The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-27 00:00:00

LO DON, FRIDAY '# EVE NI IG, DECE AIBEIt 27, 1801.

cinct, and soldierly statement of the whole affair, and con-
firms it as an undoubted victory for the Union arms. Fort
Pickens remains unhurt. Fort NPRae was sadly sl attered
by our fire, and the town of Warrington and p tof the
Pensacola Navy Yard were burned. Only six mn in Fort
Pickens were hurt. General Brown has sugges' d in his re-
port several points gathered from his experien in this ac-
tion. One is that James's rifle projectiles aro rnparatively
useless, that the Parrot gun is much preferable, and that if
he had had the latter piece at the fort he would have utterly
demolished the enemy. He further says, that gunboats
drawing only six feet of water, and armed with rifled guns,
can do more service in these waters than a4O gun ship or
such vessels as the Niagara and Richmond. Sailing ves-
eels he declares utterly worthless in enforcing a blockade.
The conduct of our soldiers-and sailors during the two days'
hard firing receives the warmest encomiums of General
Brown.

" A delegation of the Irish Brigade had an interview
with the President, and presented a memorial, signed by
every officer in the brigade, requesting the appointment of
Colonel Thomas Francis Meagher—who had raised all the
regiments and organised the brigade by his personal exer-
tions—to the rank of Brigadier General.

4, Intelligence from Frankfort, Ky., reached Cincinnati
yesterday that the Union men were in hourly expectation
of an attack by a force of rebels numbering from 8,000 to
15,000 men, while only 5,000 Union troops were there to
resist them. General Thomas was pressing on to take the
rebel Zollicoffer in the rear ; but from reports just received
that the latter was retreating, after some short picket fight-
ing, it was feared that General Thomas would not succeed
in outflanking him. General Crittenden was said to be at
Cumberland Gap with 15,000 men. The rebels have taken
possession of the town of 0 wensville, Bath c.unty, and
after driving out all the leading Union men completely de-
vastated the place.
" Our news from Missouri is interesting. Twelve of the
mortar boats attached to the Mississippi Union squadron
left St. Louis for Cairo on the morning of the 10th. There
are in all 38 of these boats to be attached to the flotilla.

" From St. Joseph, Mo., Dec. 12, we have intelligence
that General Prentiss' command was to move from Platte
city to Richfield on the 11th. A rebel camp, numbering
3,000 is reported near Albany.
" A rumour reaches us that the rebel government had
decided to send to Europe Messrs. J. C. Breckinridge and
Hunter, of Virginia, by the Cunard steamer Canada, from
Halifax, the name of the former traitor being substituted
for that of Pierre Soule—which was mentioned before in the
same connection ; but that our Government having been
informed of this intention, warned the agents of the line
against conveying the rebel emissaries, and that passage
for these individuals was accordingly refused. This report
comes to us from Halifax, and it is stated that Mr. Cunard
denies that he has received any such warning."

The following additional despatches had been
published :

" Mr. SEWARD TO MR. ADAMS.

" Department of State, Washington, July 21, 1861.

" Sir,—Your despatch of June 28 has been received.
" I have already, in a previous communication, informed
you that this Government has not been disturbed by the
action of the British authorities in sending three regiments
into Canada, ncr by the announcement of the coming of
British armed vessels into American waters. These move-
ments are certainly not very formidable in their proportions,
and we willingly accept the explanation that they proceed
from merely prudential motives.
"Doubtless it had been better if they had not been made.
But what Government can say that it never acts precipi-
tately, or even capriciously ? On our part the possibility
of foreign intervention, sooner or later, in this domestic
disturbance is never absent from the thoughts of this Go-
vernment. We are therefore not likely to exaggerate indi-
cations of an emergency for which we hold ourselves bound
to be in a measure always prepared.
"Another subject which, according to your report, was
discussed in your late interview with Lord J. Russell, de-
mands more extended remarks. I refer to the portion of
your despatch which is in these words His lordship
then said something about difficulties inNew Granada, and
the intelligence that the insurgents there had passed a law
to close their ports. But the law officers hero told him that
this could not be done as against foreign nations, except by
the regular form of a blockade. He did not know what we
thought about it ; but he had observed that some such plan
was said to be likely adopted at the coming meeting of Con-
gress in regard to the ports of those whom we considered
as insurgents.'
" Much as I deprecate a reference in official communi-
cations of this kind to explanations made by Ministers in
Parliament, not always fully or accurately reported, and
always liable to be perverted when applied to cases not con-
sidered when the explanations are given, I nevertheless find
it necessary, by way of elucidating the subject, to bring into
this connexion the subject of a debate which is said to have
taken place in the House of Commens on the 27th of June
last, and which is as follows :
" Mr. H. Berkeley asked the Secretary of State for Fo-
reign Affairs whether her Majesty's Government recognised
a notification given by Senor Martin, Minister Plenipoten-
tiary to this Court from the Gradian Confederation, better
known as the Republic of New Granada, which announces
a blockade of the ports of Rio Hacha, Santa Maria, Sava-
nilla, Carthagena, and Zaporte, and which Government did
her Majesty's Government recognise in the so-called Gra -
nadian Confeleration.'

