The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-22 00:00:00

THE PETERHOFF.

The public have to be informed to-day of the most
unpleasant thing that has yet transpired in the pro-
ceedings to which the Peterhoff case has given rise.
A correspondence was published yesterday, showing
that the Post-office, after treating the parties who
had addressed them regarding the precautions to
be taken for the safety of any mails that might be
transmitted by the Sea Queen, a sister ship of
the Peterhoff, now about to sail for Matamoras,
with a certain amount of rudeness, had wound up
the affair by notifying that the suggestion that
a mail agent should be sent with the vessel
would not be acceded to, and that the mails
now on board might be taken out of her and handed
back to the Post-office authorities. To mercantile
minds the only object of this course seemed to be
that the Government, instead of affording any
protection to the vessel, might back out even from
the risk of having to make reclamations for the
mails in case she should meet with the fate of the
Peterhoff. Any outrage on our merchant ships is
of course aggravated, it it is accompanied by seizure
and detention of her Majesty's mails, and the with-
drawal of these mails would therefore so far smooth
the way for a continuance of the proceedings of Ad-
miral Wilkes that they would enable our Govern-
ment to exercise a degree of forbearance even
greater than that which has hitherto been shown.
But it was assumed that the determination was
merely departmental, and that it proceeded from
the Post-office prior to any decision having been
arrived at by Lord Russell. It will now be seen,
however, from the following letters, that the Bri-
tish Government have actually thought fit to pro-
pose that the Sea Queen and other vessels of the
steam line established to Matamoras should refuse
to carry mails, and that thus, at the sacrifice of a
privilege which is the undoubted right of our mer-
chants and of all who are interested in having the
advantage of a speedy means of communication with
Mexico, they—the Government—should be allowed
to meet or rather to evade the embarrassments of
the case, It was "by the recommendation of Lord
Russell" that the Postmaster-General gave the
answer published yesterday. If the precedent is
allowed to be established, we may have our ship
mail services interrupted all over the world, since
the same deference that is now shown to the United
States, in setting aside the convenience of our com-
mercial houses in order to reduce the danger of
having to remonstrate on the conduct of Admiral
Wilkes, must in fairness on future occasions be ex-
tended to all other nations. In the present instance
the result will be that the Federal squadron will
have to boast not only of putting a stop to British
trade with Mexico, except such as is sanctioned by
the certificates of their Minister in London, but they
have also gained the further advantage of intimi-
dating our Government, so as to restrict our means
of correspondence. If the affair admits of any other
view, the merchants of London will be heartily glad
to discover and accept it; but, in the absence of ex-
planation, the announcement appears to be one of
the most unsatisfactory that has ever emanated from
the Foreign-office, while, at the same time, from its
tendency to invite a repetition of arrogant bravado,
it will to a majority of experienced persons appear
especially calculated to lead the way to war:—

"FROM THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STEAM-SHIP
SEA QUEEN TO LORD RUSSELL.

"77, Cornhill, E.C., April 17.

" My Lord,—We had the honour of submitting to your
lordship yesterday our reason for soliciting the interference
of Her Majesty's Government to afford some protection for
the steamship Sea Queen, now lying at Falmouth, and de-
tained by the owners in consequence of the capture of the
Peterhoff. It is not necessary for ue to dilate on the ineon•
venience and loss arising to us merchants whose goods are
on board the Sea Queen by such detention and stoppage of
our legal trade. We, therefore, respectfully suggest to your
lordship that the presence of a mail agent on the vessel
would offer a guarantee to the Federal authorities that the
vessel would proceed to the port for which she was cleared,
and we earnestly solicit of your lordship the appointment of,
such an official, Should our request meet with the appro-1
bation of your lordship we are prepared ourselves to support,
any charges arising from such appointment
" We have the honour to remain, my Lord,
"Your Lordship's most obedient servants,
" JAMES I. BENNhTT AND W:elC:tffs,
" The Right Hon, Earl Russell, K.G., Her
Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
" Lord RUSSELL TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
STEAMSHIP SEA QEBEN.
" Foreign-office, April 18.
" Gentlemen,—l have laid before Earl Russell your letter
instructionsa may be
on board the
of yesterday's date, requestinghwaatil
gent
given for placing a Government t
Sea Queen, which is now at Falmouth, and I am directed
to state to you in reply that, at Lordßussoll's recommen.
d
ation, the Postmaster-General will for the present relieve
vessels proceeding to Matamoros frolu the obligation of
carrying ship letter mails.
"I am, gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servant,
OND
" Messrs. Bennett and Wake, 77 Co boll, E" E. HAM,"
•
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