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

THE CONFEDERATE, SHIPS.

The following letter was prevented, c,n a point of form,
from being read by Mr. Cobden in the house yesterday :
Washington, Navy Departmen.t, May 19, 1863.
Dear Sir,—You invite my attention to .the speech of Mr.
John Laird delivered in the British House of Commons on
the 27th of March, in which he represents that' the Secretary
of the Navy made application to him, through an agent or
agents, to build vess, ls for the Government of the United
States. Mr. Laird remarks :

" Now, I will go a step further about the Northern
States. In 1861, just after the war broke out, a friend of
mine, whom I have known 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 inquiries,"&c..
It is not improbable that Mr. Laird and his friend may
have interchanged views on the 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
vessel for this government was ever made to that gentle-
man directly or indirectly by himself or by any agent a
the Navy Department. No person or persons have been
employed by me as agent or agents, or been authorised by
the Navy Department or by the American Government, to
make application to Mr. Laird, or to the firm of which he
is a member, or to any other person or firm abroad, to
build a vessel or vessels for the government 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 I 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 business 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.

EXETER—FRIDAY.
Wheat, white.. 6s 3d to 6s 4d I Barley. 3s 6d to 4s 31
Ditto red. Gs Od to 6s 3d I Oats ..
Flour, fine, 35s to 36s ; seconds,.34s to —s per sack.
CATTLE.

I
Fat beef, p sc., 10s0d to 11s6d EWes, per lb .... 51d to 60
Pork carcases, 7s Od to 8s Od Wethers, d 0..... . 7d to —d
Lamb, p 1b.......—d to —d Fat calves, d0...61d to 7d.
Rough fat, 34d per lb.