" Lord John Russell said, ' The question is one of consi-
derable importance. The Government of New Granada has
announced, not a blockade, but that certain ports of New
Granada are to be closed. The opinion of her Majesty's
Government, after taking legal advice, is, that it is per-
fectly competent for the Government of a country in a state
of tranquillity to say which ports shall be open to trade and
which shall be closed ; but in the event of insurrection or
civil war in that country it is not competent for its Govern-
ment to close the ports that are de facto in the hands of
the insurgents, as that would be an invasion of international
law with regard to blockade. Admiral Milne, acting on
instructions from her Majesty's Government, has ordered
the commanders of her Majesty's ships not to recognise the
closing of their ports.'
" Since your conversation with Lord John Russell, and
also since the debate which I have extracted occurred, the
Congress of the United States has by law asserted the
right of this Government to close the ports in this country
which have been seized by the insurgents.
" I send you herewith a copy of the enactment. The
connecting by Lord John Russell of that measure, when
it was in prospect, with what had taken place in regard to
a law of New Granada gives the remarks which he made
to you a significance that requires no especial illustration.
If the Government of the United States should close
their insurrectionary ports under the new statute, and
Great Britain should, in pursuance of the intimation made,
disregard the act, no one can suppose for a moment that the
United States would acquiesce. When a conflict on such a
question should arise between the United States and Great
Britain it is not ei sily to be seen what maritime nation
could keep aloof from it. It must be confessed, therefore,
that a new incident has occurred increasing the danger that
what has hitherto been, and, as we think, ought to be a
merely domestic controversy of our own, may be enlarged
into a general war among the great maritime nations.
Hence the ntcessity for endeavouring to bring about a more
perfect understanding between the United States and Great
Britain for the regulation of their mutual relations than has
yet been attained.
" In attempting that important object I may be allowed
to begin by affirming that the President deprecates, as
much as any citizen of either country or any friend of
humanity throughout the world can deprecate, the evil of
foreign wars, to be superinduced, as he thinks unnecessarily,
upon the painful civil conflict in which we are engaged for
the purpose of defending and maintaining our national au-
thori y over our own disloyal citizens.
" I may add, also, for myself that however otherwise I
may at any time have been understood, it has been an
earnest and profound solicitude to avert foreign war, that
alone has prompted the emphatic and sometimes, perhaps,
impassioned remonstrances I have hitherto made against any
form or measure of recognition of the insurgents by the
Government of Great Britain. I write in the same spirit
now, and I invoke on the part of the British Government,
as I propose to exercise on my own, the calmness which all
counsellors ought to practise in debates which involve the
peace and happiness of mankind,
" The United States and Great Britain have assumed in-
compatible, and thus far irreconcilable, positions on the
subject of the existing insurrection.
" The United States claim and insist that the integrity
of the Republic is unbroken, and that their Government is
supreme so far as foreic-n nations are concerned, as well
for war as far peace, over all the States, all sections, and
all citizens, the loyal not more than the disloyal, the patriots
and the insurgents alike. Consequently they insist that
the British Government shall in no way intervene in the
insurrection or hold commercial or other intercourse with
the insurgents in derogation of the Federal authority.
" The British Government, without having first delibe-
rately heard the claims of the United States, announced,
tthrecugh a proclamation of the Queen, that it took notice of
eGhointrrenyutarirr:lottitocwno as a civil war so flagrant as to divide this
other; and, onsbtietullitgeseroennet
and parties, t
h e of
disloyalwhich
citizenst h
consequently, it inferred a right of Great Bri-
tain to stand in an attitudey of neutrality between them.
" It is not my purpose attoftt my
tune to vindicate the posi-
ttoio
snhoefw theto
tUnited
Government States,
nor
of Greaynpritrapinostehatto
itsattempt
posi-
tion is indefensible.

