Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-05-23
NEWS OF THE DAY
$50 sloa0 the rery age and body of tie Times "

night. Loss from three to five million dollars.
Two fremen are supposed to have persisted in
the fire. Another, was badly burned, but es-
capped with his life Grace Chapel, Manhattan
Gas Co. Works, Irving Hall, dwellings on
18th street. and the Hippotheatron were saved.
The wardrobe belonging to the stockholders OF
the Academy, valued at 500 900, was destroy
ed; also, Mr.. Grau's, valued at s., 800; also
the great part Of Maretzek's s, value unknown.
Palmer & Co., opera publishers, lost $4,000.
Several snail buildings on third avenue were
destroyed. The loss is stated By one paper at
81, 500, 900, and will probably not exceed that
amount
The Navy Department has received official
dispatches from Com. Rodgers, commanding
the 9. S. squadron on the coast OF Peru, Civ
ing detailed account Of the repulse Of the
Spanish fleet at Callao, on May I'd. Com.
Rodgers states the number Of guns brought IN
to action by the Spanish feet to be two hun
dred and forty, mostly 80 and 6S pounders;
while the Peruvians had but forty-fve in all
their batteries. He says that the fleet only
withdrew from the action when their amlnunl-
ton was exhausted, although the vessels we're
seriously damaged. Very little injury Was done
to the city and batteries.
T. G. A. Dexter, special agent fthe Treas
ury Department, has been convicted by Mill
tary Commission of defrauding the Govern
ment Of three thousand three hundred and
thirty four bales of cotton whilst acting as agent
in the State Of Alabama. He has been mule
ted in fine Of two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, and has been sentenced to be imprlson,
ed for the term Of one year, but the execution
Of the sentence has been suspended until the
record shall be submitted to the War Depart
ment.
\ letter from Alexander H. Stephens, dated
Charlottesville, Ga, 18th instant, says: u
found al! things in Washington, upon the
whole, in as good condition, if not better than
I expected. have not: from the beginning,
looked for anything from this Congress. My
only hope for the country is in the ucxt fall
elections at the North Should the President
policy be sustained in these, all may yet be well.
IF not, to me the prospect OF the future for this
country, North and South, is gloomy indeed.
The members of both the Presbyterian AS
xcmblies met in the Second resbyterian Church
in St. Louis, on Monday night, for the first
time since 1887, to discuss the question OF re-
union. The moderators of both bodies presid-
ed. Eloquent speeches, were made, and the
meeting terminated by ], 200 persons rising and
voting that they considered the reunion OF both
churches both desirable and practicable. 1t is
definitely stated that the Assemblies will ioau-
gurate measures to effect an organic reunion.
The Secretary of War has issued an order,
which rescinds the order Of August Dist, 1862,
prohibiting officers on leave OF absence from
visiting Washington without special permission.
It also calls the attention Of all officers arriving
at the seat of Government to the regulation re-
curing them to report at the Office OF the Ad-
iutant General and record their names and res
idence in the city.
George p. Downing, who was sent from New
York to Washington to represent his negro
brethren and to watch the proceedings of Con-
gress. has protested against the report OF the
Reconstruction Committee. He thinks with
Mr.. Sumner that the bill providing fer the adj
mission Of Southern representatives to Con-
gress does not 90 far enough. ..-.-..-
The sum Of fifteen thousand dollars has been
raised in England as testimonial to Captain
N. T. Maury, the former Superintendent of
the Washington Observatory, Sin acknowl-
edgement and appreciation of the eminent and
disinterested services, which, through forty
years Of incessant labor, Captain Maury has
rendered to science and mankind. - -.-
The English Government has rendered it's
good Offices to compose the quarrel between the
German Powers, but the reply was dscourag.
ing. Lord Clarendon stated that, with mil
lion Of men under arms, he feared the conse-
quences He denounced the war as unjustiia-
bic and without cause. France continued to
counsel moderation and forbearance.
\ dispatch from PASSPORT, Me-, dated yes
terday, says: Two boats, loaded with suppo
sed Fenians, effected 8 landing on Indian Is
land last night, and several rounds of shot we're
exchanged. The British war steamer Niger
returned from Campo Belle for the scene CT
action, when the Febiaps retreated. "
From one thousand to twelve hundred church
buildings we're burned at the South during the
war The original cost Of those churches is cs
timated at not less than FIVE millions Of dollars
The Methodists were the greatest sufferers, and
after them the Baptists
Some fifty prominent citizens of New Orleans
met recently at the St. Charles Hotel, at New
Orleans, to devise means for the removal Of the
remains Of Ex-Governor Allen from the city of
Mexico TO Louisiana.
The Commissioner Of Freedmen's Affairs
last week received dispatches from Charleston,
S. G., In which it is stated that the people will
not raise as large crops as those produced be-