The New York herald., 1862-01-06

Of Cuba, by the British Consul; the insolent
sympathy that has been ostentatiously mani
tested for rebels throughout the Queens domi
mons, have been but the forerunners of the out
burst in England, on the reception of the news
OF the capture of the two rebel ambassadors
from the Trent, without waiting for explana-
tions, or a single official despatch from any
authorized agent of the British Ministry. Ac-
cepting the false statements of the purser of the
Trent-in many points contradicted by the
ladies themselves connected with the secession
mission;-a party in England, at once sought to
excite war with this country, and to avail
itself of our embarrassments to infict mortal
wound upon democratic institutions, and punish
the patriotism of past age.
This is an unprejudiced sketch Of the past
course of Great Britain, and of its late attitude
towards the United States. All immediate dam
ger Of rupture has fortunately passed away,
we trust not speedily to be renewed, but
America has the wisdom of Mr.. Seward and of
the administration to thank for this, far more
than any good will on the other side of the
Atlantic The Mason and Slidell affair
should never be forgotten. It should teach
our government and every thinking citizen
what our attitude should, hereafter, be to-
wards England. Great Britain has a navy
with which, for some short time, we could
ever, therefore, the future may have in store for
the United States, it is the bounden duty of our
government to strengthen this arm of our
service at once. There should be no hesitation,
no false economy, no delay. Our eyes are
opened respecting the designs Of England, and
we should be blind to undervalue, hereafter,
either her strength or our own comparative
weakness. 1t behooves us to throw aside
apathy, and, profting by the lessons Of what
should be useful experience, to put our
selves in condition to dispute with any Power
on earth the supremacy of the ocean.
INcENDARY FIRES OF CoNspTRAToRs AT THE
SOUTH.-The fire at Richmond, of which we
published an account yesterday, seems evident
ly to have been the work of an incendiary. The
Dispatch of that city says ''the theatre was an
doubtedly set fire to on the stage, and perhaps
in several places at the same time-at least this
is reasonable inference from the rapidity
with which it was consumed" The Rich
mond Examiner of the Sd instant remarks that,
whether the destruction was "by incendiaries
or by the visitation of Providence does not ap-
pear" When, however, the event is viewed in
connection with the recent fire in Nashville, SO
destructive to public and private property, par
ticulariy the stores of the rebel government;
the fire in New Orleans, blowing up powder
mill of the insurgent authorities; the great fire
in Charleston, and another one since; the fire
in Norfolk, and several fires in Montgomery
together, plainly the acts of incendiaries, there
can be little difficulty in arriving at a rational
solution Of the origin of the conhagration
in Richmond The papers of that city long
since stated that there had been numerous at
tempts made to fire it, and now the deed is
actually done. Whether these incendiary fires
appearing to originate in q common conspiracy
ramirying all over the South, are the acts of the
slaves or of the discontented oppressed poor
whites who are sick of tie domination of Jeffer-
son Davis and Co., we leave the Southern jour
nails to solve Certain it is that there are ele-
ments OF danger In every city OF the South
well calculated to inspire alarm, and to con-
vince all rejecting, sober and conservative
Southern men that there is no safety for them
but in the ark of the Union. If they do not
enter it speedily, and bring with them all their
friends, they may be sorry when it is too late.
The HYGEA OF SKATNG.-The Goddess of
Health should be installed as the presiding
deity of the skating pond, and due honors
should be paid to her by old and young The
benefits which the exercise of skating daily
showers upon ailing humanity are beginning to
be recognized even by the physicians, many of
whom now prescribe a pair of skates for their
patients instead Of a pill or draught. The
noxious habit Of sitting indoors, inhaling the
yapors Of stoves and hot air furnaces, has given