over the War Department. What this portends I do not pretend to say,
perhaps nothing. It may have been dislodged by the workmen building
chimneys to the offices of the department.

The order of the government conscribing all foreign residents who have
acquired homes in this country, and the expulsion of the British
consuls, will immediately be followed by another exodus of that class of
residents. Already passports are daily applied for, and invariably
granted by Mr. Assistant Secretary Campbell. The enemy, of course, will
reap great benefit from the information conveyed by these people, and
the innumerable brood of blockade-runners.

Gen. Lee has sent down between 600 and 700 prisoners captured in recent
cavalry engagements. He took their horses and equipments also. And there
is an account of an engagement in the West, near Memphis, in which the
Confederate troops inflicted injury on the enemy, besides destroying the
railroad in several places.

OCTOBER 16TH.--No battle had occurred in Northern Virginia up to 10
o'clock yesterday morning, although there is a constant stream of
prisoners being sent to this city daily, taken by our cavalry. At last
accounts Meade's army was retreating toward Washington City, hotly
pursued by Lee. They were near Manassas, the first battle-field of the
war.

There is nothing new from the West, except some skirmishing of cavalry
in Central and Western Tennessee, wherein our men have had the
advantage, though sometimes falling back before superior numbers.

At Charleston a brisk cannonading is kept up between the batteries; and
it is said more hostile transports are arriving, which may indicate
active operations on land. Our 700-pounder Blakely No. 2 is there.

Judge Campbell is giving passports rapidly, sometimes binding the Jews
not to engage in private operations, but to confine themselves, while in
the United States, to the purchase of supplies for the Confederate
States service! Some, however, are willing to go on these terms to avoid
conscription, but will realize profit by selling information to the
enemy.

Judge Hastings, of California, proposes to return thither and publish a
pamphlet describing newly discovered gold mines, and organizing
companies to work them, which shall be secessionists; and when
organized, he will fall upon and destroy the United States troops, march
into Arizona, and from thence pour reinforcements into Texas. The
Secretary, in the absence of the Pre