Alexandria Gazette

The Retribution Disappointment.

The dispatch from Washington, announcing that the Resolute's officers were to return home, not in the Retribution, (British steam frigate,) but in the Washington, (American mail steamer,) disappointed a large number of people. The Common Council of this city had appropriated $2500 for a grand reception of the British officers, and the plan for doing the honors, had been already partially drawn up. All hands expected a particularly good time. The Chamber of Commerce Committee, and the Co-operative Citizens' Committee, were ready to provide a grand banquet, or a grander ball, or, perhaps, both combined, wherewith to honor and entertain their guests of the English navy. Lastly, but by no means least, the officers at the Navy Yard had made all their preparations for a superb festival, that was intended to dazzle the expected guests, and make them acknowledge that Brother Jonathan is as great in his marine hospitality, as he is in his marine architecture. The ball-room was to have been the new building just erected for the timber shed and moulding loft at the lower end of the yard. It is a brick structure, three hundred feet long, sixty feet wide, and two stories high, and stands so nearly all prepared for the proposed festival, converted for the occasion into a fairy palace. An arbor of evergreens, with triumphal arches, erected before the entrance for fifty feet in length, is hung with graceful folds of tri-colored bunting, and lighted by brilliant chandeliers. Next comes the reception room, thirty feet long, spread with elegant tapestry carpeting, and entered by a staircase from the arbor. Here are luxurious sofas, and tete-a-tetes, portraits of Queen Victoria, the Prince, and the President; and the blended flags of England and America are disposed in profusion everywhere. The Saloon is ornamented with every appliance to disguise the original nakedness of the building. The most elegant furniture abounds; there is a lavish display of bunting—the invariable three colors, red white, and blue: portraits of Arctic discoverers adorn the windows; a commodious orchestra, intended for Dodworth's band, occupies the centre; an artistically ship-shape arranged curtain separates the Saloon from the Dining Room, in which everything was to be in keeping with the character of the festival.

The news, therefore, of the non-coming of the anticipated guests, has thrown a damper upon all these brilliant preparations; and the adornment of the gorgeous ball room has been suspended in consequence. It would have been a most brilliant reception. Great as was the welcome that greeted Capt. Hartstein and his officers, on their arrival in England, it would have been far outdone by the return courtesies of Brother Jonathan: and there are many, who contemplated the pleasure of extending the right hand of fellowship to their English brethren, who are anything but obliged to Minister Dallas for interfering with their programme.

The hearty zeal and good feeling manifested in making these preparations will not, however, be lost upon the English people. They will perceive that we were ready and anxious to reciprocate the courtesies to our officers, and will give us the credit of a sincere feeling of fraternal amity, which is none the less real because we are debarred the privilege of actually demonstrating it.—N. Y. Express.