deu. It
" The question at issue concerns the triiiiteitally
ed States pri-
marily, and Great Britain secondarily and
is, as I have said before, a question of the nintegrity,
which
is nothing less than the life of the Republic itself.
" The position which the Government has taken has been
dictated, therefore, by the law of self-preservation. No
nation animated by 103 al sentiment and inspired by a gene-
rous ambition can ever suffer itself to debate with parties,
within or without, a policy of self. preservation. In assum-
ing this position and the policy resulting from it, we have
done, as I think, just what Great Britain herself must,
and therefore would do if a domestic insurrection should
attempt to detach Ireland, or Scotland, or England from
;he United Kingdom, while she would hear no argument
nor enter into any &abate upon the subject. Neither adverse
opinions of theoretical writers, nor precedents drawn from

the practice of other nations, or even, if they could be, from
her own, would modify her course, which would be all the
more vigorously followed, if internal resistance should for-
tify itself with alliance throughout the world. This is
exactly the case now with the United States.
" So, for obvious reasons, I refrain from argument to
prove to the Government of Great Britain the assumed
error of the position it has avowed.

" 1. Argument from a party that maintains itself to be
absolutely right, and resolved in no case to change its con-
victions, becomes merely contrcversial. 2, Such argument
would be only an indirect way of defending our own posi-
tion, which is unchangeable. 3. The position of Great
Britain has been taken upon the assumption of a certain
degree of probability of success 1;y the insurgents in arms;
and it must be sooner or later abandoned, as that probability
shall diminish and ultimately cease, while in any case that
circumstance does not affect our position to the policy which
we have adopted. It must, therefore, be left to Great Bri-
tain to do what we have done—namely, survey the entire
field, with the consequences of her course deemed by us to
be erroneous, and determine as those consequences develope
themselves how long that course shall be pursued.
" While, however, thus waiving controversy on the main
point, I am tempted by a sincere conviction that Great
Britain really must desire, as we do, that the peace of
the world may not be unnecessarily broken, to consider the
attitude of the two Powers, with a view to mutual forbear-
ance, until reconciliation of conflicting systems shall have
become in every event impossible.
" The British Government will, I think, admit that so
soon as its unexpected, and, as we regard it, injurious posi-
tion assumed in the Queen's proclamation became known to
us, we took some pains to avert premature or unnecessary
collision, if it could be done without sacrificing any part of
the sovereignty which we had determined in every event
to defend. We promptly renewed the proposition which,
fortunately for both parties, we had tendered before that
proclamation was issued, to concede as one whole un-
divided sovereignty to Great Britain, as a friend, all the
guarantees for her commerce that she might claim as a
neutral from this Government as one of her two imagined
belligerents. It seems to us that these two great and
kindred nations might decline to be dogmatic, and act prac-
tically with a view to immediate peace and ultimate good
understanding.
" So, on the other hand, it is my duty to admit, as 1 most
frankly do, that the directions given by the English Go-
vernment that our blockade shall be respected, and that
favour or shelter shall be denied to insurgent privateers, to-
gether with the disallowance of the application of the Rebel
Commissioners, have given us good reason to expect that
our complete sovereignty, though theoretically questioned
in the Queen's proclamation, would be practically respected.
Lord Lyons, as you are aware, proposed to read to me a de-
spatch which he had received from his Government, affirm-
ing the position assumed in the Queen's proclamation, and
deducing from that position claims as a neutral to guaran-
tees of safety to British commerce less than those we had,
as I already stated, offered to her as a friend. I declined, as
you have been advised, to hear the communication, but
nevertheless renewed through you, as I consistently could,
the offer of the greater guarantee before tendered.

