The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1865-02-02
MISCELLANEOUS.

PERSONALS through the political newspapers
which have become so valuable means of COM
muncaton between people in the U. S. and
Confederate States, have been forbidden by
Gen Dix, of New York. '
WHAT DOES THE North CARE "A meeting
was held at Cooper Institute, New York. ON
the night of the 25lh, in behalf of the "sulfer-
ing blacks liberated by Sherman's army. The
reports of the affair say it was very thinly at
tended and deplorc the lack Of popular sym.
pathy.
CAVE OF MACHPELAH-Whileth the Prince Of
Wales was at Hebron he and his suite obtained
permission to visit the Cave of Machpelah,
Abraham'S burial place. They are the first
Christians who have been allowed to enter it
since the Crusades, nearly seven hundeed years
ago DR. Stanley says everything is kept in
the most beautiful order, and nothing could be
more satisfactory than the state in which the
tombs are preserved. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
Joseph, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah are buried
there.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, "A large portion
of this great edi6ce has been consumed, with
its most valuable effects. The FIRE had proba-
bly, been Wondering for days in the loft Of the
west end of the main building. The pipe of
the stove had been placed in a fuc in the south
wall, aud there was ioist running directly into
this fue But four or five pictures were saved
from this Gallery, "The Dying Gladiator" IA
copy by John Gottl was utterly ruined, crush
ed to pieces aud burned to liue. The books
and records in the Regents room, over the
south door of the building, including the effects
of the founder of the building, James Smithson,
consisting of silver plate, the library of Bishop
Johns of Va, and the Beaufort Is. c. library,
placed in the Institution by the Governor for
safe keeping, were totally destroyed. M
The sarcophagus brought from Syria by Com
modore Elliot for President jackson was daul-
aged. The large collection presented to the
Institute by DR., Robert Hare, of Philadelphia,
was mostly destroyed. Some that was got out
was broken, and many of the pieces are miss
ing. In the Offices over the north front en-
trance, with but little exception, all the cores
pondence of the institution and large number
Of back reports were burned. The east wing
was not in the least injured, although the stair
case leading from the Professors apartments
to the apparatus room was several times in
flames. The lecture room is Quilted completely.
The towers on the north front appear to be
cracked, and some of the walls are warped
The library in the east end was uninjured, and
much of the apparatus having been stored be-
low is also saved. There was no insurance on
the building or effects. s.- -.r
NORTHERN Observation-Disclosures Gen. G..
w. Kinks of the IT, S. Army, in command of
the recruiting rendezvous, Harris Island, near
New York, makes some curious Developments
respecting the Yankee system of bounties.-
The letter is addressed to the Adjutant Gene
raj, Is minute in its statements, which are truly
wonderful. He describes the recruits as gene
rally made up Of the very scum of society, and
that every species Of fraud is practised. The
conclusion is as follows
''From long and varied experience with the
class of recruits obtained under the present sys
TEN, and from close personal observation at re-
cruiting Offices, mastering offices and general
rendezvous and in the. field, of the operations of
the system during the last eighteen months,
am convinced that fully three-fourths of all the
enormous contributions of States, counties and
towns, for local bountics, etc, goes directly