The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-24 00:00:00

THE MASON-SLIDELL AFFAIR.

TUE PROTEST OF I.IIE CAPTURED COM-
Mh'_,SIONERS.
United States' steamer San Jacinto,
at sea, Nov. 9, 1861.
Captain Wilkes, U.S.N., commanding the San Jacinto :
Sir,—We desire to communicate to you, by this memo-
randum, the facts attending our arrest yesterday on board
the British mail steamer Trent, by your order, and our
transfer to this ship.
We, the undersigned, emtarked at Havana on the 7th
instant as passengers on board the Trent, Captain Moir,
bound to the Island of St. Thomas, the Trent being one of
the regular mail and passenger line of the British Royal
Mail Steamship Company running from Vera Cruz via
Havana to St. Thomas, and thence to Southampton, Eng-
land. We paid our passage-money for the whole route from
Havana to Southampton to the British Consul at Havana,
who acts as the agent or representative of the said steam-
ship company—Mr. Slidell being accompanied by his family,
consisting of his wife, four children, and a servant, and Mr
Eustis by his wife and servants.
The Trent left the port of Havana about 8 o'clock a.m.
on the morning of the 7th inst., and pursued her voyage
uninterruptedly until intercepted by the United States
steamer San Jacinto, under your command, on the day
following (the Bth inst.), in the manner now to be related :
When the San Jacinto was first observed, several miles
distant, the Trent was pursuing the usual course of her
voyage along the old Bahama or Nicholas channel; was
about 210 miles from Havana, and in sight of the lighthouse
of Poradon Grande, the San Jacinto then lying stationary,
or nearly so, about the middle of the channel, and where it
was some 15 miles wide, as since shown on the chart, the
nationality of the ship being then unknown. When the
Trent had approached near enough for her flag to be dis-
tinguished, it was hoisted at the peak and at the main, and
so remained for a time. No flag was show by the
ship San Jacinto. When the Trent had approached
within a mile of the San Jacinto, still pursuing the due
course of her voyage, a shotted gun was fired from the
latter ship across the course of the Trent, and the United
States flag at the same time displayed at the peak. The
British flag was again immediately hoisted as before,
by the Trent, and so remained. When the Trent had
approached, still on her course, within from two or
three hundred yards of the Sere Jacinto, a second
shotted gun was fired from your ship, again across the
course of the Trent. When the Trent got within hailing
distance her captain inquired what was wanted. The reply
was understood to be, " They would send a boat." Both
vessels were then stationary, with steam shut off. A boat
very soon put off from your ship, followed immediately by
two other boats, with full crews, and armed with muskets
and side arms. A lieutenant, in the naval uniform of the
United States navy, and with side arms, boarded the Trent,
and in the presence of most of the passengers, then assem-
bled on the upper deck, said to Captain Moir that he came
with orders to demand his passenger list. The captain re-
fused to produce it, and formally protested against any
right to visit his ship for the purpose indicated. After some
conversation, imparting renewed protest on the part of the
captain against the alleged object of the visit, and on
the part of the officer of the San Jacinto that ho had only
to execute his orders, the latter said :—" That two gentle-
men, named Slidell and Mason. were known to be on
board, as also two other gentlemen, warning Messrs. Eustis
and McFarland, and that his orders were to take and carry
them on board the San Jacinto." It should have been
noted that on first addressing the captain he announced
himself as a lieutenant of the United States steamer San
Jacinto. The four gentlemen thus named being present, the
lieutenant addressed Mr. Slidell, and afterwards Mr. Mason,
repeating that his orders were to take them, together with
Eustis and McFarland, and carry them on board his ship.
Messrs. Slidell and Mason, in reply, protested in the pre-
sence of the captain of the Trent, his officers, and pas-
sengers, against such threatened violation of their persons
and their rights, and informed the lieutenant that they
wouldt
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e were in unless compelled
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stated that he hoped he would not be compelled to resort
to the use of force; but if it would become necessary to
employ it in order to execute his orders, ho was -prepared
to do so. He was answered by the undersigned that they
would submit to such a force alone. The lieutenant then
went to the gangway, where his boats were, the under-
signed going at the same time to their state rooms on the
deck next below, followed by Captain Mcir and by the other
passengers. The lieutenant returned with a party of his