U. S. FLAG-STEAMER PHILADELPHIA,

Off Roanoke Island, N. C., February 23, 1862.

Major General BENJAMIN HUGER,

Commanding Department, &c., Nortfolk, Va.

SIR: Since my letter to you of the 12th instant to be delivered by Surg. J. W. B. Greenhow, C. S. Navy and subsequently released on parole together with the terms upon which they were so released, three other individuals belonging likewise to the Confederate Navy have been reported to me as captured and afterwards released on parole on terms precisely the same as the others. Their names are E. Holt Jones, assistant surgeon; Samuel Merrill, purser's steward, and Lorenzo Modlin, boatswain's mate.

I beg it to be distinctly understood between us that all the prisoners our Navy may have take or may take hereafter and about whose release on parole I may have informed or may inform you or your authorities are only to be duly exchanged by the athority of the U. S. Navy Department [and] are not to be considered as inclused in any arrangements of exchange with regard to those taken by the U. S. Army, in the absence of an express provision to such effect property sancitoned by U. S. naval authorities.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

L. M. GOLDSBOROUGH,

Flag-Officer, Commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron.

Resolution adopted by the House of Respresentatives February 24, 1862.

Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to this House if not incomplatible with the public service whether any foreign power has received into per ports armed ships in rebellion against the Government of the United States, and has allowed them to deliver their prisoners taken from American vessels captured and burned upon the high seas, and has furnished such ships with supplies of fuel and stores, with repairs to their machinery and inclrease to their armament, and whether such power or any power refused to American national vessels a harbor in her ports or to supply them with fuel and stores, or has intercepted their ingress or egress into or from her ports, and all information he may have upon the subject and all corespeondence in relation thereto.

CONFIDENTIAL.] HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA,

Fort Monroe. Va., February 24, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STATNTON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.

SIR: Your order of the 18th instant not to exchange either by equaivalent or otherwise Generals Johnston, Buckner, Pillow or Tilghman nor prisoners who have served in our Regular Army without special orders from the Headquarters of the Army conflicts with your orders of the 11th of February in which no exception of individual persons or former profesion is made. Acting under you instructions of the 11th instant I informed General Huger of my willingness to negotiate a general exchange of prisoners based upon your instructions to me.