" The case then seemed to mo to stand thus The two
nations had indeed failed to find a common ground or prin-
ciple on which they could stand together ; but they have
succeeded in reaching a perfect understanding of the nature
and extent of their disagreement, and in finding a line of
mutual practical forbearance. It was under this aspect of
the positions of the two Governments that the President
thought himself authorised to inform Congress, on its com-
ing together on the 4th of July last, in extra session, that
the sovereignty of the United States was practically re •
spected by all nations.
" Nothing has occurred to change this condition of affairs,
unless it be the attitude which Lord John Russell has indi -
cated for the British Government in regard to an appre-
hended closing of the insurrectionary ports, and the passage
of the law of Congress which authorises that measure in
the discretion of the President.

" It is my purpose not to anticipate or even indicate the
decision which will bo made, but simply to suggest to you
what you may properly and advantageously say while the
subject is under consideration.

" lst,—You will, of course, prevent misconception of the
measure by stating that the law only authorises the Presi-
dent to close the ports in his discretion, according as he
shall regard exigencies now existing or hereafter to arise.
" 2dly,—The passage of the law, taken in connection with
attendant circumstances, does not necessarily indicate a
legislative conviction that the ports ought to bo closed, but
only shows the purpose of Congress that the closing of the
ports, if it is now, or shall become necessary, shall not fail
for want of power explicitly conferred by law. When, on
the 13th of April last, disloyal citizens defiantly inaugurated
an armed insurrection by the bombardment of Fort Sumter,
the President's constitutional obligation to suppress the in-
surrection became imperative.
" But the case was new, and had not been adequately
provided for by express law. The President called military
and naval forces into activity, instituted a blockade, and
incurred great expense, for all which no direct legal pro-
visions existed. He convened Congress at the earliest pos-
sible day to confirm these measures, if it should see fit.
" Congress, when it came together, confronted these facts.
It has employed itself less in directing how and in what way
the Union shall be maintained, than in confirming what the
President had already done, and in putting into his hands
more ample means and greater power than he has exercised
or asked.

" The law in question was passed in this generous and
patriotic spirit. Whether it shall be put into execution to-
day or to-morrow, or at what time, will depend on the con-
dition of things at home and abroad, and a careful weighing
of the advantages of so stringent a measure against those
which are derived from the existing blockade.
" 3dly,—You may assure the British Government that no
change of policy now pursued, injuriously affecting foreign
commerce, will be made from motives of aggression against
nations which practically respect the sovereignty of the
United States, or without due consideration of all the cir-
cumstances, foreign as well as domestic, bearing upon the
question. The same spirit of forbearance towards foreign
nations, arising from a desire to confine the calamities of
the unhappy contest as much as possible, and to bring it to
a close by the complete restoration of the authority of the
Government as speedily as possible, that has hitherto re-
gulated the action of the Government, will continue to con•_
trol its counsels.

" On the other hand, you will not leave it at all doubtful
that the President fully adheres to the position that this
Government so early adopted, and which I have so con-
tinually throughout this controversy maintained; conse-
quently, ho fully agrees wi, b. Congress in the principle of
the law which authorizes him to close the ports which have
been seized by the insurgents, and he will put into execu-
tion and maintain it, at the hazard of whatever conse-
quences, whenever it shall appear that the safety of the
nation requires it.

" I cannot leave the subject without endeavouring once
more, as I have so often done befo e, to induce the British
Government to realize the conviction, which I have more
than once expressed in this correspondence, that the policy
of the Government is one that is ba,cd on the interests of
the greatest importance and sentiments of the highest vir-
tue, and, therefore, is in no case likely to be changed, what-
ever may be the varying fortunes of the war at home, or
the action of foreign nations on this subject, while the policy
of foreign States rests on ephemeral interests of commerce
or of ambition merely. Tho p-liey of these United States
is not a creature of the Government, but an inspiration of
the people, while the policies of foreign States are at the
choice mainly of the Governments presiding over them.
If, through an error, on whatever side, this civil contention
shall transcend the national bounds and involve foreign
States, the energies of all commercial nations, including our
own, will necessarily be turned to war, and a general car-
nival of the adventurous and the reckless of all countries,
at the cost of the existing commerce of the world, must
oasuo. Beyond that painful scene upon the seas there lie,
but dimly concealed from our vision, scenes of devastation
and desolation which will leave no roots remaining out of
which trade between the United States and Great Britain,
as it has hitherto flourished, can ever again spring up.—l
am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

" WILLIAM H. SEWARD."

