The Sun.
London, England, 1837-02-07 00:00:00

SEIZURE of the VIXEN by RUSSIA.

Sir,—We arrived openly and without any disguise on this
coast, on Thursday last, in prosecution of a voyage under-
taken, and in every respect conducted according to the mari-
time laws of Great Britain and the general usages of trade ;
and our British-built and British-registered schooner the Vixen,
of London, was, in prosecution of our undertaking, at anchor
in the Bay of Toujak-kaleh, on Sunday last, when the Ajax,
Captain Woulfe, acting, as we understand, under your Ex-
cellency's orders, came alongside, and her captain, under plea
of our having contravened a blockade of these coasts, esta-
blished by the Emperor of Russia, ordered us to quit our an-
chorage, and follow him to Ghilendjik ; and in proof of his
determination to enforce these orders, had the guns of his
broadside run out and pointed towards the Vixen, and his
men beat to quarters. Being in no condition to offer resist-
tance, we complied with his requisitions, and on our arrival
here we find still further %iolation of our rights as British sub-
jects perpetrated against us. Our ship's papers and Mr. Bell's
passport have been taken possession of, ourselves kept apart,
and subjected to degrading examinations, as if we were con-
trabandists, and finally informed that we shall not be permitted
to complete our voyage, but must proceed Linder escort of the
Ajax to Sevastopol. And the only plea that has been put
forth by your Excellency, and those acting under your orders
for the constraint we have.suffered, and the threats of violence
offered us, is the aforementioned blockade of these coasts by
the Emperor of Russia.
" We beg to inform your Excellency that no such blockade,
nor any other regulation to prevent our voyage, was published
ia-the Government Gazettes of Great Britain previously to
the 4th of September last, at which time Mr. Bell left London,
and the only answer returned by our Government when applied
to, was a reference to the Gazettes as the rule of conduct for
British merchants in such cases. We felt, therefore, "justified
in concluding either that no blockade nor other impediment to
the trade -of this coast existed, or that they were not recog-
nised or intended to be recognised by our Government. Our
conviction in this latter respect remains unaltered. We there-
fore protest against all concerned in the infringement of our
rights as British subjects, which we have suffered, and are still
suffering, under the commands of your Excellency. We with-
hold all consent to interruption in the completion of our
voyage; and if such interruption be still enforced against us,
we beg hereby to give notice to your Excellency, that we
abandon all charge of the Vixen, and the property embarked
in her, and request your Excellency to afford us, and those
embarked with us, as soon as possible an opportunity of re-
turning home, that we may lay our case before the Govern-
ment of Great Britain.

" We have the honour to be, &c., •
" T. BELL, Merchant.
" T. CHILD S, Master.
" To his Excellency Admiral Esrnente,
Commanding at Ghilendjik.
" Ghilendjik, 2d December, 1836."
" Admiral Lazaretrs letter to Captain Childs, in answer to
the latter's request to be supplied with prbvisions for his crew,
and with funds for the daily expenses of the vessel, contains
an admission as to the position of the inhabitants of Circassia
with respect to Russia so much in contradiction with the
statements made to Europe by her cabinet when naming
this province one incorporce a popetuite a l'Enapire, that
I feel it my duty to place this precious document in your pos-
session.

" Nikolaoff, October 24, 1836.
" Sir,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
the 20th instant, together with some other letters for Messrs.
Polden and Morton, and the British Consul at Odessa, which
as they were unsealed and containing such documents as will
prove that the Vixen was employed upon a blockaded coast
in an unlawful trade with the enemies of this country, I
thought it necessary to send them all by the post of last
Friday to St. Fetersburgh, requesting that after perusing
them they would be sealed and sent off according to their
addresses.

" I ani sorry for the occasion of the Vixen being detained,
and quite agree with you, that; perhaps yourself did not know
anything of the Circassian coast being blockaded ; but Mr.
Bell could not have been ignorant of this after visiting the
British Ambassador, at Therapia, twice, before he sailed with
the intention of carrying his trade on a blockaded coast.
" As for your funds being very low, and the small remainder
of provisions on board, I believe Mr. Bell, who was the prin-
cipal cause of the detention of the schooner, must supply you
with the one and the other till I receive a decisive answer from
St. Petersburgh ; otherwise, as Mr. Bell is already in corre-
spondence with the British Consul at Odessa, you can write to
him for your wants. But in case you should be refused by the
one and other, and the crew (which must be quite innocent in
the cause) will be in want of provisions, I have given the
necessary orders to issue such provisions, according to the
allowances established in our navy, so soon as those now on
board the Vixen will be expended.
" I remain your most obedient servant,
"-M. LAZAREFF.
" To Captain Childs, of the schooner Vixen, Swartopol."

DINNER TO MESSRS. DUNCOMBE
AND WAKLEY, M.Ps. FOR FINSBURY.

For the last two months it has been the intention of
the leading Reformers of the borough of Finsbury to in.
vito their two Members to a public dinner, and to make the
occasion an union of all classes of Reformers, and a pledge of
cordial and active co-operation. This was to have taken place
before the meeting of Parliament, but the great Middlesex
Dinner having been fixed for the 23d ult., it was deemed more
prudent to defer it for a short time. At the meeting of the
Finsbury Reform Club last night, it was resolved that a dinner
be given to Messrs. Duncombe and Wakley, at such time in
the month of March as may be deemed expedient. A Com-
mittee was formed to make the necessary arrangements, and
there is no doubt that the constituency of Finsbury will unite
with zeal and alacrity to honour their two excellent representa-
tives, and to convince the Tories that all their hopes of divi-
sion among the Reformers of that borough are vain.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, Fin. 6.

ETTY Y. JACKSON.

In this case, which was not concluded yesterday when our
Reporter quitted the Court, the Jury returned a verdict for the
pluintiff—damages, 3001.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, FRR. 6.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. GREENLAND.

This-was an information to rece;ei:FrOMihe-defendant the
legal penalties for being concerned in the unshipping of cer-
tain spirits without payment of duty, and knowingly harbour-
ing and concealing them. The amount of penalties sought to
be recovered was 525/., being three times the amount of the
duty upon 35 tubs of brandy, containing 159 gallons. The
spirits in question were seized by the Custom• house officers,
on the 7th of February last,• in a stable near the Steam-packet
Tavern, at Grimsby, in Lincoln.—Verdict for the Crown for
the penalties claimed.