. 21 . 
>EE’S RURAL HEW-YORKER. 
409 
UMitl, J'rieatiftf, $f. 
(Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker.] 
EYES AND GLASSES. 
Hekb I speak of eyes only in respect to their 
adaptation to seeing, or to vision of objects large 
or email, near or remote. As the benevolent design 
of the Creator is by the eyes to enlarge onr knowledge 
of material objects, the contrivance for this purpose, 
and the adaptation of light and objects to vision, 
mnst be necessary. Thus, the eyes generally are 
formed; they aro normal eyes, or eyes acting accord¬ 
ing to lams the Infinite Creator baa established. 
Bach eyes answer the great end designed. 
Besides this normal and distinct vision, we find 
the near-sighted and the long sighted. 
Some ohildren and youtig persona brng the object 
very near, in order to make it appear distinct. They 
are near-sighted. As such become older, they aro 
able to see when the object is more distaut, because 
their eyes undergo the necessary change. When 
young they need the aid of concave glasses, which 
they are usually aide to dispense with in later years, 
because their eyes have now passed into the normal 
condition. To the near sighted the view is very 
limited; one cannot distinguish his friend across a 
room or church, and often is charged with neglect¬ 
ing friends in the streets when lie has not even seen 
them. I have known a yonng lady who could not 
le rn to tell the time on the clock, though she 
played well on the organ; but at the ago of twenty 
she saw for the first time the hands on the clock-face, 
and then learned her inability to tell the time of day 
by pointers never seen by her before. By the near¬ 
sighted the beauties of a landscape and the grandeur 
of mountain scenery are never seen till the concave 
glasses are used. To such the horizon is limited to 
a very Bhort distance, as effectually as if they were 
inclosed in close high walls. That a complete rem¬ 
edy is nt hand for such imperfection of vision, is 
wonderful, and its employment is accessible by all. 
The proper glasses unfold to such the beauties of 
our world. The only wonder is that any should 
refuse the boon thus providentially presented. 
The long-sighted visipn may occur in either old or 
young. From use, the normal, or common eyes, 
undergo a change. Small objects, liko the point of 
a pin or the eye of a needle, cannot be seen; and 
the common typo or letters must be removed from 
the eye further than has been usual, or they cannot 
be distinguished; and with more years, such objects 
Cannot be seen by ordinary light at any distance, 
while large and distant objects aro seen as perfectly 
as ever. Tills change begins about the age of forty- 
five, and constantly but slowly increases, till often, 
in very old and healthy ago, the eyes return to their 
normal state. No preventive of this long-sighted 
condition has been discovered. But entire relief 
from tho imperfection is found cither in the use of 
plain or of convex glasses. Tho more convex glasses 
are necessary for increasing years as long as tho 
defect remains. It was long since said of optics by 
a distinguished philosopher, that the advantage 
received by mankind from tho use of spectacles "is 
inferior to no other benefit, not absolutely requisite 
to tho support of life. Forlorn must have been thu 
situation of many young, anti almost all old people, 
before this ad ml r.bU invention.” All this was said 
before it was known that children and young persons 
may he long-sighted. 
This is the last class of defective or abnormal 
eyes. So far as is known, this was an accidental 
discovery. A youth, who found it difficult to distin¬ 
guish common print, happening to pnt on his grand- 
modier’s convex glasses, was at once delighted to 
find that ho saw with entiro distinctness ail objects, 
near and far, as well as small and large, and was in 
the midst of a world full of beauty and splendor. 
Many other children and young persons have made 
the same discovery in the same way. Such defect 
was soon found to bu not uncommon, and old glasses, 
as the convex spectacles of old persons were called, 
came to be used by many young persons, with the 
same benefit as the near sighted bad derived from 
concave glasses. In the school of one of our mission¬ 
aries at Beirut, an Arab girl u?ed her grandmother’s 
ohl glasses in her studies, before her teaoher, the 
missionary, bad ever heard of young eyes that were 
long-sighted or needed convex glasses for distinct 
and easy vision. A clergyman used these convex 
glasses till more than forty years of age, when his 
eyes began to take on tho norma! type, and he could 
read without them; and another clergyman, who 
used concave glasses for his near-sighted vision till 
near sixty years of age, found them no longer needed 
through the latter years of his life. Both near¬ 
sighted and longsighted children may, therefore, 
expect that their eyes will become normal after 
middle life, and their glasses cease to be useful to 
them. 
Many youth with long sighted eyes stilt suffer from 
this abnormal vision, because the above facts aro not 
known or appreciated. If any such shall come to 
this knowledge, and enjoy the benefit of convex 
glasses, one great object of these lines will bo ac¬ 
complished. 
There is no great mystery in this use of these 
different glasses. In the nearsighted eyes, the con¬ 
vex lens of the eye is too far forward, and the 
concave glasses form the image further back, and 
thus make tho view distinct. In the long-sighted 
the lens is too far back, and the convex lens brings 
the image forward, so as to effect the same distinct¬ 
ness of vision. Though other causes may have some 
influence, the position of the lens is probably the 
principal. In how many cases the gifts of philos¬ 
ophy to man are beneficent and rich. Spectacles 
have not been in use more than six hundred years, 
and very partially tilt the last two or three centuries. ' 
In the present state of society they are an absolute 
necessity. o. n. 
