THE SHENANDOAH.

Evening Post, Issue 254, 30 November 1865, Page 3

THE SHENANDOAH.

The recent depredations of the British pirate Shenanhoah afford another proof, if any were wanting, of the extremely fraternal nature of the feeling entertained by our English "brethern" for us. The frozen regions of the Arctic Sea are illuminated by the bright lights of British neutrality, and covered with the charred remains of American whalers, the unresisting victims of British perfidy. The Shenandoah, as is well known, is an English-built and Eng-lish-armed cruiser, and but for the presence of her commander and some few subordinate rebel officers, she might truthfully be said to be English in every point of view, and Confederate in none. As it is we claim that the British Government, by its shameful dereliction of duty in failing to observe neutrality during the late rebellion, has placed itself in a position of a perfidious and sneaking enemy to the Government of the United States and the American people. The Shenandoah was formerly the British merchant ship Sea King— was sold by her owners, neutral Britons, to the Confederate agents, the purpose for which she was to be used being well known to the vendors (in common with the rest of the civilised world.) She was fitted out as a cruiser in and sailed from a British port (her intention being open and undisguised), with the connivance of the officials \ was furnished with arms at sea by an English ship, which was sent out for that purpose by other neutral Britons, and thus started upon her career of destruction. Instead of repairing their error and punishing the violation of their neutrality by ordering her away from aid closing their ports to her, every privilege was accorded, and every facility which the place contained was at her disposal. More than this, privi'eges which were denied to the United States vessels were cheerfully granted to the so-called representative of a flag which never was recognised by any of the nations ot the earth. And even now, after the close of the war and the downfall ef the traitor rag which the Shenandoah pretends to sail under, still Britain accords to the pirate all the respect and aid which the closest alliance could demand. We assert that Britain haa failed in observing neutrality as between the belligerents, during the late rebellion. The manner in which the U. S. steamer Saranac was " put through " and fitted for sea, and started on her cruise in search of the pirate Shenandoah reflects the highest possible credit upon her gallant commander, Captain H. S. Pore, and is worthy of special note as something unusual in naval matters where slowness is the rule and activity the exception. The Saranac arrived on Thursday last from Mexico, and having been aground, to the injury of her copper, while on the lower coast, started at once for Mare Islnnd for repairs. She was taken into the dry dock, her copper repaired, launched, and hauled into the dock] for coaling. The crew of the Saranac and Jamestown set at work with a will, and working day and night completed her coaling by Sunday nigh.t, when she started for San Francisco in a dense fog, reaching hi re ''efore daylight. As soon as the fog lifted on Monday morning, long before our citizens had shaken off their slumbers, the Sarnac steamed out of port, and is now ma iy mi as on her mission of justice and \cngeance, in which every loyal citizen of America will wish her complete success.

Had the Saranac been in port when the first news of the Shenandoah's cowardly raid on our unarmed whaling fleet arrived, there is every reason to believe that the skulking pirate craft might now be rotting at the bottom of thp sea, with the carcases of the vile crew of cut-throata who man her. — Alta California.