The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-11 00:00:00

211 E TUSCARORA AND NASIIVITLE.

~_.Q,.

sour H AMPTON, FRIDAY.

No attempt has yet been made by the Nash vill
to " run the blockade" established in our waters for
her special behalf by the Federal war steamer Tus-
carora. Symptoms were manifested this morning
of an attempt to do so, but people who were antici-
pating some " fun," as they called it, were disap-
pointed of their sport. About 10 o'clock masses of
smoke pouring out from the Nashville's funnel
clearly betokened that her fires were lighted and
steam getting up, and the Tuscarora, which, as
stated yesterday, is moored in the stream, imme-
diately had full steam on, which was blowing off
from her steam pipe in volumes. A boat left the
latter vessel about 10 o'clock, and made her way
towards the dock entrance, as if reconnoitring,
and then hoisted sail and put back to the ship as
fast as possible. Whatever may be the reason of the
fires being lighted in the Nashville, certain it is
that as the morning advanced the smoke gradually
disappeared, no attempt was made to move her
from her berth, and at this time (6 p.m.) all things
remain as they were as regards the relative posi-
tions of the two vessels. Capt. Craven still remains
on board his ship, and has not yet come ashore.
It is reported that the celebrated Sumter, which
is stated to be armed with 12 guns and manned by
a crew of between 100 and 200 men, has left Cadiz
for this port.

A curious circumstance occurred in the docks
yesterday evening in reference to the two vessels
now watching each other's movements with anxious
eyes. It is stated by Mr. Philip Hedger, the dock-
master, that he had occe,sion to visit the graving
docks close to which the Nashville is lying, about
eight o'clock last evening, and on leaving them he
saw several persons standing on the pier between
the west and middle docks. He accosted them
and demanded to know to what ship they be-
longed. One of the party, who was an officer, said
to him, " Step on one side, and I will tell you."
Mr. Hedger did so, and he said, " We belong to
the Tuscarora, and are here on duty." He asked
by whose permission and authority, and the reply
was, "My captain's." The party consisted of two
,f6cers and three men. The officer in question said,
" We are here to watch the Nashville, and if she
attempts to get under way to signal the Tuscarora."
The dockmaster immediately desired them to leave
the Dock Company's premises, and said, " I con-
sider it most unofficer-like for you to come here with-
out permission, and I will not allow you to remain."
He then walked with them up to the entrance-gate
and desired the three men to go outside, where, at
the request of the officers, he held some further con-
versation with them, and told them he had full au-
thority to prevent their being there for non-com-
mercial purposes. He said further that the Docks
were the private property of individuals, and that
he, as their agent, must prevent the premises being
used for such a purpose. He said, " You are at
liberty to land from your ship, and embark in the
Docks, but I will not allow you to be stationed on
the Dock premises for the purpose of watching any
vessel." Mr. Hedger told the officers he would wait
in the Docks half an hour if they wished to commu-
nicate with the American Consul. Captain Britton
was communicated with, and came down to his
office, where he was met by Mr. Hedger, who re-
peated to him that he would not allow the officers
and men to remain upon the Dock premises at night.
In the conversation which followed he told the
officers and the Consul that they had no right to
be on the premises without permission, and said
that the Consul had an opportunity of consulting
him in this respect when he was in his office between
5 and 6 o'clock that evening. He also informed
them that the Nashville would not attempt to leave
the dock that night, as if she did he would have to
stop her himself, for the Dock Company's purposes.
He had a long conversation with Captain Britton,
who emphatically expressed his opinion that the
Tuscarora people had a right to be on the Dock
premises as long as they behaved themselves. The
dockmaster disputed this, and repeated his deter-
mination to prevent a repetition of this conduct on
the part of the Tuscarora's crew. Mr. Hedger
states that on leaving the Consul's office he said to
theofficers, "If I have been warm in expressing
myself to you, and have in any way offended you
by my expressions, I am sorry for it," and then,
shaking hands with them, took his leave. Mr.
Hedger says that the officer with whom he mostly
conversed had side arms on, and that the men had
a dark lark lantern with them.
Subsequently to the transaction above narrated—
viz., about half-past 9 o'clock, the policeman on
duty saw a man go down the jetty on the south
side of the dock, and stop under the crane. On
interrogating him he said, after some hesitation,
that he was watching the Nashville, and employed
by the American Consul. The policeman toek him
back to the gate and saw him out of the dock. He
was afterwards brought back by a\messenger from
the consul's office, who said that the man was em-
ployed by the Consul to watch theship. The police-
man told him that this was contrary to his orders,
anal would not let him go into the dock. About
half-past ten the two officers and three men above
referred to, with the messenger and two boatmen,
came into the dockyard and were allowed to em-
bark, and the boat was watched out of the dock and
well down the river.

