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

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 1861.

AMERICA.

LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.

The Cunard mail steamship Canada, Capt. Muir,
has arrived with advices from Boston to the 11th,
New York (by telegraph) to the 12th, and Halifax
to the 13th.

The Cunard steamship Africa, hence; the steam-
ship Bavaria, from Hamburg; the steamship Hansa,
from Southampton ; and the steamer City of New
York, hence, had arrived out.
The steamer Europa had not arrived out when the
Canada left. This vessel, which left Queenstown
on the 2d inst., conveyed the important despatches
of the British Government to Lord Lyons respecting
the capture of the Confederate Commissioners on
board the Trent.

In the Senate on the 9th, Mr. Grimes presented
a petition from a citizen of lowa, who has invented
a " rebel mowing machine or double acting bomb,"
to which he wished to eel the special attention of
the Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs.
On the motion of Mr. Chandler, the resolution in-
quiring into the causes of the disasters to the Federal
army at Bull's Run and Ball's Bluff was taken up.
The question was on the substitute offered by Mr.
Grimes, "that a committee investigate the causes
of all the disasters that have happened to the Union
forces." After a debate the resolution was adopted
by 33 to 3. No business of importance was transacted
on the 10th.

It was currently reported at Washington that
the Military Committee of the house favoured the
treatment of privateers captured by Federal vessels
as prisoners of war.
In.the House of Representatives on the 9th Mr.
Richardson, from the Committee on Military Affairs,
reported the following, which was passed :
" Whereas the exchange of prisoners in the pre-
sent rebellion has already been practised indirectly,
and as such exchange would not only increase en-
listments and the vigour of our army, but subserve
the highest interests of humanity, and as such ex-
change does not involve recognition of the rebels as
a Government, therefore resolved by the Senate and
House of Representatives, &0,, that the President
of the United States be requested to inaugurate
systematic measures far the exchange of prisoners
in the present rebellion."

On motion it was resolved that the Committee on
Foreign Affairs be instructed to inquire into the
expediency of furnishing relief to the starving
population of Ireland, and to report by bill or other-
wise.

Mr. Wickliffe, from the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported a bill authorising the raising of a
volunteer force for the better defence of Kentucky.
Mr. Lovejoy introduced the following preamble
and resolution :

" Whereas Major-General Halleck, of the Western
Department, has issued an order prohibiting negroes
from coming within the lines of our army, and ex-
cluding those already under the protection of our
troops ; and whereas a different policy and practice
prevails in other departments by the direct sanc-
tion of the Administration, and whereas said order
is cruel and inhuman, and in the judgment of this
house based upon no military necessity; therefore
resolved that the President be respectfully requested
to direct General Halleck to recall said order or
cause it to eonform to the practice in other depart-
ments of the army."
Mr. Cox moved to lay the resolution on the table,
which was disagreed to by a vote of yeas, 63 ; nays,
68.

Mr. Lansing offered a substitute, which Mr. Love-
joy accepted. The substitute characterises the order
of Major-General Halleck as inhuman and cruel,
and respectfully requests the President to direct
Gen. Halleck to recall the said order and cause
him (Halleck) to conform to the practice in the
other departments of the army. The consideration
of the subject was then postponed.
On the 10th Mr. Pendleton, of Ohio, moved that
the memorial of Messrs. Howard, Getchell, and
Davis be referred back to the Committee on Judi-
ciary, with instructions declaring that Congress
alone has power under the constitution to suspend
the writ of habeas-corpus ; that the exercise of that
power by any other department of the Government
is an usurpation, and dangerous to the public
liberty ; that the persons above named be delivered
to the Marshal, to the end that they may be indicted,
with the right of speedy trial, if there be probable
cause for such a proceeding. Mr. Pendleton spoke
at length on the subject, which is that of the Balti-
more Police Commissioners. He said if the Presi-
dent can suspend one provision of the constitution,
he can all, and reduce the nation to the condition of
slaves, by changing the theory of the Government.
Any nation willing to adopt this theory is so lost
to a manly sense of independence, dignity, and to a
just consciousness of their courage and duty of de-
fending the Government, that the yoke is a fit
emblem of their degradation. No one should listen
to the doctrine of State necessity, the history of
which is written in the wreck of public liberty. Mr.
Bingham, of Ohio, replied that all his colleague had
just said or could say had been fully and satisfac-
torily answered by the arguments of the Attorney-
General, heretofore submitted. Notwithstanding
the ability of his colleague, he had been unable to
disguise the fact that the time contemplated by the
words of the Constitution for the suspension of the
writ of habeas corpus was when rebellion was try-
ing to shake down the pillars of the Constitution.
It was no time to be splitting hairs as to whether
Congress or the President should first exercise the
power. On the motion of Mr. Bingham the whole
subject was tabled-108 against 26.
Captain Wilkes, of the San Jacinto, had made
the following report to the Secretary of the Navy
respecting the Trent affair :
" United States' steamer San Jacinto,
at Sea, Nov. 16.

