, 1864-07-25

fight, the firing became very hot, and the
enemy's shot and shell soon began to tell on
our hull, knocking down, killing and dis
abling number Of our men in different
parts of the ship. Perceiving our shells,
though hitting, did but little execution.
resort was had to solid shot. After an
hour and forty minutes, the ship was as
eertained to be in sinking condition; shell
from the enemy having exploded in our
sides between decks, opening large aper-
lures, through which the water rushed with
great rapidity. My hopeswerc of reaching
the coast, for which purpose l gave the
ship all steam, and set such fore and aft
sails as were available The ship filed so
rapidly that before she had made much
progress, the fires were extinguish,d, and
we were evidently sinking. l now hauled
down my colors to prevent further destruc-
tion of life, and dispatched boats to inform
the enemy Of our condition" Semmes says
the KearSGge fred five times after he struck
his cOlOrs. Speaking Of the comparative
strength Of the two vessels, he says that
the Redrsage was heavier than the AloJama
in ship, battery and crew. The former
was armOred by double rows of chains
slunS alongside, and could have withstood
the firing of the ALnJama all day. La
France says that the Redrsage, returning
to Cherbourg on Sunday afternoon, landed
90 Of the crew Of the AIaJdma, fifteen Of
whom were wounded.
The Paris Commercial says that Capt
Winslow still claims Semmes as his prison.
er, and will write to him to deliver him
self up, making it u personal question be-
tween officers. The men were released on
parole never to fight against the United
States. Winslow did fire after the white
flag had been hcisted, owing to its not being
seen.
1t is said that there are two Confederate
cruisers of Chcrbourg, waiting for the ap-
pearancc Of the Hearsage. We also have
report from England that Semmes has
been furnished with another steamer by
our English cousins, and will soon again be
preying upon American commerce. The
new steamer is called the NeV Ala6amd.
Late English adviccs show that Semmes
was quite lion during his stay in London.
The patriot Garibaldi could not be tolerated
there, while the pirate Semmes was lion
lied. A committee, headed by Admiral
Anson, has been formed in London to raise
by guinea subscriptions fund for purchas-
ing handsome sword to replace that which
Semmes lost by the sinking Of the AIdbamO.
1t is reported that a considerable sum has
been raised in Liverpool for the same pur-
pose. 1t would not be very surprising to
hear Of the pirate getting commission in
the British navy, sooner or later.
The ExTRAoRDlNARY Death OF SoNe-
BIRDs.-One Of the unaccountable phe-
nomeua of 1864, says the Bulletin, has
been the immense multitudes Of songbirds
which have been driven upon the cultivated
lands Of California during the month Of
May. In the Southern counties thousands
upon thousands of robins, linnets, thrushes,
canaries, orioles, humming-birds, inches,
blackhirds, magpics, sparrOws, etc., have
swarmed round houses and gardens, de-
stroying the fruit and vegetables and then
dropping down dead near wells and pools
of water. The mortality among them has
been extraordinary and is supposed to have
been caused by their being driven from the
mountains by the April storms of cold,
when, not finding food in the valleys and
lowlands, they are killed by the hot winds,
hunger and drought, When picked up,
sometimes ten and twenty in lump, they
are completely starved and feshless, being
often chased.dOwn by the boys and cats,
and expiring in weak twittles, mOurnfal to
the sympathies Of the little people, who
lay them in their graves.
The ENGLIsH NATIONAL DEBT.-I
England, during her wars, has had occasion
to borrow large sums Of money. Her sub
jccts have been applied to iu much the
same manner as the people Of the United
States have been called upon by the Fed
eral Government, to furnish the "sincws
of war" in our present struggle. The ap-