The facts of tLe case have been reported by Mr.
Hedger to day in the following letter, addressed to
Capt. Patey, R.N., the Admiralty superintendent
at this port :

"Dock-house, Southampton, Jan. 10.
" Sir,---1 beg to state, for your information, that at about
8 p.m. yesterday, on my visiting the south side of the docks,
I discovered several persons under the graving dock fence
on the pier, between our west and middle docks, who ap-
peared to be strangers. I demanded to know to what ship
they belonged, when one of the party, an officer, replied,
Tuscarora.' I demanded to know their right or authority
for being on the premises at night, and in reply was in-
formed that they were stationed there by the captain's
orders to watch the steamer Nashville, and if she attempted
to get under way they were to make a signal to their ship
lying in the stream. I immediately informed him that
they had no right to be on these premises for such a pur-
pose, and they instantly removed. I then walked with them
to the gates, and put them off the premises.
"The party consisted of three men and two officers. One
of the officers had his side-arms on, and the men had a dark
lan tern.

"I afterwards saw Captain Britten, the Unitel States'
Consul, and informed him that, although I should afford
every facility during the day to the officers of the Tug.
carora to land and embark in the Docks, still I would not
allow any of the officers or men to be stationed here for the
purpose of watching the Nashville. I further stated that
these were commercial Docks, and that I should not admit
of the premises being used for other purposes by the Tusca-
rora. At 10 30 p.m. the officers and men applied at the
gates for admission to embark in a waterman's boat for
their ships, which was immediately allowed. I am, sir,
your obedient servant,

"PHILIP HEDGER, Superintendent.
" Captain Patey, R.N., Admiralty-

office, Southampton."

IRISH SECRET SOCIETIES.--Frotri various sources
we learn that agents, employed for the purpose, are going
through the country, swearing in young men in a brother-
hood for some political and illegal object. Cne correspon-
dent says,— " The oaths are of a desperate and treasonable
character." His Grace the most Rev. Dr. Cullen has re-
peatedly and reuntly denounced all such societies; and the
Catholic hierarchy and clergy are constantly warning the
people against any connection with them. It is stated that
the authorities are now in possession of the names of some
of the persons:who had the folly and criminality to become
members of a secret confederacy, and the fact ought to ope-
rate as a timely warning to innocent people who might be
entrapped in ignorance of the consequences.—Dublin Even-
ing Post.

The following is extracted from a letter dated
Nice, Jan, 7 :—" We have (,nite a spring here compared to
Paris or London. Everything is green, and thousands of
orange trees are covered with fruit; the roses, violettes do
Parme, and other flowers are in full bloom; not omitting
that we have green peas growing in all the gardens. Even
now at the commencement of January many persons bathe
in the sea, and among others Prince Oscar of Sweden. In
the public gardens there is music three times a week, where
you see sitting hundreds of all nations, English, Russians,
Swedes, &c., a veritable Babylonia "

In a wealthy family of Vienna the husband made
his wife a new year's gift of a dozen pairs of gloves. In-
dignant at such stinginess, the lady, as soon as her hus-
band's back was turned, flung the gloves into the fire.
Explanations ensued at table, and what was the irascible
lady's astonishment on learning that each pair of gloves
was wrapt up in a bank note for 100 florins.