Rochester, N. Y., November, 1801, 
Think.— Thought engenders thought. Place one 
idea upon paper, another will follow, and still 
another, until you have written a page. You can not ' 
fathom your mind. There is a well of thought there ' 
which has no bottom. The more you draw from it, 1 
the more clear and fruitful it will be. Tf you neglect ' 
to think yourBelf, asd use other people’s thoughts, ' 
giving them utterance only, you will never know 
what you aro capable of. At first yonr ideas may 
come in lumps —homely and shapeless—but no mat- 1 
ter; time and perseverance will arrange and polish 
them. Learn to think, and you will learn to write; 
the more yon think the better you will be enabled to 
express your ideas. 
cmrrtR 
2E7I.S 
B£A% 
FjF - WA fl/iWC TON P| 
reimbursed, though then covering but little more 
than half the amount, enabled those institutions, 
when a second lo - i was required, to mtike a second 
advance of $,-50,001) 000. Thus two loans of $50,000. 
000 each have been negotiated for three ycura 7.80 
bonds at par. The first of these loans was nego- 
Mated, and the first i-isii© of bonds hear* date, on the 
P>th of An ust; Hie - rimd on the I st of October, 1891 
On the lr,tii 0 f November a third loan was nego 
Mated with the associated institutions, under the 
authority given to the .Secretary to borrow a sum not 
exceeding one hundred millions, in Europe or the 
United States, at a rate of interest not exceeding 
seven per cent. As no reasonable) prospect appeared 
o! obtaining terms equally advantage's by udver- 
Tn organizing onr great army. I was effectively 
aided by the loyal Governors of the different BtiitCH, 
and I cheerfully acknowledge tho prompt patriotism 
with which they responded to tho call of this Depart¬ 
ment, 
Congress, during its extra session, authorized tho 
army to be increased by tho acceptance of a volun¬ 
teer force of 6U0.000 men, and made an appropriation 
of $S0O 000,000 for its support. A call for the troops 
wan Immediately made; but so numerous were the 
offers that it was found difficult to discriminate in 
the choice, where tho patriotism of the people 
demanded that, there should be no restriction upon 
enlistments. Every portion of the loyal States 
desired to swell the army, anil every community was 
@3 
tWrWjWg' 
'wM/l BATTER y\ 
^ A At v. 
■V 
?.. 
°S A 
>. 
PENSACOLA HA.Y ANI) ITS DMlpTBlTsTOKS. i» uu , n. 
A brief recapitulation will exhibit tho general 
result: 
Tm r recent engagement, between the Federal forces commenced in 1828, and completed In 1863, at a cost There were paid to creditors, or exchanged for 
in Fort Pickens and the rebels in Forts McRae, Bar- of nearly one million dollars. A full garrison con- 00111 Ht llt different dates 1,1 July and 
nincas, and various water batteries, and also the fact elate of 1,200 soldiers. The ’armament, at tho com- tZTui tit'*' to lha f w m m 60 
that considerable bodies of troops have lately left raencernont of the hostilities, consisted of— in bits- Thero was borrowed, nt par, in the same 
Northern ports for Santa Rosa Island, tends at present tion, 26 twenty-four pound howitzers; casemant, 2 “dt^th*Tm of* 12,877,760 00 
to direct the public mind to Pensacola and vicinity, forty--two pounders, 04 thirty-two pounders 60 twenty- Tliur ” w:l ” burrowed, nt par, on tho loth of 
That our readers may fully understand tho "all.ua four pounders; en barbette, 24 elgbt-lnch’howitzers, StartZ molt 
tion," we give a map of the Island and its surroundings. G eighteen pounders, 12 twolvo pounders t ten-inch tho National Loan . 60,000,000 00 
Pensacola Bay sets up from the Gulf of Mexico oolumbiad, mounted, and 4 ten inch mo'rtars, in bad TI '°nkr-oSC!^ 0 ".?.* Ill T-! fm, 000,000 00 
about eleven miles, end is divided into three parts, order. There w«a borrowed, at par, for seven |i*r «»ot. 
Tho west arm, called Escambia Bay, Is eleven miles kort m’kab. Jeara V°perIt’S'SlSSli 
long and four broad, and receives Escambia River Tin's is a powerful and castle-like structure of equivalent*! mens, Including Interest .. 45,796,478 48 
Ouver Wendell IIoi.mks says:—" Our brains aro 
seventy year clocks. The angel of life winds them 
up once for all, he closes the doors, and gives the 
key into the hands of the angel of Resurrection.” 
