The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-25 00:00:00

THE CONFEDEI LATE SHIPS.

The following letter was. prevented, on a point of form,
from being read by Mr. Cobden i n the house yesterday :
Washington, Navy Department, May 19, 1863.
Dear Sir,—You invite my aiten;tion to the speech of Mr.
John Laird delivered in the British House of Commons on
the 27th of March, in which he roprer vents that the Secretary
of the Navy made application to him , through an agent or
agents, to build vessels for the Gova rument of the United
States. Mr. Laird remarks :

"Now, I will go a step further al.'out the Northern
States. In 1861, jus.t after the war broke out, a friend of '
mine, whore I have k 1 town for many years, was over here
and came to see me with a view of getting vessels built in
this country for the American Government—the Northern.
government. Its agents in this country made inquir7es,"&e.
It is not improbable that NI-. Laird and his friend may
have interchanged views on tile subject of building vessels
for the United States as a private money-making transac-
tion; but it is not true that any application to build a
v.ssel for this government was. ever made to that gentle-
man directly or indirectly by hi Ins& or by any agent of
the Navy Department. No pers o.n or persons have been
employed by me as agent or agents, or been authorised by
the Navy department or by the Am. atican Government, t...)
make application to Mr. Laird, or to the firm of which he
is a member, or to any other persal or firm abroad, to.
build a vessel or vessels for the governm'ent of the United
States or for the navy of the United States.

Inumerable applications were made to me at the
beginning of the rebellion by persons professing to be the
agents of English or foreign firms to procure vessels to be
built for this Government, and I have an indistinct remem-
brance that this department was importuned by more than
one person in behalf of the Messrs. Laird, and very probably
they, like others, presented plans and solicited our views,
but I pursued a uniform and undeviating policy in regard
to each and all of those applications, declining in every
instance any proposition to build or procure to be built
vessels for navy abroad.
When, therefore, Mr. Laird stated or intimated in the.
House of Commons that any agent of the Secretary of the
American Navy or of the Navy Department approached
him, " with a view of getting vessels built in this country
(Great Britain) for the American Government," he stated
what was not true.

I have never at any time had such purpose in view, and
consequently 1 have never authorised any person to act as
my agent, or as the agent of the Navy Department, or of
the American Government, to procure vessels to be built
without the limits of the United States,—l am, very re-
spectfully. GIDEON WELLES,
Hon, Chas. Sumner. Secretary of the Navy.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

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WAKEFIELD-FRIDAY.

Wheat dull to-day, and businews has been confined to
fine fresh parcels. Prices must be quoted is per dearer.
Spring corn unaltered.

LIVERPOOL—FRIDAY.
At this day's market there was a fair attendance, with
a moderate business doing in wheat. Oats fully supported.
Beans almost a nominal trade. Barley steady. Peas at
former rates. Indian corn scarce, and prices were main-
tained. Flour, prime fresh American, 6d per brl. dearer.
Oatmeal unaltered.

E XE TER—FRIDAY.
Wheat, white..6s 3d to 6s 4d Barley.. 3s 6d to 4s 3d
I
Ditto red. .6s Od to 6s 3d Oats .. . ..25 9d to 3s Od
Flour, fine, 35s to 36s ; seconds, 34s to —s per sack.
CATTLE.
Fat beef, p sc., 10s0d to 11s6d Ewes, per 111 ....51c1 to 61d
Perk carcases, 7s Od to 8s Od Wethers, d 0..... 7d to —d
Lamb, p 1b.......—d to —d Fat calves, d0...60 to 70.
Rough fat, 33d per lb.