The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-29 00:00:00

THE WAR IN MEXICO.

Admiralty, April 28, 1847.
Sir,—l am commanded by my Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty to send you herewith, for the informa-
tion of the committee for managing the affairs of Lloyd's,
copies of a letter and its inclosures, from Commander
Matson, of her Majesty's ship Daring, dated the 10th of
March last (No. 2), containing a correspondence which
had taken place between himself and Commodore
Connor, commanding the United States naval forces off
Vera Cruz, respecting the embarkation of British pro-
perty from that place.—l am, Sir, your most obedient
humble servant,

(Signed) J. G. WARD.
W. Dobson, Esq., Lloyd's.
Cruz, 11 z, March 10, 1847.
Sir,—ll;alLS
vet.hDe ahroiCnEVr7troNa° 2
enclose Copies of a cor-
respondence that I have had with Commodore Connor,
commanding the United States blockading forces, re-
specting the embarkation of British property from Vera
Cruz, and also extracts from private notes which passed
between us on that occasion,
I have ordered the Hermes to remain at anchor off
the town for the purpose of embarking such British
persons, with their valuable property, as might be
desirous of seeking refuge on board.
On the receipt of the Commodore's letter I directed
her to receive cochineal, and she has now on board all
that was bona fide British property.
The Consul for the Hanseatic Towns requested to be
permitted to take refuge, with his family, on board one
of her Majesty's vessels, which request I immediately
acceded to, and also that of the Prussian Consul to
receive the subjects of his nation and their families.
There are now on board the Daring and Hermes
about fifty persons, principally women and children, who
fled from Vera Cruz on the approach of the United
States besieging forces.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) 11. MATSON, Commander and
Senior Officer.
The Commodore commanding her Majesty's
ships at Jamaica.
(Copy.)
Extract from Commander Watson's note to Commodore
Conner, dated Feb. 27, 1847.
We all know that, according to the strict laws of war,
there is no such thing as neutral property in an enemy's
country, but this severe law has, in this more en-
lightened age of civilization, undergone many modifica-
tions; and there surely can be no two nations whose
interest it more is to modify that law than America and
England, whose enterprising merchants are to be found
in every quarter of the globe.
This induces me to think that you will not hesitate to
comply with my request, the more so as I know your
own personal desire to act on the most liberal principles
with respect to foreigners.

Extract from Commodore Connor's note to Commander
Watson, dated March 1, 1847.
Some matters that required my immdiate attention,
prevented my replying to your official note of the 27th
ult. Besides my desire to oblige you on any matter of
this sort, the eloquent manner in which the question has
been urged by you, would alone secure its favourable
consideration. In the course of tomorrow, or next
day, I will return an answer to your official note.

(Copy.)
H.B.M. sloop Daring, Vera Cruz, Feb. 26, 1847.
Sir,—ln the expectation of an attack on the town of
Vera Cruz by the United States forces, I have received
applications from a number of British subjects, for per-
mission to embark their property on board of her Ma-
jest's vessels under my orders ; but as part of that pro-
perty consists of merchandise, I have not felt myself
justified in complying with their requests, without having
obtained your sanction.
I believe that the only article of merchandise for which
permission is requested to embark, and which, in fact,
is the only one that, under the present circumstances,
could be received on board one of her Majesty's ships,
is a quantity of cochineal, which, although small in
bulk, is very valuable, and which, during the late
blockade by the French, was allowed to be exported in
the same manner as spice.
Many British subjects are now desirous of removing
from Vera Cruz, but they are, of course, loth to leave
their most valuable property behind them, which, in a
besieged town, would necessarily be very insecure ; in-
deed, if taken by bombardment or assault, it would, in
all probability, be destroyed. The rabble of a besieged
town such as Vera Cruz would seek any opportunity for
plunder, and might, in the end, be easily excited to de-
stroy the property of all foreigners. If taken by assault,
or after a protracted siege, no private property would be
safe. History too truly verifies this assertion.
In now appealing in behalf of some of my country.
men in this place, I do not ask you to alter permanently
any of the regulations or instructions that you have
established respecting the blockade. I only ask you to
allow them to remove their valuables from Vera Cruz,
to save them from destruction, by the flames or
otherwise.
I do not, Sir, expect you to inform me whether their
apprehensions of an immediate attack on this place are,
or are not well founded; but, looking to the extensive
preparations that are being made in the United States
to prosecute the war, it is surely not unreasonable for
them to suppose that Vera Cruz will ere long have to
withstand the horrors of a siege.—I have, &c.,
(Signed) HENRY MATSON, Commandan
Senior Officer.
Commodore Conner, Commander-in-Chief,
United States Squadron.