isi inent, ami as it whs manifestly lor the interest of anxious that it should be represented in a cause that 
tho Government to negotiate at home rattier than appealed to tho noblest- impulses of our people, 
incur the expense and hazard of negotiation abroad, thoroughly aroused was the national heart, that 
the Secretary, under tho authority of the seventh I have ho dnuht thla three would have been swollen 
section of the act Of Augusts 1861, arranged this third t n a million, had not tho Department (VH compelled 
loan. hUo, with the associates, by agreeing to issue r .„triot It, in tlm absence of authority from tho 
f > -iem liny millions of dollar# in #ix p**r cmi. repro#f'nlaUve# of iht p*npta to increase the limited 
homlM. nt a rate equivalent to par for t.ho bonds bear number. It wilt he f..r Coiiffreux to deftfde whether 
ing seven per cent, interest, authorised by tho act of the army shall he further augmented, with a view to 
’ “ , 1 ln * negotiation, though less advantageous h more speedy termination of tho war, or whether it 
to tho Government, considered under tho light of a shall he confined to tho strength alreadv fixed by 
simple money transaction, than the two prior loans, law. In the latter case with the object of reducing 
was to some reipeot#, at least, more so. Ir. w.i* tho volunteer force to 600,000. 1 propose, with tho 
coupled with no arrangement for reimbursement, and consent of Oonyresa, to consolidate such of tho regi- 
111 ',, no Immediate expense ou the treasury merits as may from time to time fall Inflow the regtt* 
beyond that of preparing nud issuing tlm bonds. It, Litton standard. The adoption of this measure will 
was coupled, also with an understanding in the form decrease the number of officers, ami proportlonably 
of an opijun to the associates, that ou or alter trie diminish the Pxpen u es of theni-rny. 
first ot January a fourth advance of fifty millions | t , iH nf Napoleon hv .lominl that, in the cara- 
slionl.i be made on the same terras with the first and paign nf 1815, the great, General ou the 1st of April 
second, ii practicable, and required by the Secretary, bad lt rPKII | H ,. „rmy of 200,1100 men. On tlm 1st of 
n julmthm to iho loan# thus matte, tllfr HocreUiry Juno ho had incr^awed this force to 414,000, Tho 
miHiaaucd United State# uotefl, payable on demand, proportion, add# Jo mini, M had hn thought proper 
lo deooiiiinita or live, too, mid twenty dollar*, of to Inaiijfurot* a vrmt #v#tem of rtefrnw. would have 
which there were in circulation, according t«» the raiacd it. to 700 000 men by the 1st or September.” 
day of November, I SCI, At the CiOnTfrienceUi^nt of thte rebellion* inaugurated 
$wl, l(»6,220; arid there remained in the treasury at by the attack upon Fort Hu inter, tho entiro military 
tlm same date. $J,38n,i06« The amount thu# lamiad, force at the di>*po#al of thla ftoversmont viraa IG.OOff 
mo tar a# it enter# into tho circulation of tho country, regular#, principally employed In tho Went to bold 
may bo regarded ns a loan Irom tho people, payable („ click marauding Indiana. In April, 75,000 vol- 
on demand, without interest. nnteeia were called upon to enlist fur three montha’ 
service, and responded with such alacrity that 77,- 
876 were immediately obtained. Under the author¬ 
ity of the act of Congress of July 22. 1801, tho States 
were asked to furnish 601),000 volunteers to serve for 
three years, or during tho war; and by the act 
approved the 29th of the same month, the addition 
of 26,000 men to the regular army of the United 
Staten was authorized. The result is, that wo have 
now an army of upwards of 600,000 men. If we add 
to this the number of tho discharged three montha 
volunteers, »ho aggregate force furnished to tho 
government; since April last exceeds 700,000 men. 
Tho conspiracy against tho government extended 
over an arra of 733,144 square miles, ]io.»e"stng a 
coastline of 3,623.miles, and a shore line of 2(5,414 
miles, with an interior boundary lino of 7,041 miles 
in length. This conspiracy stripped ns of arms and 
munitions, and scattered our navy to the most dis¬ 
tant, quarters of tho glnbn. The effort, to restore tho 
Union, which the government, entered upon in April 
Inst, wan the most, gigantic endeavor in the history 
of civil war. The Interval of seven months has been 
spent in preparation. 
The history of this rebellion, in common with all 
others, for obvious causes, records tho first successes 
in flavor of the insurgent,s. The disaster of Bull 
Run was but the natural consequence of tho prema- 
coin lit (iar, ut ciiffVrimt (lutes in .Inly and 
Aii|<u«), (i per cent two years not.es, to the 
amoaut Of .. .$14,019,034 60 
There was borrowed, nt par, in the same 
month-, upon sixty days six par cent, 
notes, tbo mii m of... . 12,877,750 00 
forty two pounders, 64 thirty-two pounders, 69 twenty- Thurt ’ wllH b,,rrowu '!' 1,1 P-w, on tb. 10 th of 
v August, upon three years 739 bonds, is- 
lour nrmnriot-a- OJ « ..it .,,.1. l_11_ r \ „ - .. 1 .. . .. ’ _ 
that our readers may fully understand tho "sltua four pounders; en barbette, 24 eight-inch howitzers, 
tion, 1 wo give a map nf the Island and its surroundings. 6 eighteen pounders, 12 twolvo pounders, I ten-inch 
PonsflCola Huy Beta n P frmri the Gulf of Mexico oolumbiad, mounted, and 4 ten inch mortars, in bad 
about eleven miles, and is divided into three parts, order. 
