time will be necessary as they are very voluminous. The rolls of the military prisoners are completed - one set; the duplicates will be completed and both held subject to your orders, as you requested in your letter to the commanding officer of Camp Chase, quite as soon as such orders can reach him from you. No expenditures were made in July from the prisoners' fund.

I will send a detailed list of articles purchased to-morrow. The vouchers even where paid by the quartermaster have not been used by him but held for possible future payments from the fund as you verbally ordered. I will communicate to Captain Peyton your action and instructions. In cases where citizens have been arrested and the charge against them is written "done nothing," as in those cases to which I have called your attention, will such be discharged? And in cases where citizens are harmless from infirmities, such as having lost their limbs or permanent use of other functions, and recommended by surgeon for discharge - insanity, idiocy and one or two paupers who have been taken from the poor-house and whom you request should be discharged - will they be discharged without any provision being made for them, or will they be furnished transportation to their homes when it is unnecessary to place them in an insane asylum for safety? There are several simple idiots utterly incapable of carrying for themselves.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. M. LAZELLE,

Captain, Eight Infantry, U. S. Army.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 8, 1862.

Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith an extract from the protest of the master of the British schooner Mersey relative to the alleged robbery of himself and the mate of that vessel at Fort Lafayette, and have to request that will cause an inquiry to be instituted into the matter.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

[First indorsement.]

AUGUST 8, 1862.

Refereed to the Adjutant-General, with directions to make an immediate investigation and report.

By order of the Secretary of War:

P. H. WATSON,

Assistant Secretary of War.

[Second indorsement.]

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, August 12, 1862.

Respectfully referred to Lieutenant-Colonel Burke for strict investigation and report. One charge made within is similar to that brought against Lieutenant Wood in another communication from B. W. Sanderse, &c. To be returned.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.