The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-27 00:00:00

YANKEE BLOCKADE OF THE ISLAND
OF BERMUDA.

TO THE EDITOR OE THE sUN.
SIR,—I arrived at this port yesterday from St.
George's, Bermuda, and, as the Bermuda mail has
not yet arrived, I take the liberty to trouble you
with a short statement. The island has been strictly
blockaded by a Federal squadron under Admiral
Wilkes (the notorious Wilkes) since the 27th of
September, on which day he entered the harbour in
the Nagassit, accompanied by the gunboat Tioga,
leaving another gunboat, the Sonoma, to keep guard
at the entrance of the harbour, and, under pretence
of coaling and repairs, remained at anchor till the
2d of October, on which day he left the harbour
with the Tioga, and the Sonoma entered and com-
menced coaling, and left on the sth of October. The
three vessels had been in sight up to the date of my
leaving (Oct. 7), cruising about four miles from the
land, and at night anchoring in the fairway of the
channel leading to St. George's, so that it was im-
possible any vessel could get either in or out. On
the morning of the sth the Royal Mail steamer Mer.
lin was fired at and brought to, when, by the state-
ment of the pilot, within three miles of the land. I
left the harbour on the 7th, at 4 p.m., in the steam-
ship Gladiator, and when between three and four
miles from the land was hailed by the Sonoma and
ordered to heave to, which I did. I was then ordered
on board ; I refused to go, on which I saw the
covers of her guns taken off, and on looking through
the ports I could see the men at quarters. Shortly
after a boat came alongside with an officer, who, on
stepping on deck, demanded to see the papers, which
I showed to him, and he took a copy of the manias
fest. He then ordered me to remain hove to until
he had communicated with his commander, and if
I was to proceed he would waive his handkerchief,
which he did shortly after, and I proceeded on my
voyage. The coaling must have been a mere pro-
tence, as the squadron was only four days from
Fortress Monroe, and the qnantity of coal taken on
board by the three vessels was not sufficient to coal
one had it really needed them. In conclusion I have
to observe that the only British man-of-war at Ber-
muda is the Desperate.—l remain, sir, your very
obedient servant,

ALEX. HORA, commanding
steamship Gladiator.

Liverpool, Oct, 23.

MR. R. P. COLLIER, M.P., AND MR. W
MORRISON, M.P., ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

A densely-crowded and enthusiastic meeting wag
held at the Mechanics' Institute, Plymouth, on Fri-
day evening, D. Derry, Esq., in the chair, at which
Messrs. Collier and Morrison, the two Liberal menr
bers for the town, addressed their constituents on
the topics of the day.

