AX AMERICAN CRUISER IN PURSUIT OF A BRITISH MAIL STEAMER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 38, 20 March 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

AX AMERICAN CRUISER IN PURSUIT OF A BRITISH MAIL STEAMER.

(from THE SCOTSMAN.) A strange, yet true story—showing how near this country lias been, and perhaps is, to a rupture with the United States, or at least how very well disposed our American friends are to bring' about, such an event —Teaches us (o-day from sources to be thoroughly relied on. The week before hist, our government received information that a United States war steamer had brought up in Southampton water, ostensibly for the purpose of refitting, but under .circumstances warranting the suspicion that she bad some other object in view. Subsequently various circumstances', including the conversation of some of her crew who had come ashore led to tine discovery of the fact that her real object was the seizure of the Wist India mail steamer then duo ! The United Stales cruiser

had been despatched in pursuit of the ‘ Nashville,” the vessel conveying the Confederate delegates sent to this country, which had eluded the blockade. The delegates succeeded in reaching! Cuba and got themselves conveyed on board one of the British mail steamers. Their movements became known tothecommandcvofthepursuingvessel who took the remarkable step of running strait over to the British coast, with the intention of waylaying the mail steamer, and making capture of her as a neutral vessel, carrying in the delegates and their credentials, “ contraband in war.”

Upon the assumption of these being the facts—an assumption, it will easily be believed, not made and proceeded on without inquiry and consideration—the British war steamer I’harton was ordered to watch the American, and protect against h?' any vessel bearing the British hag. As it happened the American captain, perhaps attracted by hospitalities after a stormy voyage, remained in port for some days, and then putting to sea was met by a severe gale on the south coast, which forced him to anchor at Calshot. The same cause that stopped his cruise expedited the voyage of the mail steamer, which arrived two days' before her time, and passed into her porCunconscious of her danger. Communications then took place between our government and the American Minister, in which the latter disclaimed any such intention as that imputed to the proceedings of the United States steamer- or rather, he disclaimed any knowledge of the matter. At the same time it was ascertained to he the opinion of tlio law officers ol the Crown, that, according fo the interpretation of the law as laid down in former decisions, the relations of Britain to the American belligerents are perhaps such that there mmht have been fair legal grounds for the American cruizcr seizing the mail steamer as a prize, even in British uaters, if it could have been shown that she knowingly harboured the persons and property of enemies of the United Stales in the shape of the delegates and their despatches. The United States steamer lias now departed ; but is supposed to bo cruising off the Iridi coast for purposes similar to those which brought her to Southampton. 1

It cannot- lie necessary to point out the wanton olfensiveness and danger of the course understood to Imre neon adopted in this and nerhaps similar cases by the L'uilcd States Government. That goi c-i innent is entitled to do all in its powers to preveid ingress or egress at its own ports, and the ports of tin, (Vmfederaiion ; but to leave those not half guarded, and come across to British waters on a roving commission (o seize a British mail* steamer which laid taken on board at a British port two American passengers and (heir portmanteaus, Ban aet easy to ho understood and not case to bo endured. It indicates a desire not so much to present the movements of American “ rebels ” as to insult and provoke the government and people of this country.