Tho west arra, called Escambia Bay, is eleven miles wet m’kae. 
long and four broad, and receives Escambia River This is a powerful and castle-Uke structure of 
from the north. Tho middle arm, of about the satno masonry, built on a low sand spit of tho main land 
. »_ l .. .1 At_ tr. it . trv i n * , 
sizo, is called tho Yellow Water Bay, and receives 
the waters of Yellow Water River through nevcral 
nud appears to rise out or the water. Before reach¬ 
ing Fort I’ickenw, an invading fleet will have to pass 
mouths. Black Water Bay, seven miles long and two tho gauntlet of guns which bear upon it from this 
broad, is attached to the North-West end of Yellow fort; and although its armamout is not so heavy as 
Water Bay, is full of islands, and receives the waters that of Pickens, it Is powerful enough, if fully 
of Black Water River ami Cedar Creek. East Bay manned and skillfully worked, to give serious trouble, 
is seven miles long, nnd tapers to a small rivor near The present armament consists of three tiers of guns, 
St. Rosa’s Sound. This admits frigates of the largest two under bomb-proof casemates, and the upper one 
class, and is entirely sheltered from all windB. Its en barbette. In the lower, or water-tier, tboro are 22 
entrance, between Port Barrancas and the west end forty-two ponnders; in tho middle-tier 12 eight-inch 
of fit. Rosa Island, is about three-fourths of a mile columbiads, 18 thirty-two pounders, and m barbette. 
wide. 62 twenty-four pounders and 3 ten-inch columbiads. 
Pensacola City is situated on a dry, sandy plain, To work these effectively requires a force of six hnn- 
snml fm- tlin mom. part to till' HUbHoriborn of 
tho National Loan... 60,000,000 00 
Then, ivan Imrr<> wuil on tho i nt ut October, upon 
I ilia . .. .... 50,000,000 00 
There wan berrewyil, at par. for raven par cent, 
on Iho lOtli of Nim-tnbnr, upon twenty 
yaara ai* par rent, botids. rariinutil to tho 
equivalent of ►event, including intoreat .. 45,795,478 48 
Thorn havii been ieruiitl, and were In circula¬ 
tion and on do posit with the Treasurer, on 
tho 80IU (if November, of United Statee 
notos, payable on demand. ... 24,560,325 00 
Mailing an aggregate, realized from loans in 
various forum, of ..$197,212,688 14 
. . * y * * * 
To provide tho large sums needed for tho disburse¬ 
ments of the current year, ami the large sums which 
the Exigencies of the succeeding year may require. 
will necessarily engage tho most serious attention of t.nre advance of our brave but undisciplined troops, 
Senators and Representatives. which the Impatience of tho country demanded. 
Pensacola City is situated on a dry, sandy plain, 
rising gently forty or fifty feet above tho water, and 
is ten miles distant from the entrance to the buy, in 
tho direction indicated by the arrow in our engrav¬ 
ing. The shore at Pensnoot" f ! *j- -- i--», .mi 
vessels of light draft can come np to tho town. 
The opening of the present year fonnd Pensacola 
and its approaches prepared for defence by means of 
Fort Pickens, on the westerly end of Santa Rosa 
Island, Fort McRca, across the channel to the west¬ 
ward, and Fort Barrancas, on tho main land, across 
tho channel, north from Fort Pickens. Further up 
the bay is Warrington and tho United States Navy 
Yard, tho latter covering nearly eighty acres of 
ground, inclosed by a high brick wall, 
FORT T'lCKENS. 
Of these defences, Fort Pickens iB tho most impor¬ 
tant, both from its position and construction. It is 
Senators and Representatives. 
The first great object of reflection atid endeavor, in 
tho judgment of tho Secretary, should bo the redno- 
tion of expenditure wilhiri tho narrowest practicable 
limita. Retrenchment and reform aro among tho 
indispensable duto-s of tho hour. Contractu for -nip 
pliea to the army and navy, aa well us for public 
dred ami tiffw ew , , ,, ,, /,,, , work of nil descriptions, should be subjected to strict 
In d and fifty- n en. This fort cost the United States 9n p 0r viHion. end tb., contractors to rigorous nwpon- 
diiVM'nriiAtif «A«ift noo I..I..I,. ,►.! ... . ... ... . . 
Government $460,000. Tho interior of the work con¬ 
tains tho necessary officers’ quarters, furnaces, Ac. A 
w.,tn.- buttery mounting eight or. heavy guns is 
situated below tho parapets. 
FORT BARRANOA8. 
This work is third in point of importance of tho 
Bibility. All unnecessary offices should be aboil-bed, 
and salaries and pay should tm materially reduced. 
In these ways the burdens nf tho people, imposed by 
tho war, may be sensibly lightened; and the savings 
sums, even without, cost or liability to re-payment.. 