Mr. COLLIER commenced by defending the House
of Commons from the charge of having a session of
culpable inactivity. While storms were necessary
to clear the political air, there must also be from
time to time intervals of repose. There had been a
lull in party conflicts, partly out of consideration
) for the Queen in her deep affliction, partly because
there had been a general approval of the foreign pe'
licy of her Majesty's Government, and in the third
place, because a good part of the Conservatives dis-
like and distrust their own leaders in the House of
Commons, and prefer Lord Palmerston to Mr. Dis-
raeli. (Cheers.) Having spoken of the necessity
for the fortification scheme, at least in part, Mr.
Collier directed attention to the American war. Ile
said—The American Union is a matter of history ;
believe it cannot be restored, I believe the South
to have been originally in the wrong; that it had
not sufficient reason to break the Federal compact'
But it does not follow that because the North had
some ground of complaint that it should necessarily
have gone to war, and if they went to war, accord'
ing to the law of nations, that the war should have
assumed its present vindictive character. If the
secession of the South had been caused by a 1111-
nority overriding the sentiments of the mak rity ;
if there had been, as was supposed, strong Union
sentiments in the Southern states, which the
declaration of war would bring forth, we might
then say that the war was just, and possibly that
it was politic. But events have shown that
there was no Union sentiment in the South ; at
all events, if there was once, there is not nosy
(Cheers.) The South are determined as one man
to assert their independence. 1 would put it to the
Federals, that, even granting their argument that
they are fighting for the Union, is it worth 5°
much treasure and so much blood ? whether at such
a fearful sum of human sacrifice the Union itsell,
would not be too dearly purchased ? (Cheers.) After
speaking of the patience of the Lancashire °peril.
tives and the seizure of Messrs. Slidell and Mas°ll'
Mr. Collier resumed—l have already said that Id°
not think intervention would be a benefit, but the
opposite; but an important question arises, whether
it is the duty of this country to recognise the Solt'
,'
as an independent country. In determining Oil
we must be guided by questions of international
law, and the principle of that law must guide ugto
not whether we approve of or sympathise with tb,
•EP conduct of North or South. We have recoglis,
the South as belligerents, when are we to recognie;
them as an independent nation ? I say when theJt
have shown that they are a free and independe,
nation, and are able to govern themselves, to 10:o
o
tect their territory from aggression, and to be au4o
to do this not temporarily but permanently. (La 0,
cheers.) Passing to Prussian politics, the Oia
gentleman said—The Commons of Prussia have
no respect exceeded their functions. They gape
simply ventured to disapprove of the King'sclgeV
-h u
—their undoubted right—and the King there°
re
openly declares his intention of governing tbe,
country without them, and without reserve vies
late the constitution. Gentlemen, there were ti°3es
when experiments of this sort cost kings their 110(111;
lam happy to say that these times are past. ill
I trust that the times are not past, and never w •r
be past, when such experiments cost kings thel
crowns. bt
Mr. W. MORRISON, M.P., in a lengthy -r
eein
generally endorsed the views of his colleague..
reference to the recognition of the South, the o°n
~0
gentleman said we should have been utterly Rios
to have been forced into intervention or rfeustr'
re i
nition by any question of expediency or
for cotton. There was no reason for precipw'
nt
just now, but whenever her Majesty's G
thisfr C
chose to break their reserve, and admitinneevi
Confederacy into the family of nations, they should
have his hearty support.
Avoteof
confidence in the hon. gentleman closed
the proceedings.

world,blu have
a v present
d th being
The following with regard to the Rheea grasSt
to which attention has been called at Manrciciocuheitareynsltbfrt:aacrsnodta:losnoutitiobi'
stituto for cotton, is from a correspondent of much expo'
rience as to the quality and value of fibres :—.“ sir,—T ee•
close you, for your own satisfaction, a sample of the Or°
alluded to in the Manchester Trade Report in the Ore':
of this day ; it is produced from the 'rhea of Assao,
IJrtica Tenneessioaa. It also comes from India and Olio fl.
there was any n
as the "Urtica Nivea. In fact, the T.Trticac or ' nettle,' 1:
I send you,3s. 6d.see
many years, as it is valuable on urged
seown me quite aPa 3
a taenudirtis onite eefeterts,
these.mtosheeteFrat
fiapwarbrollvmsede uwrficycbooerrtsdettmhsua illllllhno,aavnatvehldertehbtsesheetufeongtrehe; for
selling it as fast as it arrives, in the raw state, at I.o‘' ;
L1b9.2,
apserattaetned;
atso i‘thiaant
ethheesteexrp,
more
at the
ropes, Without attempting be worth muchas at any time it wea,_
wrelctked,
or Juncacea ot a res",
yoons,
eso.f geTthtiinsgisint at
r:d,:liPoelaci
Glaucust th
Himalayas;
but ough both are found in abu a
ira
the rush is used for matting_
that
to extract what little fibre tr
may be in it ; the other is used principally for its fibre.'
appears that a cargo of petroleum has
and afterwards burnt off Liverpool, the tfilubvielle:
from 1- •
winch was very offensive over all the town. Ac° pt
respendent remarks in relation to it, " I think it importa a
to notice that this cargo of 3,000 barrels was Canadiall,el/
therefore sulphureous. Pennsylvanian oil is no t suiPliar
reous, and therefore not more offensive than turPentille„°o
similar products. Pennsylvanian is saleable at
£lB t
Pa 'l,l4'io
per ton ; Canadian is quoted £ll to 131 b, but the
generally do not appreciate the difference."
More rain fell in Western Australia in
July 0131,d
August last than within the same period for the last tbiq
years. The damage it did to bridges, &c,, was estimate
at £20,000.
Importing Tea without colour on the leaf Pr,_o
vents the Chinese passing off inferior leaves as in. l'e-
usual kinds. Horniman's Tea is uncoloured, therefore,
always good alike. Sold in packets by 2,2Bo..Agente