The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-09 00:00:00

Shipbuilding for the Confederates.

The following memorial from the Union and
Emancipation Society, on the subject of British
shipbuilding for the Southern Confederacy, has
been forwarded to the Foreign-office by the presi-
dent, Mr. Thomas B. Potter, of Manchester:—

" To THE RIGHT HON. EARL RUSSELL, HER MAJESTY'S
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
"The memorial of the executive committee of the
Union and Emancipation Society humbly
showeth,—

" That, in the month of March last, your memo-
rialists brought the subject of suipbuilding for the
so-called Confederate States of America under the
notice of your lordship.

" That your memorialists feel called upon, as loyal
British subjects, having regard to the honour and
best interests of their country, again to implore
your lordship's earnest attention to a matter of the
most grave and pressing importance—the building
of vessels of war in British dockyards intended to
prey upon the peaceful commerce of a friendly
nation, with whose citizens and Government we
desire to remain on terms of amity and good will:
" That your memorialists hailed with hopeful
satisfaction the steps taken by her Majesty's Minis-
ters, in the case of the Alexandra, to put a stop to
these dangerous proceedings, believing that such
action would deter the offending parties and others
from their reckless course, at least whilst the case
was pending final decision.
" That your memorialists have been informed
that on Saturday last, the 29th of August, a
powerful iron-clad steam Ram' was launched
from the building yard of Messrs. Laird, at Birken-
head—that a companion war vessel of similar
construction was launched by the same firm a
few weeks since, and that both vessels are now
fitting out in the graving docks, and are nearly
reedy for sea. That the circumstances under which
these vessels have been built and launched, together
with the open declaration of Mr. Laird on the
subject of shipbuilding for the so-called Con-
federate States of America, have created a strong
conviction in the public mind that such vessels are
intended for the use of the said Confederacy. Ano-
ther iron-plated war-vessel, your memorialists are
informed, is being completed in the Clyde, destined
for the same illegal service and purpose.
" In view of the proceedings already taken by her
Majesty's Government to vindicate our national
good faith and the power of British law to suppress
these illegal and dangerous practices, your memo-
rialists cannot doubt but that your lordship will
take immediately the necessary steps to detain these
iron-clad steamvessels, until full investigations have
been made respecting their destination.

" Your memorialists venture to say, that should
these iron-clad warships be allowed to go to sea,
and should they eventually be employed either to
break the Federal blockade or prey upon American
commerce, the peace now happily existing between
this country and the United States will be seriously
jeopardised.

" Your memorialists are also convinced that if
the course which the builders of these ships are pur-
suing can be continued with impunity, a most dan-
gerous precedent will be established, which may be
hereafter used against the commerce of this country
should we ever be involved in a foreign war.
May it therefore please your lordship to order
a prompt investigation into the matters referred
to, and bring the law to bear with vigour to prevent
all such hostile acts against a friendly Power. ,
"And your memorialists will ever pray. signed
on behalf and by order of the Executive.
"THOMAS BAYLEY POTTER, President'"

A POACHER DROWNED.—On Sunday morning
last a man was drowned in the river Derwent,
while endeavouring to escape from the river watchers. It
appears that about one o'clock in the morning, three men,
namely, Harrison Walker, Daniel Banks, and David Camp-
bell, all coal miners at Great Clifton, were engaged in
poaching fish in the river. Being surprised by the watchers,
they endeavoured to make their escape by crossing the
so
river, which was much swollen at the
but the t time by
hird recent rains. ,
Harrison
Two of them succeeded in doing ,
Walker, was taken down by the current and drowned.
Purouastd;
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—A Share in a lucrative manufac-
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according to the proportion of share 1,
Apply to the rest-
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