As the drawing down of the military and naval forces of the Union continued, thirty U.S. Navy vessels of various types were sold at auction at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. Beginning at noon, the sale, with no reserve, went quickly, with the former U.S.S. Kensington leading the bids at $81,000, although the vessel had cost the Navy Department around $200,000 to build. The thirty ships sold for a total of almost a million dollars. (By John Osborne)