Simoom IN A MONSOON.—The following
is an extract from a letter from a non-commissioned officer
of the 60th Rifles in China to his friends in Glasgow :
" Simoom, Hong Kong, Oct. 28, 1561.—1 wrote
you before we left Tien-tsin, saying that we were coming
down here to stay till the end of the year, but instead of
that we are to leave this in the beginning of next month for
home in the Simoom. She is a very fine ship. We left
Tien-tsin on the 6th instant, and came down the river in a
gunboat. We were all night in the river, and went on
board the Simoom the next morning. It was very cold, and
rained continuously. We sailed on the 7th, and had a very
nice passage up till the 11th, when it began to blow very
hard, the sea rolling very heavy, and tossing us a good deal
about. It continued up till Sunday the 13th, when they
tried to turn the ship, or as sailors say, ' wear ship.' She
then heaved on her side, turning everything that was lying
loose all to one side of the ship. The tables and forms
which were fastened went also. She did not right again for
some minutes. At this time one of the ship's officers was
thrown overboard, but he happened to catch hold of a rope
that was hanging ( utside the vessel, and was pulled in none
the worse for his ducking. The storm continued up till
Tuesday morning, the 15th, when it abated. We picked up
the crew of the H. H. Chandler, that: was wrecked the
day before ; all bands were saved. She had left Hong
Kong a few days before, and was caught in the storm and
got wrecked. We arrived in Hong Doug the next day, and
anchored off the town; all our regiment is aboard, except
150 that are to go in some other vessel. We are not al-
lowedaNyhoin lea
ive. There are altogether about 750 men
a
to go ashore here to live ; but there are so many
every
b rHd v dE,
MELANCHOLYt oo man yfo
DEATHsuc h a
01,
A longliA voyage. "
LEWES.
—The inquest on Mrs. Roberts, the wife of a surgeon at
Battle, Sussex, has been brought to a close by Mr. Kell,
coroner for the Rape of Hastings. Mr. Watts, who. made
the post mortem examination, stated that death
ensued from
effusion on the pericardium, and the jury returned a ver-
dict accordingly, adding that the conduct of the husband,
Mr, Roberts, was highly censurable.

THE NAVY.

The Lyra, 7, screw, Commander Alexander, has
commenced dismantling in Portsmouth harbour, for
paying out of commission.
The Pandora, 5, screw, fitting at Portsmouth for
service in the Mersey, yesterday bent sails, took on
board her mooring anchors, chains, and buoy (which
will be laid down for her use in the Mersey), spare
sails, warps, tarpaulins, and other service stores.
She also received her two 25 pounder Armstrong
guns, with their equipment. A party of 40 men
are expected to arrive at Portsmouth today from
her Majesty's ship Majestic for the purpose of navi-
gating the Pandora round to Liverpool. Another
party of men are also expected from the Majestic
to take five of the second class reserve gunboats in
hand, and fit them out for special service in the
Mersey. A like party of men will also proceed to
an eastern port to fit out five gunboats for coast
service. 'The gunboats of the first class reserve at
Portsmouth, officered and manned from the ships
in harbour, and which form the advanced portion
of the newly formed gunboat flotilla, are held in
readiness to proceed to their destination—the
coasts of Ireland and Scotland, on receipt of
sailing orders. The Balaklava, Ordnance
screw transport, has arrived at Portsmouth with a
heavy cargo from Woolwich, including eight 100-
pounder Armstrongs, which have been specially
sighted for service on the Warrior's main deck, be-
fore and abaft her armour plating. The ordinary
mode of sighting the Armstrong gun renders it
totally inapplicable for service through the ports
of her main deck, owing to the narrowness of the
ports, and the distance at which the sights are fixed
from the centre of the line of metal.

