The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-02 00:00:00

THE AMERICAN OUTRAGE ON THE

BRITISH FLAG.

(From the Times.)
The British Government has lost no time in
transmitting to America its demand of reparation.
It was only on Wednesday that the news of the
attack on the Trent reached this country, and already
a Queen's Messenger is on his way with a despatch
to Lord Lyons, instructing him to demand the dis-
avowal of the act, and the surrender of Messrs.
Mason and Slidell, with their secretaries, to the
British Government. In such a case hesitation would
have been as fatal as submission. An insult must be
resented at once, more particularly when the pro-
spect of impunity is likely to cause numerous repe-
titions of the offence. The Cabinet therefore de-
serves credit for having so promptly taken its reso-
lution. At its meeting on Friday Lord Russell was
directed to prepare a despatch, and on Saturday
Ministers met again to revise it and finally settle its
terms. So settled, and approved by her Majesty,
it was sent yesterday by a messenger to Queens-
town, and will arrive at Washington within twelve
days' time.
We understand that this communication, though
couched in the firmest language, very properly pre-
sumes that the Federal Government will not refuse
to make honourable reparation for an illegal act.
How far such a hope is likely to be gratified our
readers may judge from the telegraphic news which
we publish to-day. It is satisfactory to find that,
whatever orders the Federal Government may have
given its naval officers, the Captain of the San
Jacinto seems to have acted very much on his own
responsibility. On the 15th November his vessel
arrived at Fortress Monroe, having on board the two
Commissioners. Commander Wilkes, according to
right,
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to stop and search British vessels, the actual
seizing and carrying off of the two Commissioners
was not directed from Washington. Commander
Wilkes therefore either acted without instructions,
or ho must in his own opinion have exceeded them.
This would diminish the difficulty of the Federal
Government. If it did not order the violation of the
British flag, and that violation was the ill-advised
act of a too zealous officer, Mr. Seward may with-
out mortification comply with our demands, and
release the four persons who were illegally taken.
Whatever may have been the intentions and the
real orders of the Government, it would be enough
to say that the captain of the San Jacinto acted
without authority, and that, as his proceedings
could not be justified by the law of nations, repare
tion would be made to the British Government.
But we must own that we have but small hope of

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wish to do were it left to ittpwnAt gent
own conscience is, unhappily, harary a mat-
Tortance. We fully believe that the majo-
le American Cabinet would see with the
utmost regret any difference with England. The
splenetic mind of Mr. Seward has, indeed, been
continually infusing into his colleagues a feeling of
enmity to this country, but the good sense of those
about him has hitherto prevailed to prevent any
offensive act. Yet in this matter the so-called Pa-
triotic Party is nearly sure to carry the day. " Our
country, right or wrong," is the maxim of thousands
of American politicians, and we can hardly doubt
that it will be acted on in this case. Already till re
are indications that the act of Uqpt. Wilkes has been
accepted by the Northern public. We are told that
the New York journals " urge that promotion and
testimonials should be conferred on him for his
spirited conduct." It may be that the next mail
will bring, us accounts of his increasing popularity,
and that by the time Lord Russell's despatch
reaches Washington he will have become the lied
of the day, It is this habit of unscrupulous parti-
sanship, ingrained in the very nature of the Ame-
ricans, which will be the chief obstacle to a friendly
settlement. That a naval officer has had the spirit
to board a British vessel and to carry off rebels, in
spite of the raving of the British captain, is enough
to insure a storm of popularity. The man who has
given his countrymen such a sensation is far more
likely to be courted than disowned by a weak Go-
vernment, already trembling for the Consequences
of its ill success, and anxious to provide the public
with other excitement than is caused by
at the slow progress of the war. Welnust,.there-
fore, while hoping that the lapse of three or four
weeks will allow the act of the San Jacinto to be
considered in a calmer temper, and the demands of
the British Government to be met with fairness and
courtesy, still be prepared to see them contemptu-
ously rejected. The multitude may have already
dictated to the Government the treatment which
Capt. Wilkes and Lieut. Fairfax are to receive. We
must hopo for the best, lilt still it becomes us to be
prepared for an unforlunateissue.

For any further discussion of the matter the time
has not yet come. But our Government would in-
deed be acting with ridiculous weakness if it did
not take measures to prevent a Power so arrogant
and so much under the influence of passion as the
United States from obtaining materials of war
which may hereafter be turned against us. Within
the last few days an order has been issued forbid-
ding the export of an immense quantity of saltpetre
which had been bought up on account of the Fede-
ral Government, and we publish to-day a procla-
mation extending the prohibition to all the mate-
rials of gunpowder. As regards the saltpetre, it
seems to have been the design of the Washingten.
Government to provide itself at once for a long war.
Almost the whole stock to be found in England
would in a week or two have been shipped for the
Northern States. As almost all the saltpetre used
throughout the world comes from Oude, we have
practically a monopoly of the article, and it was a
good thought of the Federal authorities to provide
themselves at once with all they are likely to want,
even should the war be prolonged for years. Cn
our part it was but a necessary precaution to defeat
such a scheme, and we cannot doubt that, while
keeping strictly within the bounds of international
law, our Government will in other matters take care
that the interests of the empire do not suffer.

