The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-03 00:00:00

THE ALABAMA,

Some further papers relating to the Alabama
have been laid on the table of the House of Com-
mons, in pursuance of the motion of Mr. White.
Tney show that, on duly 22, the Commissioners of
Customs wrote from London to the Collector of Cus-
toms at Liverpool, stating that their solicitor, after
considering the evidence furnished by the United
States Consul, advised that it was not sufficient to
justify any steps be.ng taken against the vessel, The
Commissioners added, " The solicitor has, however,
stated that if there should bo sufficient bvidence to
satisfy a court, of enlistment of individuals, they
would be liable to pecuniary penalties, for security
of which, if recovered, this Department might de-
tain the ship until those penalties are satisfied, or
good bail given, but there is not sufficient evidence
to rt quire the Customs to prosecute ; it is, however,
competent for the United States Consul, or any
other person to do so at their own risk, if they see
fit." The United States Consul, however, does not
seem to have taken any such step, but continued to
urge the English authorities to " take such steps as
they might deem necessary." It will be recollected
that, on Saturday, the 26th, there was received at
the Foreign-office from Mr. Adams further evidence,
and a copy of an opinion, given by Mr. Collier, that
the vessel ought to be detained; the papers thus
furnished were immediately laid, by the Govern-
ment, before the law officers of the Crown, who
gave their opinion in time to telegraph to stop the
vessel on Tuesday, the 29th, but she had left the
Mersey that morning. The United States Consul,
at Liverpool, wrote on the 30th to the Collector
of Customs, stating that her steam-tug, the
Hercules, had returned, and the master said that
the Alabama had six guns on board, concealed be-
low, and was taking powder from another vessel,
and that the Hercules, itself, was at that moment
taking on board 40 or 50 men, beams evidently for
gun carriages, and other things to convey to the
gunboat, which on the previous night was cruising
50 miles off, and, he added, that a quantity of cut-
lasses were taken on board on the 25th. The Sur-
veyor to the Customs went on board the Hercules,
and strictly examined her, and found no guns, no
ammunition, and nothing of a suspicious character;
and he says he has the fullest confidence that the
Alabama left Liverpool without any part of her ar-
mament, without even a single gun or musket on
board. The master of the Hercules deposes--" I
left the river on the 30th, and took with me from
25 to 30 men, who, I believe, were to be employed
on board as part of the crew; they appeared to be
all sailors or firemen. I found the vessel about 3
o'clock that afternoon in Beaumaris Bay. I put
the men on board, and lay alongside till midnight.
We were from three to four miles from the shore,
Besides the men, I put on board an anchor-stook,
a piece of wood about 15ft long, and two pieces of
brass belonging to the machinery. I neither carried
guns, powder, or ammunition of any kind to her, nor
did I see anything of this description or, board.
There was no vessel of any descripticn came near
the vessel while I was by her. I have never seen
the American Consul to my knowledge. I
never told him or any one else they were
taking powder on board the new vessel. I
never was told what she was for, or what was her
destination. The piece of wood w hich I have men-
tioned was not in any way fit fora gun-carriage. I
hcught it was intended to rest the ship's boat upon ;
it was planed and cut out for some purpose, if not
o rest the boat upon. The papers show that the
Government telegraphed to Beaumaris, Holyhead,
ind Cork, to seize the vessel, if she should enter
either of those ports, but her captain was much too
cautious to do so. He kept cruising about, meeting
the tugboat in the afternoon of Wednesday the 30th,
And getting out to sea at 3 o'clock next morning.