The Resistance, 22, iron screw frigate, at Chat•
ham, is now to be prepared for the first division of
the steam reserve, Admiralty orders to that effect
having been received yesterday. Although pierced
for 22 guns, she will only be armed with 16 of the
heaviest calibre, consisting of two 100. pounder
Armstrong pivot guns on her upper deck, and two
100-pounder Armstrongs and 12 68-pounder 95-
cwt. east-iron guns on her main deck.
At no former period, not even during the
busiest portion of the Russian war, has more
activity been observable in all the departments at
Chatham Dockyard than at present; every mechanic
and workman connected with the establishment,
numbering in the aggregate close upon 4,000 hands,
being fully employed, and the resources of the seve-
ral departments taxed to the utmost. The chief
object of the officials is to get those vessels out of
hand which are required for immediate active ser-
vice, including the Defence, 22, iron steamer; the
Galatea, 26, 800 horse power ; the Rattlesnake, 22,
400 horse power ; the Pylades, 22, 400 horse power ;
and the screw gunvessels intended to be sent to the
principal ports of the kingdom. Every exertion is
devoted to the completion of the Defence, the inte-
rior of which presents a most animated scene from
the number of hands employed about her. It does
not, however, seem at all probable that she will be
got to sea till towards the end of next month.
The intention of having four masts on board has
been abandoned, and it has been decided to rig her
for three masts, the mistake in that respect made
with the Warrior being about to be repeated with
the Defence, which will have to trust
more to her sailing powers than either the
Warrior or Black Prince. 'the Galatea is now
completely rigged. This fine frigate, the tonnage of
which is greater than that of many of our line-of-
battle ships, has been fitted entirely by the seamen,
marines, and riggers belonging to the Defence. It
is not yet known whether she will be commissioned,
the Admiralty awaiting the news from America, but
whatever the result she will be placed `in the first-
class steam reserve, and as she is fully equipped,
and the greater portion of her stores are on board,
she will be ready to proceed to sea within a few
hours after hoisting the pennant. The Galatea will
leave Chatham harbour for Folly Point on Tuesday
next. The Rattlesnake is to be ready for sea on the
16th January, and from the progress already made
in her there is little doubt she will be completed by
the date named. Her recent trial trip, which, so far
as speed was concerned, was exceedingly satisfac-
tory, again demonstrated the fault observable in
most of our 21 gun corvettes, such as the Orpheus,
the Orestes, and others, of being down so much at
the head, which renders them so uncomfortable
to those forward. To remedy this as much as
possible all her shot and shell will be
stored, as far as practicable, aft. She will pre-
sent the novel appearance of having four catheads,
rendered necessary to admit of the working of her
Armstrong guns on the upper deck.
The Royal Oak, 51 gun iron-plated screw frigate,
constructing at Chatham Dockyard, is making very
satisfactory progress, and the enormous teak plank-
ing on which the iron slabs will be fixed is nearly
half completed. The slabs of iron which will form
her covering are all of an uniform thickness of 41
inches, each plate being about 12ft. in length by 3ft.
in width, and of the average weight of 4 tons. In
order to do away with the necessity of fastening the
armour-plates to the vessel's sides by means of iron
bolts driven into the planking, by which it is calcu-
lated the timbers and planking will be very consi-
derably weakened, a plan has been submitted to the
Admiralty of fastening each plate on an entirely
new principle, by which, although not a single bolt
will be required, the plates will be held together
more securely and solidly than under the old pro•
cess. From the superiority of the plan proposed it
will be adopted on the Royal Oak and the other
vessels of her class building at the several Royal
dockyards. Each of the armour-plates, before being
fixed in its place, will be required to be bent to the
shape of the portion of the frigate's side to which it
will be attached. To obviate the necessity of bend-
ing the huge plates hot, by which enormous fur-
naces would require to be erected adjoining the slip
on which the Royal Oak is building, it is intended
to bend each plate cold. To accomplish this, how-
ever, the most powerful hydraulic machines will be
required, and some idea of the tremendous force
necessary for this operation may be formed when it
is stated that the machinery to be erected for this
purpose is calculated to exert a pressure of some-
thing like 2,000 tons to the square inch.
Her Majesty's paddle steamer Virago arrived at
Falmonth on Tuesday for the purpose of taking in
tow the Spider gunboat, which had been damaged
by collision with the brig Alliance, and conveying
her to Plymouth, whither they both proceeded on
Wednesday morning.
Her Majesty'o steam screw corvette Satellite, 21,
Capt. Johnson, sailed for Rio de Janeiro from Fal-
mouth on Tuesday afternoon.

