The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-31 00:00:00

The Capture of the Pete Koff,

Anil :;,•.1 Z't t- t r '.O r-e .v f
•,i Br I,
:;% A :-
rmirat Waes. Toe nariutive i 3 auoies,rd to Itie
Committee of Lloyu's by their agent. at Matamoros,
who happened to be on board, and confirms the
statements which have already been submitted to
Lorti Russell on this affair. The probabLity is that
the vessel will be immediately released even by
the United States Prize Court at Key Wtst—a
British brigantine, the Magieienne, which had been
seized just ; reviou,ly under analogous circum•
stances, having already been surreniered ; but 'there
remains the question, not only of damages, but of
the necessity for obtaining a guarantee against a
repetition of such discreditable proceedings :

" Key West, March 7th, 18G3.
" Sir,—l have to inform you that the British screw
steamer Peterhoff, Captain Jarman, is just entering this
harbour, having been boarded off the harbour of St. Thomas
on the 28th of February, and taken in charge by a prize
crew from the United States steamer Vanderbilt, Ca, tain
Baldwin, by the expr.:s order of Admiral Wilkes, at that
tiro in the flagship Washusetts, in St, Thomas. I think
they have no valid defence for detaining or seizing the
Peterhoff, but must await the decision of the Admiralty
Court here. I shall write to you more ully by an early
opportunity; meantime, please to notify contents to your
Committee and the underwriters on ship and cargo in Eng-
land, Scotland, and France.

" I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
" SAMUEL J. REDGATE,
" Passenger per Peterhoff, and Agent for Lloyd's
at Matamoras.
" G. A. Halsted, Esq., R.N., Secretary to Llo3d's,
London."

" Key West, Florida, March, 1863.
" have to report for the information of the Cora.
mittee that the screw steamship Peterhoff, Capt. S Jarman,
left Falm nth for St. Thomas and Matamoras on the even-
ing the 27th of January, and, after four and a half days of
rough weather and heavy sea in the Channel and Bay of
Biscay, the remainder of the voyage was without particular
incident until the morteng of Friday, the 20th of February,
when we were boarded by a boat from a small schooner
under the Dutch flag, which we took to be a pilot boat,
but proved to be otherwise. Shortly after we observed a
etearner approaching us, which, when she got, near, hoisted
the United States flag. The Peterhoff had the British
ensign flying, and was proceeding in her eourse for the
hat boar of St. Thomas. Close to the shore of St. John's
Is and, the United States steamer fired a blank
charge, and then a shotted gun, Toe shot passed the
Peterhoff's bow some distance ahead. We had no sails set
at the lime, but the engine was immediately stopped. A
boat from the United States steamer boardo t us while in
Danish waters, as you will see from the following cross
beatings taken by Captain Jarman at the time--8 a.m.
‘• Buck Island, W. N. ; Hundee, N. W., distant two
miles; Frenchman's Cap, S.W., by W. W.'
" The boarding officer sai' he came from the United
States steamer Alabauaa. He examined the Peterhoff's
papers and allowed her to proceed, declining to endorse his
visit and Examination, on the plea that he had no mitre rite
to do so. The Peterhoff remained iu Sr. .1 homas'e harbour,
for the purpose of comple.ing her supply of coal, till about
noon of the 25th of February. During nor stay, Admiral
Wilkes, of Trent notoriety, arrived in harbour with the
United States steamer Washuesets and Oneida, and de-
clared publicly that the Alab 'ins should have made a prize
of the Peterhoff In going out of harbour it was found that
the engine was disabled, and the ship stood out under easy
sail. Outside we saw the United States steamer Vanderbilt
coming up under steam. She exchanged signals with the
Admiral inside, and, as we heard afterwards, was ordered
to follow and overhaul us. Between 1 and 2 p.m. she
overtook and ordered the Peterhoff to be hove to. At 2
p.m. a boat boarded us, the officer remaining below about
three-quarters of an hour examining the ship's papers. He
left for the Vanderbilt, directing the Peterhoff to be kept hove
to till his return, which was about 3 20 p.m., when he stated
that her papers were not quite satisfactory, and requested
Captain Jarman to go on board the Vanderbilt with the
ship's papers, &c., saying that he was authorised to say that
if Captain Jarman refused an armed boat's crew would be
sent to take him by force Captain Jarman said he held a
commiss on in the Royal Naval Reserve, and had in charge
her Majesty's mail for Matamoras, that he would not leave
his ship, especially after the threat which had been held out,
but they were welcome to come on board, examine the papers
and search the ship. He repeated this on deck, in presence
of myself and the other six passengers, who all protested as
well as myself against his leaving the ship. The boat left,
Capt, Jarman assuring the officer in charge that his papers
were open to the inspection of any officer sent from the Van-
derb It, but that he would not allow them to be aken, nor
would he leave his ship with them unless compelled by
force to do so. At 4 p.m. we were boarded by two armed
boats from the Vanderbilt, and Lieut. Alexander, United
States navy, took temporary charge of the Peterhoff till the
Vanderbilt could communicate with St, Thomas. captain
Ja, man ordered the mate, Mr. Bound, to haul down the en-
sign, but was prevented fr ra so doing by Lieut. Alexander,
who oraered it to be kept flying, One lieutenant, one mas-
ter's mate, two engineers, and 21 armed men were placed
on board. One man was sent to the wheel, and a Union
States engineer took possession of the engine-room. The
Vanderbilt left us, and immediately steamed back to St»
l'hornas, ur crew had to stop work, and our engineers
to discontinue their exi-roinatiou of our disabled niachtm ry.
At 7h. 5m., St. Thomas time, Lieut. Alexander ordered
Captain Jarman, his mate and all the passengers to
;to down to the cabin and to remain there. An armed
sentry was placed on guard over us. He said he hoped
he would not keep us lung there. No one but the
steward was permitted to go out of the cabins without ask-
ing permission through the sentry. Nine p.m.—Againt
eoarded by a boat from the Vanderbilt. Officer came down.
stairs into the cabin to deliver a message from Captein.
Baldwin, United States' navy, to Captain Jarman to give
up his papers, that they might be sent on board with them.
Captain Jarman said he would not give up his papers to any
one but the British Consul, or to his ender, that he world
not give them up to be taken out o. the ship, nor w ouid ne
leave her himself unless compelled by 1 orce to do so; that
they were all at his service to be exereined on Land the
Peterhoff, end that Captain Baldwin might stand him or
eny number of officers to make the exte, ination. 9.50 p m.—
Boat came again from the Vander bilt—offieer with Captain
Baldwin's compliments, and wish,s to have the impels of
vthee
sselChip.
when
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b. Lieut. Lewis, United States' navy, took possession of the
Peterhoff in the name of the United States, and &elated
that Capt. Jarman was no longer in command, and that Lie
and all the passengers were to remain confined in the cabin.
Another officer was sent down to demand that, all aims in
possession of kelipt. Jarmen and passengers should be giv.-n.
up, threatening search in case of refusal. Accordingly,
several pistols and knives were given up and sent on board
the Vanderbilt.