" Sir,—ln my despatch by Commander Taylor,
I confined myself to the reports of the movements
of this ship and the facts connected with the cap-
ture of Messrs. Mason, Slidell, Eustis, and Mac-
farland, as I intended to write you particularly re-
lativ© to the reasons which induced my action in
making these prisoners. When I heard at Cien-
fuegos; on the south side of Cuba, of these Commis-
sioners having landed on the Island of Cuba, and
that they were at Havannah, and would depart in
the English steamer of the 7th of November, I de.
termined to intercept them, and carefully examined
all the authorities on international law to which I
had acoesse--viz., Kent, Wheaton, Vatel, besides
various decisions of Sir William Scott, and other
judges of the Admiralty Court of Great Britain,
which bore upon the rights of neutrals, and their
responsibilities. The Governments of Great Britain,
France, and Spain have issued proclamations that
the Confederate States were viewed, considered,
and:treated as belligerents, and knowing that the
ports of Great Britain, France, Spain and Holland,
in the West Indies,
were open to their vessels, and
that they were. admitted to all the courtesies and
protection vessels of the United States received,
every aid and attention being given them, proved
clearly that they acted upon the view and decision
and brought them within the international law of
search, and under the responsibilities. I therefore
felt no hesitation in boarding and searching vessels
of whatever nation I fell in with, and have
done so. The question arose in my mind Whether
I had the right to capture the persons of
these Commissioners—whether they were ame-
nable to capture.
There was no doubt I had the
right to capture vessels with written despatches ;
they are expressly referred to in all authorities,
subjecting the vessel to seizure and condemnation if
the captain of the vessel had the knowledge of their
being on board ; but these gentlemen were not de-
spatches in the literal sense, and did not seem to
come under that designation, and nowhere could I
find a case in point. That they were Commissioners
I had ample proof from their own avowal, and bent
on mischievous and traitorous errands against our
country—to overthrow its institutions and enter
into treaties and alliances with foreign States, ex-
pressly forbidden by the Constitution. They had been
presented to the Captain-General of Cuba by her Bri-
tannic Majesty's Consul-General, but the Captain-
General told me he had not received them in that
capacity, but as distinguished gentlemen and
strangers. He then considered them as the embodi-
ment of despatches,
therasiverias and as they had openly declared
eattrged with all authority from the

