The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-29 00:00:00

EARL _RUSSELL ON THE AMERICAN

BLOCKADE.

Some time since we (Liverpool Albion) alluded
to a correspondence which had taken place between
Earl Russell and Mr. H. W. Hayman, of this town,
relative to the American blockade of the Southern
ports. In doing so we gave an outline of 111 r.
Hayman's inquiries, and the purport of his lord-
ship's answer. Subjoined we give Earl Russell's
letter in extenso, as being interesting as well as
explicit :

" Foreign-Office, Sept. 19, 1861.
" Sir,—l am directed by Earl Russell to acquaint
you that the questions raised by your letters of the
29th of August and the 4th of September were of
considerable importance, and rendered it necessary
for his lordship to communicate with the law officers
of the Crown previously to answering your letters.
You stated in your letter of the 29th of August,
that, in conjunction with other merchants, you con-
templated fitting out a number of vessels for the
purpose of trading with the port of New Orleans,
and other ports of the United States of America,
and that, looking to the undisturbed state of friendly
relations between her Majesty and the United
States, you apprehend that British ships had a
right, under the law of nations, upon the strict
principle of reciprocity, to enter into, and depart
from the ports and harbours of the United States.
You say that you ask and hop, that these vessels
will be protected by her Majesty's cruiser ; but
that, if such protection, from reasons of State
policy, should be withheld, you will be prepared to
defend yourselves, as best you may, in the pursuit
of your legitimate trade, and that all parties hin-
dering you in the same will become responsible
for the consequences. In your letter of September
4, you say that, contending, as you do, that the
blockade of certain ports of the United States as
against the ships of this country is an infringement
of international law, nugatory and unavailable, you
claim the protection of her Majesty's Government
for the mercantile expedition in question, and at the
same time Lord Russell's permission to defend itself
lin case of need, Understanding from the tenor of
your letters that the ports to which your vessels
are to proceed are ports which are or may be block-
aded by the naval forces of the United States, Lord
Russell directs me to warn you of the serious con-
sequences which the measures contemplated, as
stated in your letters, will entail on all concerned
therein, and to inform you that her Majesty's
Government will not afford the slightest protection
or countenance to the projected enterprise. The
United States and the so-called Confederate States
are engaged in a civil war, and her Majesty's Go-
vernment have recognised that state of things, and
have taken up a position of neutrality between the
contending parties. Under these circumstances, if
any British ship, being a neutral, knowingly
attempts to break an effective blockade, she is liable
to capture and condemnation. If such ship defends
herself by force against a national vessel enforcing
such blockade, such defence is a breach of the law
of nations, and will expose the ship and cargo to
condemnation as prize, and those persons who com-
mit the act to personal responsibility and severe
treatment according to the law of war, the act of
such persons being considered by the law and usage
of nations as one of unjustifiable hostility. lam to
state that the general rule as to trading by neutrals
in time of war with belligerents is that they may
freely trade, but they are bound to respect every
effective blockade, and that if they carry contraband
of war to either belligerents, they do so at the risk
of capture and condemnation by the other, if dis-
covered. I am, sir, your most obedient humble
servant, " E. HAMMOND.

" H, W. Hayman, Esq., 4, Chapel-street,
Liverpool."

OPENING OF A NEW DRINKING
10UNTAIN BY. EARL R USSELL.

The ceremony of opening a drinking fountain
erected by the Metropolitan Free Drinking Foun-
tain Association, by Earl Russell, took place yes-
terday morning on Tower-hill. The noble lord
arrived shortly before one o'clock, and was received
in the office of the Master of the Mint, by Mr. H.
3. Hewitt, the secretary of the association, Profes-
sor Graham (the Master of the Mint), Mr. Samuel
Gurney, M.P., Hon. Mr. Byng, Dr. Lancaster, Dr.
Little (medical officer of the local board) Mr. Wake
field (hon. secretary of the association), and other
gentlemen.