While thus recommending retrenchment and Mm 
defenses on tho Florida coast. It lies north of Peusft- prevention of abuses, the Secretary feels himself transient, reverses. 
Tho betrayal also r f our movements by traitors in 
onr midst enabled tlm rebolB to choose nnd Intrench 
their position, and by a re-cnforcement in great 
-trength, at, tho moment, of victory, to snatch it 
from Onr grn-p. This reverse, however, gave no 
discouragement to onr gallant people; they have 
crowded into our ranks, and although large num¬ 
bers have been rejected, a mighty army in invincible 
array stands eager to precipitate itself upon t.ho foe. 
The check that we Imvc received upon tho Potomac 
has, therefore, hut postponed the campaign for a 
few months. The other successes of tho c hela, 
though dearly won, were mere affairs with no 
impoi i.sihi oi ‘ pcrmam-ni advantage*, mi* posai-H- 
sion of Western Virginia and the occupation of 
Ilattnras and Beaufort have nobly redeemed our 
cola Bay. Formerly an old Spanish fort was built 
here. It is a bastioned work of heavy masonry, and 
has an armament of 4!) gnus. A redoubt in the rear 
Constrained to renew thu anggestion heretofore „nb- At, tlm date of my last report, the States of Dda- 
miU.-d by him, that, the property of re tie lx should by ware, Maryland. Kentucky, and Missouri were threat- 
made to pay, in part at I mist, the cost of rebellion, ''h*'' 1 w ' tl1 rebellion. In Delaware the good sense 
Property®!'great value in loyal Status is held by pro- *rtd pstrlollsm of the people have triumphed over 
irioters who are actually or virtually engaged in that "rdmly schemes of traitors. The people of Ken- 
uilty attempt to break up tlm Union and overturn tueky early pronounced themselves, by an unequiv- 
Is governments which has brought upon our couutiy "eat declaration Rt t' 10 ballot, box. In favor of the 
II the calamities we imw cud tire. That property is Union; nnd Maryland, notwithstanding the cffbrtft of 
ustly forfeited to the people, and should be subjected, bad men In power in the city of Baltimore, when the 
nth duo regard for all rights and interests con- opportunity of a general election was afforded, under 
ernod, to sequestration or confiscation, and the pro- tho lead of her brave and patriotic Governor, ro- 
eeds should ho applied to the satisfaction of claims baked bv an overwhelming majority the traitors who 
rising from tho war. would have led her to destruction. ft> Missouri a 
Property of rebels in rebel States should bo treated loyal State Government has been established by t.ho 
a iiIt;® manner. Itlghta to sorvic«n, understate laws, people, thousand's of whom have rallied to the sup. 
iUHt, of necessity, form an exception to any rule of port, of the Federal authority, and, in conjunction 
onfiscation. Persons held by rebels, under such with troops from other portions of the country have 
I.WH, to service as slaves, may, however, bo justly forced tho rebels to retire Into the adjoining State, 
iberated from their constraint, and made more valii- The goverameut established In Virginia by the loyal 
Die In various employments, through voluntary and portion of hoi population is in sue cs-ful operation, 
ompensated sorvico, than if confiscated as subjects and I have no doubt will bo sustained by the people 
f property. of tho entire State whon tho thraldom of tho rebel 
Tnc war DEPARTMENT. forces shall have been removed. 
Thus lilts it been made clearly apparent that In 
I ho following statement presents tho entire esti- whatever direction tho forces of the Union have P i ¬ 
rated strength of the army, both volunteers and tended their protection, the repressed loyalty of tho 
sgulars: people, irresistibly manifesting itself, has aided to 
volunteers. restore and maintain the authority of the govern- 
States. 3 months. For tho war. Aggregate. Went; and I doubt not that tho army now asaemldcd 
aliform*. . 4 688 4 688 0,1 ,,lfl banks of the Potomac, will, under its ablo 
""Ueotlcut. 2 236 12,400 14.636 leader, soon make such a demonstration as will ro es- 
5'"“’::::::::::::::(St »»S m 2!! 22* *" *“ rebsm ““» 
KllftHa. 4,680 57 332 02.918 W ' 
IWI1 •;. 07S 12 890 20 708 RETORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY 
unlucky. 16,000 lft.oeo 
'fin« . 778 14,239 15 700 The duties of tho navy during the past summer 
usMiehuKoUH. 3~435 20 760 an im ^ bMn ^rec-folil; to guard the insurgent, ports 
uihCn . m SSS SsS? an, l \ coaHt li " 1 ® l ,,f tl,ree mHw; to 
mnesota . . 4 160 4 1 «o protect our maritime commerce and cruise in pursuit 
(rsouri .. . 9 356 22,130 31 48 H of piratical vessels pent ont hy the Confederates; and 
«w Hampshire.. 779 9,600 10,379 to take part in combined navai arid militaryexpedl- 
„W Jui-Huy . - 3 068 9.303 12 410 tions against, North and Bouth Carolina, and the ports 
uw York .Jfi-188 2 ? 110 388 of the infected dtHtrl''ts, 
innirivanu:;::: ;;:;;i9,m 01,700 mgSl v, v rr m ;l H ''f® h ‘ ,eM ® ,ltik , in 7 cracoke 1 " u ‘ , ' on thft 
hodu Island_ _ 1,285 0 898 7 183 Nort h Carolina coast, ami others are about to be 
,-rmont. 7«9 H ooo 10780 8Hnk in the burbot* of Charleston and .Savannah. 
