The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-03 00:00:00

DICAP.

TEE ALABAMA.

SINGAPORE, Dec. 31.—The privateer Alabama
anchored in our roads on the evening of the 21st
inst., and left again on the morning of th e 24th,
after having provided herself with three ta tonths'
coals and provisions. The Alabama burnt, 4an the
evening of the same day, in the Straits of Malacca,
the British bark Martaban, Capt. Pike, from Moul-
mein. She carried a British register, the master
had a British master's certificate, and the mate a
British mate's certificate, bat both were by birth
Americans, and had been on board before-
hand. The vessel had a cargo of rice on board,
being bona fide British property. It appears some
doubts are entertained that the transfer of t`-..0
Martaban, formerly American Texan Star, having
been a bona fide one, A protest has been sent in to
Government, but as the papers were taken away
by C:lpt. Semmes, further communications and
duplicate papers must be expected from Moulmein.
The Alabama has also burnt the American ship
Sonora, 707 tons, and the American ship High-
lander, 1,049 tons, both bound for the rice ports.

The Peace Society of the Dano-German

Qiiestion.

The following memorial was presented to Earl
Ruisell on the 26th of January .

The memorial of the Committee of the Peace Society
showeth,—

That your memorialists, in common with the country at
large, have felt and continue to feel great anxiety as to the
issue of the dispute between the kingdom of Denmark and
the Germanic Confederation, respecting the question of
Schleswig-Holstein. They rejoice in the persevering efforts
made by your lordship to secure a pacific solution for the
difficulty, for they have a strong conviction that if England
is called to interfere in the matter at all it can only be in
the form of friendly mediation and advice. They do not
relinquish the hope that these efforts may be yet crowned
with success, and that for the credit of civilisation the two
enlightened nations more immediately concerned will be
saved from the folly and guilt of rushing into the measure-
less calamities of war, on a question so comparatively trivial
and obscure.

But should hostilities ultimatelybreak forth your memo-
rialists earnestly hope that your lordship having used your
utmost endeavours to avert a rupture, will firmly refuse to
allow this country to be drawn into any participation in tho
conflict.

Your memorialists have observed with the utmost satis-
faction and gratitude the resolute spirit with which her
Majesty's Government have adhered to the principle of non-
intervention in the case of America and Poland. It appears
11 to your memorialists that the Dano-German question, far
from offering any ground for departing from this salutary
principle, presents none of even those plausible pretexts
usually urged in favour of armed intervention in other cases.
Neither clear political right on one side or the other, nor
treaty obligations on. our part, nor the supposed complicity
of British interests in the point at issue, nor respect for
popular sympathies can be pleaded in excuse for staking the
blood and treasure of England on this unintelligible quarrel.
It is impossible not to feel, on the other hand, that a war
arising out of this question, in which the great Powers of
Europe should become implicated, can hardly fail to lead to
other complications sa vast and perilous as might well ap-
pal the boldest heart in the apprehension. In your lord-
ship's own impressive language, "Who can foresee what
extent such a war might acquire, what passions it might
arouse, what districts might be desolated by its ravages ?"
Your memorialists therefore respectfully but earnestly
entreat her Majesty's Government to abstain not only from
taking part by any overt act in the hostilities between Ger-
many and Denmark, should they unhappily commence, but
from all such diplomatic altercations and engagements, as
well as from such menacing demonstrations of force, as may
gradually implicate the nation in the conflict without its
knowledge and against its will.
JOSEPH PEASE, President,
SAMUEL GURNEY, Treasurer,
HENRY RICHARD, Secretary.