The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-20 00:00:00

TEE BLO' KING-UP OF CILARLIS7 0 AT.

The follO\Nlitig correspondence has passed between
the Liverpool Shipowners' Association and the
Foreign-Office:—
" Shipowners' Association, Liverpool, Jan. 13.
"My Lord—lt has come to the knowledge of the
Liverpool Shipowners' Association, through trio
public prints, that the Federal Government of trio
United States have sunk a stone squadron in the
main channel of Charleston harbour. This pro-
ceeding cannot fail seriously and permanently to
injure the entrance to that harbour. The Associa-
tion fears that, unless strong representations And
remonstrances arc promptly made, a similar course
maybe immediately followed in the case of the other
harbours of the Confederate States. The Assceia-
tion does not think it necessary to dwell at length
on the importance of this question, as affecting the
general interests of commerce, but feels called upon
as representing an important interest, to adclicSs
your Lordship on the subject. I am, therefore, in-
structed by the association respectfully to press
this matter on your lordship's earnest consitioil.
tion.-1 have the honour to be, my Lord, your
L'oidship'S most ot.eclient laninble servant,

"FRANCIS A. CLINT; Chairman.
" To the Right Hon. Earl Russell,
' Foreign-offi'ee, London."

" Foreign-office, Jan. 15.
" Sir,--I am directed by'Earl Russell to acknow-
ledge the receipt 'of the letter on behalf of the
Liverpool Shipowners' Association, you addresed to
him on the 13th inst., calling his attention to tho
course which the Federal Government of the United
states have adopted for closing the main channel of
Charleston harbour by sinking there vessels laden
with stone, and expressing the fear of the Associa-
tion that unless strong representations and remon-
strances ere promptly made a similar course may
be immediately followed in the case of the other
harbours of the Confederate States. I am to re-
quest that you will state to the Liverpool Ship-
owners' Association that the attention of her Ma.
jesty's Government was at once attracted by the
rumours which obtained currency some weeks ago
of such a course as that to which you refer being
contemplated by the Government of the United
States, and on the 20th of December her Majesty's
Minister at Washington was informed of the view
of it by her Majesty's Government. Lord Lyons
was told that such a cruel plan would seem to imply
despair of the restoration of the Union, the pro-
fessed object of the war—for it never could be the
wish of the United States' Government to destroy
cities from which their own country was to derive
a portion of its riches and prosperity. Such a plan
could only be adopted as a measure of revenge and
irremediable injury against an enemy. Lord Lyons
was further told that even as a scheme of embit-
tered and sanguinary war such a measure would
not be justifiable. It would be a plot against the
commerce of all maritime nations, and against the
free intercourse of the Southern States of America
with the civilised world. Lord Lyons was desired
to speak in this sense to Mr. Seward, who, it was
hoped, would disavow the illegal project. Now,
however, that the project seems to have been car-
ried into effect at Charleston, Lord Lyons will be
instracted to make a further representation to Mr.
Seward, with a view to prevent similar acts of de-
struction in other ports.—l am, sir, your most obe-
dient servant, " E. HAMMOND.
F. A. Clint, Esq., Sec."