irgiuia. 779 12,000 12,779 One hundred and fifty three vessel-*, nf various 
isconsin . 792 14,153 14945 sizes, have been CBptureii Mince the institution of the 
dorad,r■ — };ooo VZ m08t of thfim ia aUo,n i jtin « to mn tho 
sbraska. .. 2,600 2 !500 bl «" l{ a(lc. 
MV,Ida . . 1,000 i’ooq i lie naval expeditions were, it seems, planned after 
ew Mexico.. -—- 1,000 j’ooo receiving the reports of a board of officers, who 
strict of Columbia- 2,823 1,000 3,823 dollbprated on tha best, points to be attacked and 
rr— nTTZT -7 - seized. Tin's board con-dried of Captains J. F. 
itimated strength of ’ ’ 718,612 V'T'r n'l n Jsf&,l" - «»• na W , M *JO* 
the regular army, in- Jolin f ■ I-uirratd, of the army, and I roicssor Alcxan- 
otullng the new enlist- dw Bachs, of the coast survey, 
meat underact of Con- The Secretary reports that flag officer A. If. Foote, 
gri-M* of July 29th, of the navy, lias organized an efficient naval force in 
18rtl .. — 20,333 — the Mississippi, auxiliary to the army. 
Total _I nni Of privateers, the report states that “aneb of these 
1 cruisers as eluded the blockade and capture were 
The several arms of the service aro estimated as p""' 1 wrecked, beached, or sunk, with the exception 
Hows: of one, the steamer Sumter, which, by some fatality, 
Volunteers. Regulars. Aggregate, was permitted to pass the Brooklyn, then blockading 
fan try.667,208 11 176 668 383 ou ‘ ! of the passes of the Missis-I ppi, and after a brief 
v !<-' r y ..64,654 -1,874 f,!i,:ios and feeble chase by the latter, was allowed to proceed 
iflra*andShMVshoo£ 20,380 4,308 24,088 °Q *>«r piratical voyage. An investigation of thi» 
erM. .. _ h 8,395 _ 8 395 wl ; 0,,! )) y ocurrenco Iras been ordered by tho Depart- 
enables it to bo re-enforcod in time of action. This prtotora who aro aeiually or vlrtonlly engaged |p that 
redoubt is mounted with flanking howitzers of scarp 
and counter-scarp. Eight 23-pound howitzers guard 
guilty attempt* to break up the Union and overturn 
its government, which has brought upon our country 
all the calamities wo imw endure. That property is 
:_ 11 .. i.. it__ .1 . 1 1 ! . \ 
tho fiank defences. Whon tho rebels took possession j u . Ht, y forfaited to the people, and should be subjected, 
Of these defences, fort Dickens Ib the most iropor- of Barrancas it contained, besides its full armament, 
tant, both from its position and construction. It is of guns, tho following munitions of war:-288 eight- 
built on a low, sandy spot in tho westernmost end of inch shells, 993 twenty-four pound bails, 639 eighteen 
Santa Rosa Island. It is a lirst cluss baBtioned work, pound balls, besides a largo amount of powder. Tho 
with walls of brick and bitumen on foundations of full armament of this fort consists of 41 pieces of 
stone. The walls aro forty feet high hy twelve feet ordnanco, divided ax follows: 11 thirty-two potuidara, 
in thickness. It is embrasured for two tiers of guns, 3 eight-inch paixhans, 2 eight-inch columbiads, H 
in bomb proof casemates, and one tier en barbette is twenty-four pouudors, 6 eighteen pounders, 2 twelve 
open, it him nil tho usual arrangements of a first pounders. 8 twelve ponnder howitzers, and 2 eighteen 
class work, and its guns radiate to all points of tho inch mortars. 
horizon, with flank and enfilading fire iri tho ditches Besides tho above, there are sand batteries erected 
and every angle of approach. Its guns command at various points, all in position to rake Fort Pickens, 
the other forts and tno navy yard. The work was and mostly mounting heavy columbiads. 
1 ml IkuNftalia 
NEWS DEPARTMENT. 
" From prairie, O, plowman! speed boldly away— 
There's need to bo sown in Ood’a furrows to-day— 
Row landward, lone fisher! stout woodman, come home! 
Let smith leave his anvil aod weaver his loom, 
And hamlet and city ring loud with the cry, 
‘ For God and our country we’ll fight till we die! 
Here’s welcome to wounding, and combat, and scars, 
And the glory of death-for tho Stripes and the Staral’” 
ROCHESTER, N.Y., DECEMBER 21, 1861. 
THE WAR’S PROGRESS. 
FACTS, SOKNEe, INCIDENTS, ETC. 
Abstracts of Department Reports. 