The following appointments were made yester-
day at the Admiralty :—Licut. F. W. Egerton, to
the Stromboli; Lieut. Robert Pitman, to the Bac-
chante, additional for disposal; James Robertson,
promoted to Master, and appointed to the Scourge;
J. R. Abbott and John Hall (B), acting second class
assist.-engins., to the Cumberland, as supernumera-
ries; W. P. Davis, acting second class assist-engin,
to the Indus, as supernumerary; W. T. Ray and T.
S. Blyth, acting second class assist-engin., to the
Fisgard, as supernumeraries; W. 11PE wing and R.
S. Lee, acting second class assist, cngins., to the
Asia, as supernumeraries.

EDMOND ABOUT ON PRINCEALBERTS
D.EATIE BNGLAND'S _MOURNING.

The brilliant French writer, M. almond About,
is at present a contributor to the feuilleton of the
Constitutionnel. We translate from that journal of
Tuesday the following passage, which bears his
signature :

" Have you remarked that phrase in the official
publication of the English Government after the
death of Prince Albert—' It is expected that alt
persons will assume a decent mourning?'

" How much is said in a few words! A whole
treatise might be written on them. The Queen of a
great nation has just lost her husband, and she hopes
that in her three kingdoms every person will assume
decent mourning. This is neither a decree, nor an
ordinance, nor a command sent down from on high;
it is a simple appeal to public sympathy, and at the
same time a reminder of a social obligation. There
is in the formula a mingling of dignity, confidence,
and familiarity. You feel, from the very first word,
that the dynasty which speaks is in the most cour-
teous, if not the most intimate relations with its
subjects; that no one disputes its rights; that it
has no declared enemies in the nation ; that it may
rely on all occasions upon that loyalty without
meanness which the English display w ith a sort of
coquetry. You perceive a Queen who reigns and
who does not govern ; a people which manages its
own affairs, and fears all the less to be humble and
submissive because it is sure to remain free; a coun-
try of tradition, of decency, and of decorum, go-
verned by manners even more than by laws.
" We of course are proud of being French ; that
is all settled. But there must pass away many years
before our political manners are elevated to the high
tone of those of England. Nothing is more unequal,
more capricious, less logical, than our relations with
the men who govern us. The French people conduct
themselves towards monarchy as towards a mis-
tress. We embrace it, we beat it, we put it out of
doors—we seek it out next day and cling around its
knees: Yesterday we could find no name foul
enough for it; to-day we flatter it, not without
blushing at our present baseness and our past vio-
lence. It is a question of passion and temperament.
We adored Louis XIV. as a god, yet we flung mud
upon his funeral cortege. There was too that bon
homme of a king whose band we clasped between
both our own, full of respect for his coiff'ire and of
admiration for his umbrella, yet he had to fly in the
midst of hootings, honest man though he was in his
own rerson. With what acclamations did we not
deafen Lamartine upon the Place de l'Hotel-de-
Ville ! Apollo himself descending upon earth to
bring us harmony could not have been more wel-
come. Fourteen years after this splendid triumph
Apollo pines in hunger, and the generous little jour-
nals follow him with the bitterest cries.

" I have already assisted at some ovations, politi-
cal and otherwise. These blustering scenes fill me
with a profound sadness. It is not jealousy—of
that you may be certain. No ! I pity the recipient.
I should rather see for him tue tokens of a decent'
approbation, as they phrase it in London. He
would then be exposed to less terrible reactions.
" Suppose that our old ancestors had not left to
us the Salic law, and picture to yourselves a Queen
of France, young and fair, choosing for her husband
a foreigner who would not be King. What a deli-
cious dream for this young Prince ! but also what
an awakening after the honeymoon of his popula-
rity ! What pamphlets, what couplets, and what
caricatures ! One of two things must happen—
either this unfortunate man must shamefully fly
to escape from our popular injustice, or he must try
to crush our ill-will and to overthrow our laws.
Prince Albert, for whom a decent mourning has
just been asked and obtained yonder, has never
been placed in this dangerous alternative. The
nation received him politely, not as a stranger but
as a guest; he rendered to England courtesy for
courtesy ; he gave to the Crown numerous heirs,
and created a family truly royal. Modest and deli-
cate, he kept discreetly within the pale of politics;
his dearest study was the education of his children;
in his hours of leisure he encouraged art and indus-
try so well that, after having lived more than
twenty years near the throne, without ever having
been popular, in the French sense of the terrible
word, he dies regretted and esteemed by a great
people, and his funeral is honoured by a decent

