fractured tho
iron tough enough to ward of che missile The most
interesting object in tho collection portion Of
shell fred from the Msrrmac into the tower of the
Monitor. The head of the shell imbsdded in the
iron armor Of the Monitor; tho remainder having been
scattered by tho explosion. Secretary FOX says It is
useless to make any guns OF the cabre used
but that fifteen inch columbads, that will smash
through thing that oas be provided for naval
warfare.
THE VACANCIES IN THE MILITARY ACADEMY.
Efforts have been made to induce the President make
further nominations of West Point cadets at large He
has appointed few only. Mr.. Van Buren appointed
twenty nine Many members of Congress favor Of
sion shall be filed immediately while others inclined
to wait until the rebeous States restored TO the
Union The President has hand about eight hundred
applications for cadetships.
THE DELAY IN TIE SETTLEMENT OF THB WESTERN
wAh CLAIMS.
Letters signed BY majority or tho members OF Con-
gress from Missouri Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan
have been addressed to the Secretaries of War and the
Treasury, strongly protesting against the injustice to
Western claimants against the government by delay in
the settlement Of their claims. large and influential
delegation from that section s also here complaining Of
the indifference manifested in regard to Western ered.
tors. It is alleged that these claims, amounting to
eighteen millions Of dollars have been referred 10
mission by which they have been scaled thirty three per
below what the government has paid for similar
services in the Eastern statss and shat while Eastern
corporations have been paid In full recent date
Of tho Western railroad companies have not yet received
cent for thor services and that the necessities Of
many Of these creditors have forced them 70 sell
torous claims Al sixty cents the dollar, and the
ordinary quotations for such claims 10 eighty to
ninety cents. 1t 10 urged that in view Of what Weston
soldiers have accomplished In the war; Western States
should not be treated with indifference Or injustice.
ORDNANCE CONTRACT CLAIMS.
AL ordnance claims, whether undor special contract
purchased by the regular ordnance officers required
bo passed upon by the Commissioners recently ap-
pointed by the War Department, which necessarily pro-
longs the payment after the allowance by the Com.
ssoners they have to be audited by the accounting Of
ncer Of the Treasury.
POSTAL CONTRACTS.
The bids for mail service in the Western and North.
western Satos and the Pacific coast, will be eponod
after the 31st inst. very large number Of proposals
have already been received showing active competition
among contractors and undimnished confidence in the
stability Of the government.
HOSPITAL SUPPLIES FOR GEN. BURNsIDEs ARMY.
The Sanitary Commission sent yesterday about nine
thousand articles Of hospital clothing and bedding to the
hospitals Of Major General Burnsdes division.
CONSULAR RECOGNITION.
Jose Maria Duran has been officially recognized as Con-
sui General ad aerin, Of the Mexican republic at New
York.