- On arriving at the fountain, Mr. Gurney handed
to his lordship a silver cup filled with water.
Earl RUSSELL, having heartily partaken of the
water, said that it gave him great pleasure to be
present at the opening of a fountain for the benefit
of the inhabitants of that district—(cheers)—and to
deliver it over to the representative of the district
board of works. He was not going to detain them
with a long speech, but he would make a few ob-
servations. He was not going to Expatiate upon
them, and still less upon the growth of large towns
where the working man could find good wages,
those who had lived in this country felt the want
of many necessities, one of which was the want of
healthy air, and another was the want of pure,
wholesome, and refreshing water. (Cheers.) One
gentleman seeing the want experienced by the in-
sufficient supply of pure water in the great town
of Liverpool—he referred to Mr. Merry—was
the first to establish free drinking fountains, when
it was found that many thousands of persons rushed
to these fountains. The question was next taken
up in the metropolis by Mr. Gurney, whose liber-
ality had been of vast benefit to the working classes
He (Mr. Gurney) had been instrumental in found-
ing the Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain
Association, at the first meeting of which he (Earl
Russell) was present. This association had been
enabled to establish, by the aid and co-operation of
private individuals, eighty-five fountains ; at one of
these fountains (the Royal Exchange) it was esti-
mated that the number of persons who visited it
amounted to 6,000 daily. If they only took half
that number they must see at once what great num-
bers of people must take advantage of these drink-
ing fountains. It was found that the fountains
were of great use in the houses of the poor people,
where pure water could not be readily obtained,
and those who had to 'cook, &c., experienced great
advantages in sending to the fountain for water
(cheers) seeing that it was very much purer than
other water, and that it was kept pure by filters
and machinery. These drinking fountains, he con-
sidered, ought to be an object of care on the part of
the municipal boards. They ought to establish
fountains if it would tend to the health and benefit
of the poorer classes; but this was not the case,
What had been erected were established by the
liberality of private persons. This being the case,
it was the duty of every person to support these
fountain associations. As he said before, 85 foun-
tains had been erected by the association, which
was a great number, considering the short time
it had been established; but when the number
of inhabitants of the metropolis—the two millions
of people—was taken into consideration, the num-
ber of fountains (85) established, was a mere trifle.
Every means ought to be taken to increase the
funds of the society in order to enable them to in-
crease the number of fountains. In conclusion, the
noble lord said he had great pleasure in contributing
towards the erection of a fountain, and he had still
greater pleasure in handing it over to the members
of the district board (the Tower Hamlets District
Board of Works), for the use of the inhabitants of
the district. He hoped that it would be kept in
good repair, and as the fountain was a pretty strong
one, that it would continue to be a benefit to the
inhabitants for many years. His lordship con-
cluded amidst loud cheers.

The fountain is composed of a polished granite
base, and large basin mounted upon two steps ; a
trench is worked around the second step to prevent
the surplus water from escaping on the pavement.
The fountain is surmounted with a beautiful metal
vase, decorated with bas-reliefs of the water-lily;
upon the plinth of the same are the water-lions,
from which the water flows, thus preventing the
wind from blowing the limpid streams on to the
pavement. The fountain is from the designs of,
and erected by, Wills Brothers, of the Euston-road.
The gift of the fountain having been acknow-
ledged in suitable terms by the members of the
district board, addresses were delivered by Mr.
.Gurney and others.
The proceedings terminated with three hearty
cheers for the noble lord at the head of the Foreign-
office.

THE STORMY PETREL,—This bird possesses a
singular amount of oil, and hits the power of throwing it
from the mouth when terrified. It is said that this oil,
which is very pure, is collected largely in St. Kilda by
catching the bird on • its egg, where it sits very closely,
and making it disgorge the oil into a vessel. The bird is
then released, and another taken. The inhabitants of the
Faroe Islands make a curious use of this bird when young
and very fat, by simply drawing a wick through
the body,
and lighting it at the end which projects through the
beak. This unique lamp will burn for a considerable
period,—Rofft/olges Natural Zkistvrti.

was specially
is a copy of a memorial no
risocallt instructed
and
ynodu
the consideration of Earl Russell. Mr. Forw—OK
is only 21, and, although of a very quiet disposi-
tion,politics and to avoid talking about them :"
my firm,
, and
Leech, alarm, rnm a, to r
"MY Lord,---I venture, under deep feelings of
anxietyn
rF"loonrrwodtsothooidpi
Lst
aei
tr
tfeernrretoithooin
to the following statement :
f, my son, Mr. W. B. Forwood, is. a British sub-
ject. born in Liverpool, and a clerk in the office of
who have traded as merchants to the Un'itedve
sfor 50 years. He sailed from Cork on the 2Gth
tits.
in the steamer City of Washington, for New York,
to attend to some business accounts of my firm in
that city.
" To-day I received a letter from a private friend,
a British merchant in New York, dated the 12th of
October, conveying the painful intelligence that on
his arrival in New York my son was arrested on
suspicion of Southern tendencies,' was kept under
arrest, and searched, and his papers read, but,
' nothing beinc, found which could be construed as
treasonable, he was liberated.' My correspondent
further states that it is certain that my son will be
under supervision of the police for some time, and
it may be that my letters to him, and his to my
Firm, will be opened.
" I urn sure that I shall not appeal in vain to your
Lordship, as I now do most earnestly atd anxiously
in asking that you will cause an immkike
munication to be made to her Majesty's representa-
:i.- in ;,cited States, so that hemay obtain the
redress he is so clearly entitled to, and that steps
may be taken for his protection from 5u2.11 a wan-
ton outrage, committed in defiance of all interna-
tional law and the usages of all civilized nations,
on the person of a subject of her Britannic Majesty
in the peaceful prosecution of nis business.—l have
the honour to remain, your Lordship's obedient
servant, " T. B. Fonwooo.
" Liverpool, Oct. 25."