The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-29 00:00:00

The Seizure of the Barque Science by the

Federals.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—We beg to enclose for your information
copy of a letter received by the owner of the barque
Science, from the captain, relative to the seizure of
that vessel by the Federals, at Matamoras.—We
are, Sir, yours respectfully,
JAMES T. BENNET and WAKE.
77, Cornhill, Dec. 28.

New Orleans, Nov. 28, 1863.

Dear Sir,—l expect the news of our seizure by the
Americans has arrived home before this; but this is the
first opportunity I have to write you since our arrival here,
and in fact since I wrote you from Matamoros per the
Labuan.

I will now endeavour to give you some idea of our pre-
sent situation. We did not complete the discharge of out-
ward cargo until the 23d of October, and on the sth Novem-
ber we had on board all bales of cotton and about 30 cwt.
of copper, and had been three days on demurrage. We
wanted about 200 bales more of cotton, and should in all
probability have sailed for Liverpool in about a fortnight
or so. The weather was sometimes such that lighters did
not pass the bar for ten days at a time, and as the season
advanced it would have been worse.

On the sth Nov., at 10 a.m., the captain of the United
States gunboat Virginia came on board and demanded to see
my papers, log-books, cargo-books, and in fece every docu-
ment that was on board the ship. After examining them he
told me ho should detain the Science for having brought con-
traband of war ; he retained my papers, but gave me a re-
ceipt for them. I then told him we had brought no contra-
band of war; that the whole of our cargo was landed in a
Mexican port, and that I protested against his detaining the
ship, and should hold him, together with his government,
responsible for all losses that might arise through his de-
tention of my ship. Ho then returned to his ship, leaving
an officer in charge, and about noon, same day, he sent
on board four armed men, and removed six of the crew of
the Science to the Virginia, leaving me, the mate, cook, and
one o. a. The next day, the bar being passable, I asked him
to allow me to go on shore, which he granted, and I went.
On getting on shore I found that the communication to
Matamoras was interrupted, the governor that morning had
been shot, and the city had changed their rulers, so that I
could not see the consul. However, I saw my consignee,
who gave me a letter for Captain Brown, of the Virginia, in
which he stated that he was the consignee of the Science,
and the sole owner of her outward cargo; that he had
brought no contraband, and what sho had brought, as could
be proved by the Mexican authorities, was still in store at
Matamoras, and that the United States consul at Matamo-
ras, or any person appointed by him were quite at liberty to
inspect the cargo of the Science at any time they wished,
and satisfy themselves that it was nothing but what was
represented. He also stated that the cotton on board the
Science was the property of Mexican merchants, and had
passed through the MexicanCuatom-house, paying the usual
export dues; that the United States consul at Matamoras
had granted certificates bearing the consular seal to that
effect, and in fact that Captain Brown, of the Virginia, had
no right to detain the Science, and that he should hold him,
together with his Government, responsible for all losses that
might arise through the detention of the ship.

He, after reading this letter, and hearing all I had to say,
replied that he was determined on sending the Science to
New Orleans, together with the brigs Volant and Dashing
Wave, and schooner Matamoras, all British, captured and
detained on the same day. Nothing further occurred until
the 11th, when he sent the remainder of his prize crew on
board, and on the 12th we sailed for this place, where we
arrived on the 25th, having been detained several days in
the river for steam. Immediately on our arrival here I
was allowed to go and see the consul, and brought before
the prize commissioner, who put to me on oath
43 questions. I thoaght it best to answer them, and did so
to the extent of my knowledge, when I was told I could go
where I liked, and that I, together with the remainder of
the crew, which were still on board, must quit the ship—.
where we went was no business of theirs, we might starve
if we liked.

I, together with the crow, then went to the consul, who
sent the crew to a place (boarding house), and I, with the
captain of the Volant, of Jersey, are staying in the house of
a widow woman, with whose family wo take our meals.

Yesterday I saw the consul, who recommended me to go
and engage Mr. Briggs, an English lawyer here, a very
able man (so he says), to take up our case, and defend it in
the Prize Court. I did so, tnd noted my protest, which will
be forwarded to Lord Lyons at Washington.
I do not think there is a chance of their being able to
condemn the ship, and the greatest difficulty will be to be
able to make them pay damages ; it will, I expect, become
another affair for the Government to take up. The expenses
here will be heavy, without possibility of avoiding them,
and I hope I shall be considered by the owners of the
Science to have done right in anything I may have to do.
To await instructions from you from England would not
answer, as the case may be finished before they could arrive
here.

To obtain money I shall require a letter of credit, I ex-
pect. it you think it well to send me one you will no doub t
do so. _ _ _

I need not say how sorry lam this affair should have
taken place; but the absence of an English man of war
enables the Yankees to annoy the English or other neutral
vessels as much as they please, as the trade to Matamoras
is an eyesore to thew, and they want to, make it so that