Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-12-19
$. M. pETTENGILL & Co
NEWS AND ornER MATTEns.


The Boston Commercial Bulletin staies on
what it considers "reliabe and indlsputable au
thority," that ''an extraordinary effort is to be
mado by emissaries from the Rebel GOvernmet
as we'll as by rebel syinrathizers in England, to
furnish aud fit out iron clad aud swift sailing
steamers, not only for the purpose Of breathing
the blockade but to successfully cope, If they be
allowed the opportunity, with some of our own
navy, or make raid upon some unprotected
harbor."
Commercial circulars from Japan, dated on the
10Th Of October, say that revolution had broken
out there, but of wha: nature the public reports
do not make clear The power Of the Tycoon
had been greatly restricted, anda policy adopted
adverse to the foreign interest
There is no truth whatever in the rumor being
published by some Of our contemporaries, saying
that the Banks expedition has landed on the
James river, at Harrisou's Landing
Advices from Port Royal speak of projected
expedition against Hilton Head. Several vessels
with troops had coaed at Port Royal aud pro-
cesitd South, Two other steamers with troops
fOrtify the country around Charleston, where
Beaursgard is reported to have forty thousand
troops.
The Postmaster General has rescinled all or
dsrs heretofore made, excluding from the post
offices and mails of the United States certain
newspapers presented by the Grand Juries, and
otherwise represented dslOyal to the govern.
ment.
The ancient theatre Of Ephesus has recently
been examined aud measured. Il must have
been the largest ever erected Its diameter was
GoO feet AZ feet more than the uujOr axis OF tue
Coliseum. Allowing Ii inches for each person,
it would accommodate So 700 spectators. Drury
Lane will oniy coutain $500, aud the old CUyent
Gaiden held $500. This cdhce WAS the sceue
Of AppOonus' miracles. 1t is memorable for
the uprOar described in Acts XlX, when the
Ephesiaus accused Paul and the Christians il
this very building. To this cdiice the writert
the Corinthians allud d, probably, when lie said:
"lt after the manner of men, have fought with
beasts at Ephesus what advanlageth it meY'
The Mobile papers report the capture of five
Yankees with 1000 pairs Of Shoes The Charles
tonians have great fears for the safety Of Mobile,
but regard themselves as perfectly secure. The
steeple of chulch in Petersburg has been turned
into shot tower. Tie mystery still continues
rs to the movements vf the Union forces near
Hilton Head.
Governor Letcher publishes letter in the
Richmond papers, denying that he has any per.
annn1 noouaint.nca with g.rnando uool -, IL.
he has ever seen him. and that no letter or YER.
bal communications have passed between them
since Virginia seeded.
Private Lunt deserted from our forces at Fer
nandina, Florida, in April last He was return
ed to our lines by the rebels, and, having been
tried by court MARTIAL was found guilty and
sentenced to death, The sentence was approved
by the President, and carried into effect al Hill
ton Head, South Carolina, on the let inst. The
prisoner protested his innocence, and met lis
death with strong composure lie warned his
companions against bad company, to which he
attributed his sad end Tie wretched man fell
pierced by eleven halls causing instant death.
joint resolution was offered in both Houses
Of the Virginia Legislature, now in session nj
wheeling, on the lh instant, proposing an a,l-
journment to Alexandria. The resolutions cai,n
that, as the bill erecting the new State has
passed Congress, the functions of the Legisla-
ture have ceased in that section, and that the
two bodies have therefore become the Leeisla.
ture Of the eastern section, or old Virginia.
The army Of Gen. Burnside has evacuated
Fredericksburg, and,retirCd across the Rappa-
hammock river with such secrecy and order that
the TACT was not known to The enemy until The
last man had crossed Ia the campaign of Fred
srckshurg, thus far we have taken and nearly
destroyed the town, and captured seven hundred
prisoners and nineteen pieces of artillery.
On the 10th instant Gov. Stanley Issued
proclamation appointing an election to be held
on Thursday, January let, to 6l the vacancy in
the Tbiry-seventl Congress for the "a Con-
gressoDal district The Governor announces
that the proceedings will be conducted, the elec-
tions held, and the returns made according ia
law bot that none hut loyal citizens possessing
such qualifications as are required by the cousti
tuition of North Carolina, will he considered n,
qualified for volqrs
Gommandtr Preble and HIS friends have been
endeayoriug to secure his reappointnent to the
position IN the naval service from which he VIA.
removed by order of the President, as will he
reeOllectel, by failure to enforce the blockade Of
Mobile Finally the President consented to the
appointment Of a commission to investigate the
facts, taking, it is said Commander Prebe's own
letters as evidence and it was agreed that the
report of the commission should determine the
question of his reappOintment. The commits.
sion (of which Admiral Foote is presidentl has
Ind tic case under consideration, and has re-
ported to the Navy Department that Commander
Preble was guilty of neglect of duty thus
shutting the door upon his application
A letter from Hilton Head, dated the 10th
inst, states thai Gen. Banks expedition passed
there on the 9Th inst, bound south
branch line has been started to Cope Island
from Egg Harbor City, on the line of the Cam.
den and Atlantic railrOad. 1t is to pass through
Mays Landing, to which place it is already
graded. WOrkmen are busy upon the lower
portion Of the road, and it is being rapidly
pushed to completion, the design being to have
it 10 operation before the commencement Of the
next bathing season. branch road from Mill
vile TO Cape Island was sometime ago reported
to have been placed under contract.
The Hou. Caleb B. Smith, Secretary Of the
Interior was nominated by the President on