On the part of the authorities the greatest energy
still continues to be displayed for the relief of the
late inhabitants, and I must particularly note the de-
voted sympathy which Torre dell' Annunziata has
Ahown towards
.the poor fugitives, whose number
;have not exaggerated.
I he Exmouth, which was out under sail last Wed-
nesday to exercise the men, went out, as I have
Already told you, yesterday to practice the Arm-
sti-ongs and the other guns. The distances were
1,060 and 1,800 yards, and the firing was admirable,
for, though the target was only a small flag, it was
knocked .to pieces. She now lies under my windows,
but it is to be hoped will go into the Mole soon, as
the south-welters are far from pleasant here.
Another frigate, and that belonging to the Italian
navy, went out also on Tuesday to try her engines.
She is now the Re Galantuomo, but under the
Bourbons was the Nemarca. She is a "converted"
vessel, but I believe that the experiment has
proved her rather a failnie, and that for the future
she will be reserved as an " instruction" vessel,
Her engines are far too weak, the funnel is placed
in the back part, up towards the stern, and she
did not make more than four miles an hour. Con-
siderable activity is _displayed in the dockyards,
especially at Castellamrize, where they are "con-
verting" two other frigates, the Etna and the
Gaeta, and, indeed, another, the name of which I
forget. Vesuvius has recruited successfully for
Naples, and many strangers have arrived to see
the sight, but, on the whole, the season will be bad.
I am glad to report greater security in our streets,
and would counsel Bologna to adopt the same mea-
sures which have been tried here. There has been
no difference in the e:_ceesses committed in either
place, but our National Guard, who do not fear being
called thieftakers, patrol the city at night, and do
good service. On Thursday night they arrested 17
thieves in a magazine on the Marina, concealed
among fagots, and, on turning them over, found
number of stilettoes, crowbars, false keys, and stolen
property. In the present state of the country the
Government cannot do all; the people must help
themselves, and the National Guard of Naples are
entitled to great honour for the manner in which
they have aided the levy, and in which they now
guarantee our first necessity—public security.
I fear to extend my letter, but one word about
Borjes, who must not be confounded with the galley
slaves and thieves who still afflict the country dis-
tricts. I have reports before me of his last adven-
tures, which read like a romance, but they are too
long for your columns. All died with dignity.
After passing two hours in a chapel, they were led
out for execution. After embracing the Spaniards,
who were 11, Borjes said, " Our last hour has come,
let us die like brave Spaniards." Nine men were
placed in line, Borjes among them. He repeated
with a loud voice a litany in the Spanish language,
to which the others responded, took off his scapu-
lary from his neck, holding it in his hand, and in a
few moments all fell dead. Nine others were then
led out ; two were Spaniards, and one, turning
towards the public, denianded pardon for the evil he
had done. The seven Neapolitans beat their breasts.
Many valuable papers have been found, among them
instructions from General Clary, his private diary
since he landed, and a letter from some lady in the
Faubourg St. Germain. From his own notes Borjes
was evidently disgusted with the brigandage prac-
tised by the defenders of Francis 11., with
the cowardice of his chiefs, and, too late, was
aware of the lying misrepresentations of which
he and so many others have been the victims.
•" Langrois is an imbecile," he writes ; and
again, " On the 25th of October Croceo and
Langrous did not hear a ball whistle. I, with my
men and two of the band of Croceo, sustained the
whole combat. Croceo is a monster and a villain,
whose only thirst is for murder and pillage."
Borjes when taken was endeavouring to cross the
frontier to have an interview with Francis 11., and
to explain the truth of the situation.