" About 11 p.m. Capt. Jarman wrote Capt. Baldwin
that he considered the capture of the Peterhoff to be an
illegal act, as her papers had been examined and passed by
the Alabama a few days previously, and that, as he had her
Majesty's mails for Matamoras on board, he requested that,
to avoid delay in their delivery, Capt. Baldwin would de-
liver them to her Majesty's Consul at St. Thomas, so that
he might send them on. At 10 minutes past midnight an
officer boarded with a verbal message from Capt. Baldwin,
who sent his compliments, and teat he did not feel autho-
rized to take any part of the weight out of the ship.
Next morning, the 26th of February, the Vanderbilt left
us, and the Peterhoff made sail for Key West, in charge of
the prize officers and crew. It was their intention to take
u. through the Mona passage, and we had reached Mona.
Island, when the United States' steamer Alabama spoke us,
the British ensign being noisted on bi aid the Peterhoff-
" Our voyage since has been without any incident worthy
of record, except we were allowed to go on deck, four of us
at a time, for the benefit of the open air, our liberty, how"
ever, being restricted to the after part of the ship, and an
armed marine was stationed night and day at the oabin dcor.
"I have thus far narrated the voyage of the Peterhoff,
which vessel, loaded with goods not contraband of war, and
having had her papers examined and passed in London,
Plymouth, and Falmouth, has been fired at and overhauled
in Danish waters by the United States' steamer Alabama, by
which vessel her papers were passed. On leaving St. Thomas
she had the certificate of Acting Consul Mr. Ball, and never-
theless was overhauled just outside the port by the United
States' steamer Vanderbilt. I have learnt from Mr. Lewis,
the prize captain, that Captain Baldwin wished to let her
go, but was compelled to take possession by exp ess orders
from Admiral Wilkes. Thus, by the arbitrary conauct of
this individual, a British ship proceeding from a British
port to a noitral with a proper cargo bas been seized, and
tier crew removed, by superior force, the officers and seven
passengers deprived of their liberty for ten uays and guarded
by armed wen.
- I shall in a subsequent le ter advise you of what takes
pl+icy at Key West, having written eo tar in anticipation.
"S. J. ItEDGATE.
"Captain U. A. Halsted, R.N., Secretary to, Lloyd it,
London."

CONSOLIDATED FUND cleT tto act of
of £10,000,000 is to be applied
Parlia-
ment
of justtttle totionsteeld a sutra
io,teclkutiti to the strvice of the. prts,nt.

year.

Mr. Hook will probably contribute to the .Etuyal
Academy some pictures, the subjects of v. Mich iieve
been stuuitd amongst the Scilly Islanders. One is styled
" Low Tide," representing sailors mending their ne6 arra
their boats, that lie upon the belch. A woman, the wile of
one of the men, approaches, bea., lug a basket of pruvisions--
snits as she walks, but has left off doing so to attend to a
child who has fallen beside her. Another work is styled
" The bailor's Wedding;" the scene is the sea-shore; a
steep bank rises up therefrom; the bride and bridegroom
are walking together ; an old man is creeping up the bank ;
about, ate seen preparations fora holiday. A buy slinging
stones is another subject.