The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-10 00:00:00

THE BERMUDA BLOCKADE RUNNERS.

The following official correspondence between
Governor Bayley and the Duke of Newcastle, as Secretary
of State for the Colonies, relative to the question of blockade
ruaniag, has been published in,iolerniudo paper

-
" Downing-stiea, April 11.
"Sir,—l have just received your despatch of Bth March
last, enclosing a copy of the speech which you addressed to
the Bahama legislature on the 2nd of that month. lam
obliged to inform you that I can by no means approve that
part of your speech in which you allude to the practice
of despatching vessels from Nassau to the blockaded
ports of the Confederate States. It is perfectly trim
that the British government is not bound to interfere
in order to repress, or even to discountenance this practice,
just as the British government is not bound to interfere
with operations carried on by British subjects in violation
of the revenue laws of • foreign country. But it is un-
doubted that a belligerent has a right to blockade the port
of his enemy—that a breach of blockade ia au invasion of
that right—and that the power wham belligerent rights
are thus violated may reasonably complain that her Ma-
jesty's representative, speaking publicly in his official ca-
pacity, should refer to proceedings thus injurious to its
interests in • tone of encouragement or protection. I have
no doubt that the language which you used was
very acceptable to the inhabitants of the colony,
who are naturally anxious to make the most of
what are apyarently the advantages of their pre-
sent position relative to the seat of war. But I thick you
failed to observe, that, in using it, you were laying yourself
open to a charge of unfriendly conduct towards a neigh-
bouring power, and were impairing the position of the go-
yeniment you serve,—l have, "NEWCASTLE."
Governor Bayley, in the course of • long apologetic re-
ply, urges that the right which be claimed for the colonists
was the right of trading, not only with one, but with either
or both the belligerent states. "And two things,'s
he adds, " induce me to believe that no unfavourable
impression was made upon just and reasonable men
in the Northern States. The first is the opinion
expressed by many respectable Northerners staying
here during the winter, the general tenor of which
may be summed up in the words of one of them :—' You
(i.e., the English) have dome what we should have does in
similar circumstances ; you have traded with both parties
at the same time.' The second is, that the New York
Herold, in an article designed to be bitterly severe upon
my speech, entirely misquotes and misinterprets it, discon-
necting its consecutive paragraphs, and inserting inappro-
priate glories."
The Duke of Newcastle rejoins in the following stringent
and severe terms :

" Downing-street, June 6.
" have to acknowledge the receipt of your des-
patch, in snewer to the comments made is my despatch of
the 11th Anvil. As your explanations now received have
not removed my objection to that speech, I think it best to
instruct you that whatever opinions you may individually
entertain on the points to which you advert, what is ex-
pected of you is that you will not without urgent occa-
sion or without authority express opinions affecting the re-
lations of her Majesty's government with foreign govern-
ments and countries, and that you will abstain from adopt-
iag • tone and spirit, in alluding to invasions of the right
of blockade, which, even as construed mid explained by
youreelf, is, in se officer occupying your position, unjusti-
fiable, and cannot hot be injurioue to this country in its
relations with the United States. That the opinions offi-
cially expressed by you should have given rise to angry
comments in the U.iited Stake, which, even if they be
unfair, are not of that astooant much hem mischievous, is, I
think, what ordinary forethought should have led you to
oaticipate.-1 have, U., " Nurcosus.*

CRYSTAL PALMS ....thrill MULLING DAY. ....
FREDA; fiat. 9. —Adiskioas on populist, 2,217 ;
dial) ►1 rem liellik, alti Istal, 2,00.