Alexandria Daily Advertiser

NORFOLK, June 29.

On Friday afternoon, one of the schooners which have heretofore attended the British ships of war, cast anchor near the fort, and immediately an officer left her in a boat and proceeded up the river to the British Consul's. This information was soon spread through the town, and the effect produced may be easily conjectured. A number of boats put off from the wharves, after two of them had reached the boat another officer who had remained on board the schooner, hoisted a white flag, the signal for a flag of truce, for the first time, for certainly (and we can say so from our own knowledge) she did not come up as a flag of truce.

Before the officer reached the British Consul's, he was met with by a number of citizens, who offered no personal violence; but apprehending it, or that the officer might be detained, the Consul claimed the protection of the civil authority, and the sanctity of the character in which the officer had come. The latter ground was not tenable, as war does not exist, and again the vessel had not come up as a flag of truce ought. Respect however for the civil power, and sentiments of generosity, prevailed, and in about an hour after his arrival, the officer was put on board his vessel, without receiving the smallest violence or injury, and immediately departed.

May this spirit of moderation produce effect where it ought, if it does not, it will command respect even from those who will not be influenced by the example.

Our distant readers will, no doubt, look with anxiety for intelligence from this quarter. Our duty will be to carefully collect and collate all the information in our power, and publish such only as we shall consider may be interesting, and at the same time, such as we believe to be correct. We shall endeavor to avoid the thousand idle rumors, which are daily circulating.

Yesterday evening the committee received information from Hampton, that an attempt to land at that place would be made from the British ships below. Nearly 300 citizens immediately volunteered their services to man the gun-boats, and proceed instantly to Hampton, and they will go off this afternoon, four in number. No place can be better defended by gun-boats than Hampton, on account of the bar, which prevents the access of large vessels. There may be no real foundation in this belief, but the unprepared state in which the Chesapeake was attacked, inspires an uncommon vigilance and suspicion.