The obvious inference from this language is that not only were coals taken from the Advance for the Tallahassee, but that they were so taken when the Advance was about to "put to sea," compelling her to proceed with North Carolina coal; and it was to correct a statement which I supposed had been entered upon unadvisedly that I finished you with the formal report of he coals agent of this department at Wilmington, made to Captain Pinckeny, the chief naval officer in command there, that not only had no coal been taken from the Advance for the Tallahassee, but that when coals were taken for the Florie and Let her B, a portion of which, as alleged by Mr. Harris, was subsequently transferred to the Tallahassee, and to which coals your statement refers; the Advance was not in the port of Wilmington. The coal agent says "that not one particle of coal was taken from the steamer Advance, nor one pound impressed to which the State or any of the joint owners of that steamer had the slightest claim." Subsequent to the date of my former communication, the following dispatch was received from Captain Pinckney:

WILMINGTON, December 29, 1865.

Honorable S. R. MALLORY:

No coal was taken from the Advance nor any belonging to her for the Tallahassee or any other vessel. I sent a report to this effect from the coal agent here some time ago.

R. F. PINCKNEY,

Commanding, &c.

I regarded this report as conclusive, and doubted not that you would so regard it, for I could not suppose that these agent could have seized the coals of the Advance and compelled her to "put to sea with North Carolina coal" without being aware of the fact. Your letter of the 3rd, however, not only reiterates the statement of the message, but in presents the following certificate in support of it:

WILMINGTON, N. C., December 6, 1865.

I, J. T. O'Reilly, having charge of Messrs. Power, Low & Co.'s wharf and ware-house, do certify that on the 9th of July last, the Navy Department took from said wharf 1,170 barrows of Welsh coal, being by weight 179 60/2000 tons, which were placed on board steamship Let her B, said ship having hauled to the wharf for that purpose. I further certify that no coals have ever been returned in place of those taken as above described by said or any other department of the Confederate States.

J. T. O'REILLY.

This certificate, that in July last coals were taken by the Navy Department from the wharf of Power, Low & Co. for the steamer Let her B, is produced in proof of the statement that the loss of the Advance in the following September was "in consequence of the seizure of foreign coal for the crosier Tallahassee, compelling her to put to sea," &c. The following is the second certificate:

WILMINGTON, N. C., December 6, 1865.

I certify that on the afternoon of the 28th or 29th ultimo I was present at a conversation between Mr. J. A. Willard, navy agent, and Eli Murray, esq., agent of State of North Carolina at this place. I asked Mr. Willard the question what became of the cola taken from Messrs. Power, Low & Co. and others, which he alleged had been placed on board the steamers Florida and Let her B, after the expedition upon which these vessels were destined had been abandoned. He replied, "What had not been consumed in going up and down the river had been transferred to the steamer Tallahassee."

GEO. HARRIS.