Lack of space precludes the publication in full 
of the various Reports issuing from the different 
Governmental Departments. We give, however, 
abstracts which cover the more important portions 
of such as possess peculiar interest in the present 
condition of affairs: 
THE TREASURER’S REPORT. 
To provide for Immediate exigencies was tho first 
duty of the Secretary, nnd he performed it by issuing, 
under authorities conferred hy various acts, for pay¬ 
ment to public creditors or for advances of cash, 
$14,019,034.66 in treasury notes, payable in two 
years, and bearing six per cent, interest, and $12,- 
advantages and disadvantages of the several forms of States. 3 
loan authorized. California 
liis reflections led him to tho conclusion that the clomcitie.iit."”".’." 
safest, surest, and most beneficial plan would be to Delaware .’ 
engage the banking institutions of the three chief Dfio's -- . 
commercial cities of tho seaboard to advance the [ n ' llanft . . 
iirauuntu needed for disbursement in the form of . 
loans for three years 7.80 bonds, to be reimbursed, ns Main*, 
far as practicable, from tho proceeds of similar M»ryl*od ! 
bonds, subscribed for by tho people, through the MaxsaohuxntiH.. 
agencies of the National Loan; using, tneimwhile, Miehigun . —. 
himself, to a limited extent, In aid of these advances’ - . - 
the power to Usui) notes of smaller denominations NlTir r RmV,;i.l^. ‘ 
than fifty dollars, payable tm demand. N „ w 
Upon tlfls plan bu hoped that the capital of the New York’ 
banking institutions and the capital of the people Ohio_ 
might be so combined with the credit of the Govern- I’enusylviuiis — -1 
merit, in a proper provision for necessary expendi- Rhodu Island-.. - 
tines, as to give efficiency to administrative action, Virginia 
whether civil or military, hud competent support to Wisconsin . 
public credit. The result thus far has fulfilled that Kansas...J’"].'.*”””' 
hope. Colorado,,.. 
Representatives from the banking institutions of Nebraska 
the three cities, responding to his invitation, met . 
him for consultation in New York, and, after full i»tatriot*or C CoVura'bii:::: 
conference, agreed to unite as associates m moneyed 
support to tho Government, and to subscribe at once i 
ft loan of fifty millions of dollars, of which live mil- Estimated strength of 
lions were to be paid immediately to the Assistant the raguUr army, In- 
’Freusurers, In coin, and tho residue, also in coin, us, aHof Don 
needed for disbursement. The Hecretary, on his part,! „f j u | y 2 9th 
agreed to issue three years 7.30 bonds or Treasury i8«l _ _. ’ 
notes, bearing even date with the snbscriptlon, and , 
of equal amount; to cause books of subscription to Total. 
the National Loan to be immediately opened; to r«im- \ The several arms o 
burse the advances of the banks, ns far as practice- follows 1 
bio, from this national subscription; nnd to deliver * y 0 i 
to them 7.30 bonds or Treasury notes for tho amount rtfuntrv 
not thus reimbursed. It was further outk-ritOOd that tWliy. r 
tlio Hecretary of the Treasury should issue a limited Akiillery": 
amount of United States notes, payable on demand, Hw«h and Sharp Sboot- 
in aid of the Operations of the Treasury, and that the ., ? n ’. 
associated institutions, when the lirst advance of fifty Edjjineers. 
millions should be expended, would, if practicable, <Tj 
nrake another, and when that should be exhausted, 
still another advance to the Government of the name Tie appropriations 
amount, and on similar terms. next fiscal year are c 
The objects of thla arrangement wore, (1st) to place nip,n - They have been 
with due regard for all rights and interests con- 
ecriiod, to sequestration or confiscation, and the pro¬ 
ceeds should ho applied to the satisfaction of claims 
arising from the war. 
Property of rebels in rebel States should bo treated 
in like manner. Right-* to mu-vires, understate laws, 
must, of necessity, form an exception to any rule of 
Confiscation. Persons held by rebels, under such 
laws, to service us slaves, may, however, bo justly 
liberated from their constraint, and nrade nmro valii 
able In various employments, through voluntary and 
compensated service, than if confiscated uh subjects 
of property. , 
TITK WAR nEI'AHTMKNT. 
The following statement presents the entiro esti¬ 
mated strength of the army, both volunteers and 
regulars: 
VOLUNTEERS. 
States. 
3 months. 
For tho war. 
Aggregate. 
California . 
... - 
4 088 
4 088 
Connecticut. _ 
...2 236 
12,400 
14.634 
I Mawftro. .. 
... 775 
2,000 
2.775 
Illinois.. 
... 4 941 
80 000 
84 on 
Indiana. _ 
... 4,080 
67.332 
62 H18 
Iowa .. 
978 
19 800 
20 768 
Kentucky.. 
„ -- 
15,000 
16,000 
Maine 
... 778 
14 239 
15 700 
Maryland . 
... -- 
7,000 
7 000 
Maswohusiitts.. 
... 3,435 
20,760 
30,105 
Michigan . ,. 