EXPORT OF GUNPOWDER AND

SALTPETRE.

The following official prohibition of the export
of gunpowder, saltpetre, &c., was published in a
London Gazette Extraordinary of Saturday :

BY THE QUEEN-A PROCLAMATION.
Victoria, R.—Whereas in and by a certain statute,
made and passed in the Parliament held in the 16th
and 17th years of our reign, and intituled, " The
Customs Consolidation Act, 1853," it is, amongst
ether things, declared and enacted as follows—that
is to say : "The following goods may, by proclama-
tion or order in council, be prohibited either to be
exported or carried coastwise : Arms, ammunition,
and gunpowder, military and naval stores, and any
articles which her Majesty shall judge capable of
being converted into or made useful in increasing
the quantity of military or naval stores, provisions,
or any sort of victual which may bo used as food by
man, and if any goods so prohibited shall be ex-
ported from the United Kingdom or carried coast-
wise, or water-borne to be so exported, or carried,
shall be forfeited."

And whereas we have thought fit, by and with
the advice of our Privy Council, to prohibit either
to be exported or carried coastwise, the articles
hereinafter mentioned (being articles which we
judge capable of being converted into or made use-
ful in increasing the quantity of military or naval
stores), we therefore, by and with the advice of our
Privy Council, and by this our royal proclamation,
do order and direct that, from and after the date
hereof, all gunpowder, saltpetre, nitrate of soda,
and brimstone, shall be, and the same are, hereby
prohibited to be exported from the United Kingdom
or carried coastwise.

Given at our Court at Windsor, this 30th day of
November, in the year of our Lord 1861, and in the
25th year of our reign. God sate the Queen.
At the Court at Windsor, the 30th day of Novem-
ber, 1861. Present, the Queen's Most Excellent
Majesty in Council. Whereas it has appeared ex-
pedient and necessary to her Majesty, by and with
the advice of her Privy Council, to prohibit the
articles hereinafter mentioned to be exported or
carried coastwise from the islands of Jersey, Guern-
sey, Alderney and Sark, and the Isle of Man re-
spectively, except as hereinafter provided. Her
Majesty is therefore pleased, by and with the ad-
vice of her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby
ordered, that from and after the publication of this
order in the said islands respectively, the following
articles, namely : gunpowder, saltpetre, nitrate of
soda, and brimstone, shall and the same are hereby
prohibited to be exported or carried coastwise from
the said islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and
Sark, and the Isle of Man respectively, except with
the license of the Lieut,-Governor or other officer

administering the government of such islands re-
spectively for that purpose first had and obtained ;
and the Lieut.-Governors of her Majesty's islands
of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark, and the
Isle of Man respectively for the time being, are to
give the necessary directions herein as to them may
appertain.

ACCIDENT TO A MAIL CART.—On Friday night,
about six o'clock, as the mail cart from the Charing-cross
branch was proceeding to St. Martin's-le-Grand, the horse
broke from the harness while opposite the pit entrance of
the Lyceum, and threw the driver and the postman into the
street, injuring both of them. The horse then dashed
against a Brompton omnibus, the pole catching him in the
chest, and inflicting a frightful wound. The horse and cart
belong to Mr. Abbott, the contractor, of Jockey's•fields,
Bedford-row.

A man named Lahubardiere, aged 58, was yes-
terday tried by the Tribunal of Correctional Police, on the
charge of vagabondage. A curious account was given of
his career. Ile is the son of a colonel of the First Empire,
and godson of Gen. Rapp. In Dec., 1852, he was con-
demned to imprisonment for some offence, and on the expi-
ration of the punishment, being without resources, ho ob-
tained a free passage to Algeria as a colonist. But, in
September, 1855, he came back to Paris, and not having
any means of living, he was admitted, at his own re-
quest, into a Depot de Medicite. He afterwards, on
several occasions, expressed a wish to leave the establish-
ment, saying that he was in possession of an income of
250 f a year ; but the authorities recommended him, fur h.a
own sake, to remain. He, however, at length quitted the
Depot, but, before long, was arrested at Paris as a
vagabond, and was condemned to impr stonme.nt. At
his own request, instead of being sent o prison, he
was allowed to return to the depot. Six months after he
again left that establishment, but. a little later was once
more condemned at Paris to imp
fence. for his old of-
fence. After undergoing the punishment he was set at
liberty, but in the evening of the Sth ult. he went to the
guard-house of the Palais do Justice, and representing that
pssessed neither home nor money, gave himself into
eh:study as a vagabond. When afterwards brought before
the court, he produced a document proving that ho was in
receipt of 250 f. a-year, the wreck of his former competenc C.
After the preceding facts had been stated, the man begged
that he might be sent back to the Depot de Mendicit6
You have no occupation ?" said the President. "None:
except that of copying clerk, and my eyesight is so bad I
cannot now obtain employment in that capacity. I have
therefore not sufficient to live upon." The tribunal con-
demned him to three monad imprisonment,