The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-29 00:00:00

AN ALEXANDRA IN SAN FRANCISCO,

(From the limes Correspondent.)
SAN FRANCISCO, March 16.

The authorities seized a vessel in this port yester-
day, on the alit gation that she was about to engage
in privateering under the Confederate flag.
The vessel seized is an Am, rican schooner, called

the J. M. Chapman, which arrived in this port
several weeks ago from Valparaiso, with a cargo of
beans shipped at the latter port for the San Fran-
cisco market. Her captain sold her here to the
parties who have fitted her out. I am informed that
for some time back gunpowder algid other materials
of war have been shipped privately at. Sin Friincisco
and sent down the coast to a point, it is supposed, in
Lower California, where the J. M. Chapman intended
to take them on board, preparatory to her entering
upon her alleged career of privateering. As she is
a sailing vessel, and would not he likely to chase a
steamer with much prospect of success, it is sup-
posed the intention was to lie in wait for one of the
California steamers en route to Panama with tree-
eure, to capture the steamer, and to convert the
latter into a privateer or Confederate cruiser, and
then prey on the commerce of the Pacific Ocean
between San Francisco, Panama, &c.

It is not yet ascertained what character the J.
M. Chapman was to assume—whether that of a
Confederate cruiser, under a commission from the
Southern President, or that of a privateer under let-
ters of marque—the former most probably.
You will find it stated that any prizes to be taken
would be sent to Victoria, Vancouver Island, to be
"disposed of." This assertion is entirely gratuitous.
Victoria is the last place at which such property
could be disposed of—the most unlikely place,
within three days' steaming of an American man-
of-war from San Francisco, to carry prize pr perty
to. The assumption is grounded on a story (which
I contradicted some time back) that an effort had
been made to fit out a Confederate privateer in
Victoria. I have been informed to-day that mea-
sures have been in progress for nearly a year in
San Francisco to get up such an expedition as
would capture one or more of the treasure steamers,
and that the parties therein engaged put the story
of the " Victoria privateer" in circulation while they
were maturing their plans in San Francisco, with
the view of deceiving the authorities here and draw-
ing off their attention from the proceedings going
on at this port.
Notwithstanding the fuss made a
are of opinion
of the J. M. Chapman, most P:urffis°cnisent to condemn
that the evidence %ill not be
ever, p
without wait-
rbeovuetntthethseeizsuurce.
her. Her seizure will, however,
in future, I have no
cess of any
r°,nscoe'that its
teoeafrmapetartiee EUTOpe
ing doubt;for
the
ed I
regularssiemnidi this attempt
es.tt
publi-
cation may allay the fears
in-
terested in the Californian treasure shipments. That
the objfet of this vessel was to capture one of the
gun', and then
arm her with Dahlgren
no doubt of; but Ire-
steamers,
itsunobßchance of any such
pais-
attempt the capture of other American vessels, I
informed
tn o wthere r e c
pacmatt
fortune occurring by means of an expedition to be
fitted out in San Francisco.

ESCAPE OF TWO PASSENGER TRAINS.
NARROW
—On
soldier belonging
Frtday, between eight and
77th Regiment, stationed at Ti--
bury Fort, and who was drunk, went into the watchman's
box at the • to the
railway crossing on the Milton-road, and, with-
out provoostion whatever, struck the watchman (who is a
cripple) with his belt, inflicting a severe wound on the
Bide of his head. He then took possession of the box,
driving the watchman away. A police-constable, who had
been sent for, then came up and secured the man, while
the watchman immediately opened the crossing gates to
admit the trains (one up and the other down) which were
due. Had the constable not come up in time a serious ac-
cident must have happened, as the watchman was afraid
to go near the gates in consequence of the violence of the
soldier, He was taken to barracks by a military escort,
and will be brought before the magistrate to account for
his conduct.--Maidstone Journal.