AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 163, 21 May 1864, Page 3

AMERICA.

AVk have received during the last few days American news from two different sources England and Calilornia, and, as when such occurs, it is somewhat diilicult to reconcile the two, its far as details are concerned —the Union defehts which we read ot irom the European source being merely di'awn battles,

or 111 some eases even .victories when looked on trom a Calit'urnian point of view. In the main, ho\, ever, in th? results aiisiug from these movements and engagements we find no practical difference. In either case it appears that the PJorida expedition had to beat an inglorious retreat, while the result' ot the sea a; tack on Mobile under Admiral l'aragut was equally unsuccessful. It was found, that like Charleston, Mobile was too strong to be successfully bombarded. Tiie attempt to outflank Lee and so steal a march upon Richmond has also signally tailed, and viewing the intelligence from either source dispassionately and carefully we can come to no other conclusion that the Federals have been worsted in the field, so tar as the two armies or their several contingents have as yet come into collision during the present campaign. At Charleston the Federals can scarcely be said to be keeping up the blockade, for we read that every day one or more vessels succeed in evading it, and that the bombardment isa' mere useless wasfe of shell and powder, wiiiie grave apprehensions are really tell in the North lest Washington should k-' il ctJt, P d'' imiiii; and every post in its vicinity is being strengthened tu meet the dreaded irrupt ion of the. Confederates. It would seem by one of the Caiiforniau telegrams that resort h".s been had bv the Con federates to a course which all "must condemn and deplore, even though done in retaliation lor .Northern brutality — the hanging ot' some sixty Federals, and, it is also reported, of several companies of one particular regiment. "Whatever may be the cause of such a step, one thing is shown bv it that sonic reverse, kept back by the Californion source of news, must have occurred lately to the Fedcals, to have thrown so many prisoners into the hands of the Confederates. President Lincoln has called for another levy of 200,000 men, and gold has reached (sivi premium in New York; meantime the energies of the North seem pataJised, and the Government appear perplexed how to act. Changes in the commands of the armies are made one day and rescinded the next, and there is a great display of activity, but &ut very little evidence of these changes and movements being made with any defined purpose. The very devastations which have been committed by the Federals themselves recoil upon them. Their troops cannot overrun and occupy an enemy's country which is destitute of supplies, and to which they have no means of drawing supplies themselves, having broken up and destroyed the roads and railways in their rear. Il would seem that this unhappy struggle will only find its termination in the prostration of either combatant.