The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-12-25
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.

Inc several government departments will be closed OF
Monday, In order enable the employees 70 enjoy tn,
Christmas holiday.
i HOSPITAL DESTROYED BIT FIRE.
Tho main building Of tho Kalarma Smallpox Hospital
under government control this evening destroyed
oy nre which originated In the ohaplan's room. Tho
patients were all safely removed
CAPTURE OF BLOCKADE RUNNERS.
Tbs Navy Department has received information OF tho
capture OF the schooner Madeira Mississippi Sound
the sth by the steamers Jackson and Stockdaie the
Madeira loaded with one hundred and i've bales OF
| cotton.
Admiral Strbling, commanding the East Gulf Block
aiding squadron, writing TO the Department from Key
west. reports the capture tho 10th OF the British
schooner Sorts with seventy eight bales OF cotton
the schooner Peep o. Day. with eight bales Of
COTTON The Sorts was captured while eudeavorng 20
run the blockade at Ancots Keys, Fla.
EXAMINATION OF BREEcH-LoADINd YrRvARMs.
by special order Of the War Department. board OF
officers, to consist Of Major Theodore T. s. LaidIey,
Ordnance Department. Major John @. Benton Ordnance
Department; Major Henry Magruder, Twelfth United
states infantry Captain John D. O'Connel Fourteenth
United States Infantry; Captain Josiah H. Kellogg First
United States cavalry Captain Theodore r. Rodenbaugh
SECOND United States cavalry First Lieutenant J. r.
Edie ordnance Department, will convene at the Spring
ned Armory on the 4th or January there
after as practicable, and 81 such other place places
and at such time OF Ordnance or the senior
officer Of The board may direct the purpose examn
ing testing and recommending for adoption suitable
breecheader for musken shd carbines and a repeater
or magazine carbine.
, CONSULAR REcoGNIrIoN.
Tho President has recognized Henri Enderis as Consul
OF the Swiss Confederation at Chicago the States OF
Michigan Wisconsin, Iowa. Minnesota the Northern
part OF Illinois
The President has recognized Dennis Donohue Consul
OF her Britapnc Majesty at New Orleans.
REPORT on ENGLISH AND FRENCH DOCK YARDS.
Tho Secretary Of the Navy Thursday transmitted to
the House Chet Engineer Kings report the dock yards
and iron works OF Great France accompanied
with drawings. 1t appears that the armored ships OF
Great Britain, built and building, number twenty. or
those ton heavy iron two wooden cssed
in iron, besides wooden cupola vessel
THE CHAIRMAN or THE Nxw YORK DELEG ALTON.
Hon. Augustus Frank has been elected Chairman OF the
Now York Union Delegation Hon. Reuben f. Fenton,
resigned.
LAND SALES.
The cash land sales for November at the 81. Cloud
MIMI, land office amounted TO IS 500
LANDS FOR MICHIGAN RAILROADS.
The Secretary OF the Interior has approved state
Of Michigan under the OF June g. 1864 seventeen
millions, six hundred and Thousand OF public
land for railroad purposes.
RECEIPTS FROM SALES OF PUBLIC LANDS.
The cash land sales made at tho Marquette, Michigan.
Laud Office, Tor the month OF November, amounted
$3.50 whilst fortyone hundred and sixty three acres
were located with bounty land warrants
NUMBERS BY INDIANS.
letter from the Office Of the Superintendent
Affairs at Olympia, W. T., received by Commissioner
Dole states that the two Indians who murdered three
white persons in that Territory had been killed by .
friendly Indian These murders Of whites were In re-
taliation for brutal attack by party Of white men
upon . canoe load OF Indians on the sno
homish river, In which two Indians were
was making 'S 80. gquaws wounded. Governor Denny
is similar outrages against the ndiahS parties y
white that caused nearly all Indian difficulties,
until they properly protected against them there
be any reliance upon tho continuance OF ami
cable relations with the Indians.
CORRECTION.
Judge Carter did not deliver the decision referred to 10
your Washington dispatches Of yesterday respecting
Colonel Baker, 1t WINS Judge Wiley.
NAVAL APPOINTMENT.
Mr.. E. N. Hewes, formerly Of Baltimore. has been
appointed by Admiral Porter Naval Purvoyor to the
North Atlantic bockading squadron and has sailed for
the fleet. !,
SWAMI LANDS FOR IOWA.
Certificates for eleven thousand and nftysx acros, Is
United States just been forwarded from the General
Land Office to the Governor Of Iowa.
NUMBER OF PRISONERS OF WAR RECENTLY RE-
LEASED.
The total number OF Union prisoners received by Col
Milford agent exchange, from the rebel PRISONS Is
ten thousand and thrty-two enlisted men and two
hundred officers. or this number five hundred have
died received at the point OF exchange. These
prisoners such declared by rebel surgeons
10 be unit for duty for sixty days.
ARRANGEMENT ARMY PAY DISTRICTS.
The following circular mas just been issued
PAynAsrER GENERALS OFFICE
WASHINGTON, Ice. IL, 1864
Tho following arrangement OF pay districts, pres.
divided rs published for the Information ana guidance
or all concerned
OF the New England States and the State OF New
York. charge OF Major Thomas J. Leslie, Paymassr
United States Army, at New York city.
OF New Jersey, Pennsy and Delaware, all that
Maryland OF Chesapeake Bay and
the Baltimore and ohio Railroad, ipouding the
city Of Baltimore as Hancock, the counties OF
Accomsc and Northampton in the State OF Virginia, la
charge OF Major citing, Assistant Paymaster At Bati
District OF Washing OF that portion
OF the OF Maryland south OF the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad included the pay district OF Penpsy
the District Columbia and that portion OF the state OF
virginia east Of the Allegheny mountains, and
cluaed in the military department. Of virginia and North
Carolina IN charge of Major f. F. Pauldine, additional
S's sa,e%ss viii By - a.
TO this district, temporarily beyond it's limits
ray Disr ct OF Virginia and North Caroiina-Consis-
ing OF the Military Department OF Virginia and North
Carolina charge OF MAJOR R- g. Usher additional Pay
master United states Army Fortress Monroe, Wa.
Paw District OF the embarrassing OF the Military
Department Of the South, in charge Of Major A. V.
Elliott, additional Paymsster United States Army, ct
Hilton Head G.
Pay District OF the Collaborating OF all posts tho
Gulf Of Mexico including Key West and the rorsgss,
the state Of Louisiana, that portion OF the State Of
Arkansas below the Arkansas river tha, portion Of
the state OF Mississippi below Nicksburg In charge OF
Major ID. Mcclure, Paymaster Unlied States Army, at
New orleans, In.
Pay District Of Missouri and the ssssippiConsistng
the VI Iowa and Missouri that portion OF the
state OF Arkansas above the Arkansas river including
posts or troops that river those portions Of the
OF Kentucky Tennessee OF the Tennessee river
ana that portion Mississippi above vcks
burg and including that post the post OF Cairo viii
be constituted belonging TO this distrct-in charge
o. Lieutenant Colonel y. W. Browp Deputy Paymaster
Ganaral Limited states Army. nj 81. Louis Mo.