781 
28 650 
29.831 
Minnesota. . 
- 
4 IHO 
4 160 
Missouri . 
.. 9 356 
22,130 
31 486 
Now Humphljiru. 
779 
9,600 
10.379 
Nmw Jt*|HGy 
.. 3 008 
9 303 
12.410 
Now York .. 
.. 10,188 
100 200 
110 388 
Ohio. 
. 10 236 
HI 206 
91 441 
t’enusylvanU.. 
..19,192 
94,760 
113 969 
Kbodu Island_ ... 
- 1,285 
f. 808 
7,183 
Vermont. 
.. 789 
8,000 
8,780 
Virginia ...... 
.. 779 
12,000 
12,779 
Wisconsin . 
792 
14,163 
14 045 
Kansas. 
. - 
6,000 
5,000 
Colorado. 
- 
1,000 
1,000 
NVhrasIca. .. 
. ■- -■ 
2,600 
2,600 
Nevada . 
.. - 
1,000 
1.000 
New Mexico. 
. - 
1,000 
1,000 
District of Columbia.. 
._ 2,823 
1,000 
3,823 
Estimated strength 
77,875 
of 
640,637 
718,612 
20,333 
660,961 
Engineers 
Volunteers. 
Regulars. 
Aggregate. 
.657,208 
11.176 
668 383 
. 64,654 
4,874 
69,398 
-.. 20,380 
Shoot- 
4,308 
24,088 
_ 8,395 
-- 
8 395 
107 
107 
640,687 
20,334 
660,971 
877,750 in treasury notes, bearing tha same rate of tenarice of payments in specie, or its actual eqaiva 
Btlll auother advance to the Government of the same appropriations asked for the service of the 
amount, ami on similar terms. next fiscal year are computed for a force of 600,090 
The objects of this arrangement wore, (1st) to place men. They have been reduced to thu lowest possible 
at the command of thu Government the large Hums aroutlut oouslstcnt with the public Interests, and arc 
immediately needed for the payment of maturing based upon a strictly economical administration of 
Treasury notes, and for other disbursements, ordinary the virions branches of this Department, 
and extraordinary, (2d) to secure to the people equal The appropriations to cover deficiencies aro ren- 
opportunity, with the banks, for participation id the d'Ted necessary by the excess of the force in the 
loan; (3d) in avoid competition between .he Govern- Acid over that upon which iho estimates were 
ment and the associated institutions in tne dRposai founded, and by extraordinary expenditures cou- 
Of bonds; (4th) to facilitate and secure further nnoted with tins employment and discharge of tho 
Advances to the Government by the associat e, if Three Months Contingent, 
required; and (5th) to insure, if possible, the main- An item of very heavy expense is the largo 
interest, but payable sixty days after date. 
ills next care was to provide for the regular and 
continuous disbursements of the war, under the acta 
of the July session, find with this view, he carefully 
lent- and representatives. 
All these objects were, happily, accomplished. 
$59,000,000 were immediately advanced by tin-banks. 
The Hecretary caused- books of subscription to be 
examined the various powers conferred on him, com- opened throughout the country, and the people sub- than adequate to the wants of U 
pared the probabilities >f the American and Euro- scribed freely to the loau. The amounts thus sub- only be maintained at a groat e 
pean market# for capital; and considered the relative scribed were reimbursed to the banks, and the sum taken for its gradual reduction. 
Held over that upon which the estimates were 
founded, ami by extraordinary expenditures con¬ 
nected with tins employment and discharge of tho 
Three Months Contingent, 
An item of very heavy expense is the largo 
mounted force which has been organized, equipped 
and made available since the called session of Con¬ 
gress, and winch whs not computed for in the esti¬ 
mate. Will* an increase of cavalry was undoubtedly 
necessary, it has reached a numerical strength more 
than adequate to the wauts of the service. As it can 
only be maintained at a great cost, measures will bo 
T!'9 Secretary fully sustains the act of Captain 
Wilkes in capturing Mason and Slidell. II 0 says 
admirably: J 
“Tha prompt and decisive action of Capt. Wilkes 
on this occasion merited und received tin? emphatic 
approval of the Department, and It a too generous 
forbearance was exhibited by him in not capturing 
the vessel which bad these rebel emissaries on board, 
it may, in view of the special circumstances, und of 
its patriotic motives, be excused; but it must by no 
means ho permitted to constitute a precedent hero 
after for the treatment of any chhb of similar Infrac¬ 
tion of neutral obligations by foreign vessels engaged 
in commerce or tlm carrying trade.” 
There were, on the 4th of March last, In commis¬ 
sion and ut the service of the Hecretary of the Navy, 
only 42 vessels, carrying 555 guns, anil 7,800 men. 
There are to day in commission, 2(54 vessels, carrying 
2,557 piuih, and over 22,000 men! This is an immense 
work to do in a little more than eight months. Be¬ 
sides this, there will he ready very shortly, fifty-two 
new steamers, ” peculiarly adapted to coast guard 
duty;” three of which are iron-clad. 
The Secretary advises tho oreation of more grades 