Confederate Government to form treaties and
alliances tending to the establishment of their in-
dependence, I became satisfied that their mission
was adverse andcriminal to the Union, a- d it there-
fore became my duty to arrest their p c gress and
capture them, if they had no passpors or papers
from the Federal Government, as provided for
under the law of nations—viz., That foreign Mi-
nisters of a belligerent on board of neutral ships are
required to possess papers from the other bellige-
rent to permit them to pass free. Report and as-
sumption gave them the title of Ministers to France
and England, but inasmuch as they had not been
received by either of these Powers, I did not con-
ceive they had immunity attached to their persons,
and were but escaped conspirators plotting and con-
niving to overthrow the Government of the United
States, and they were therefore not to be considered
as having any claim to the immunities attached to
the character they thought it to assume. As re-
pects the steamer in which they embarked I ascer-
tained in the Havannah that she was a merchant
vessel plying between Vera Cruz, the Havannah,
and St. Thomas, carrying the mail by contract. The
agent of the vessel, the son of the British Consul at
Havannab, was well aware of the character of these
persons, that they engaged their passage and did
embark in the vessel; his father had visited them,
and introduced them as Ministers of the Confederate
States, on their way to England and France. They
went in the steamer with the knowledge and con-
sent of the captain, who endeavoured afterwards to
conceal them by refusing to exhibit the passenger
list and the papers of the vessel. There can be no
doubt he knew they were carrying highly im-
portant despatches, and were endowed with instruc-
tions inimical to the United States. This rendered
his vessel, a neutral, a good prize; and I determined
to take possession of her, and, as I mentioned in my
report, send her to Key West for adjudication, where
I am well satisfied she would have been condemned
for carrying these persons and for resisting to be
searched ; the cargo was also liable, as all the
shippers were knowing to the embarcation of these
live despatches and their traitorous motives and
actions to the Union of the United States. I for-
bore to seize her, however, in consequence of my
being so reduced in officers and crew, and the de-
rangement it would cause innocent persons, there
being a large number of passengers who would have
been put to great loss and inconvenience, as well as
disappointment, from the interruption it would
have caused them in not being able to join the
steamer from St. Thomas for Europe. I, therefore,
concluded to sacrifice the interests of my officers
and crew in the prize, and suffered the steamer to
proceed after the necessary detention to effect the
transfer of these Commissioners, considering I had
obtained the important end I had in view, and which
affected the interests of our country and interrupted
the action of that of the Confederates. I would add
that the conduct of her Britannic Majesty's sub-
jects, both official and others, showed but little
regard or obedience to her proclamation, by aiding
and abetting the views and endeavouring to con-
ceal the persons of the Commissioners. I have
pointed out sufficient reasons to show you that my
action in this case was derived from a firm convic-
tion that it became my duty to make these parties pri-
soners, and to bring them to the United States. Al-
though in my giving up this valuable prize I have de-
prived the officers and crew of a well earned reward,
I am assured that they are quite content to forego
any advantages which might have accrued to them
under the circumstances. I may add that, having
assumed the responsibility, I am willing to abide
the result.

"I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant
" CHARLES WILKES, Captain:

" Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy."
The following is a copy of the orders issued by
Capt. Wilkes, of the San Jacinto, to Lieut. Fairfax,
executive officer of that vessel, for the arrest of
Messrs. Mason and Slidell :

"United States steamer San Jacinto, at Sea,
Nov. 8.

"Sir,—You will have the second and third cut-
ters of this ship fully manned and armed, and be,
in all respects, prepared to board the steamer Trent,
now hove to under our guns. On boarding her you
will demand the papers of the steamer, her clear-
ance from Havannah, with the list of passengers
and crew. Should Mr. Mason, Mr. Slidell, Mr.
Eustis, and Mr. Macfarland be on board, you will
make them prisoners, and send them on board this
ship immediately, and take possession of her as a
prize. Ido not deem it will be necessary to use
force—that the prisoners will have the good sense
to avoid any necessity for using it ; but if they
should, they must be made to understand that it is
their own fault. They must be brought on board.
All trunks, cases, packages, and bags belonging to
them you will take possession of and send on board
this ship. Any despatches found on the persons of
the prisoners, or in possession of those on board the
steamer, will be taken possession of also, examined,
and retained if necessary. I have understood that
the families of these gentlemen may be with them ;
if so, I beg you will offer some of them, in my name,
a passage in this ship to the United States; and
that all the attention and comforts we can command
are tendered them, and will be placed at their ser-
vice. In the event of their acceptance, should
there be anything which the captain of the
steamer can spare to increase their comforts, in the
way of necessaries or stores, of which a war vessel
is deficient, you will please to procure them ; the
amount will be paid by the paymaster. Lieut. James
A. Green will take charge of the third cutter,which
accompanies you, and will assist you in these duties.
I trust that all those under your command, in exe-
cuting this important and delicate duty, will con-
duct themselves with all the delicacy and kindness
which becomes the character of our naval service.—
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

" CHARLES WILKES.
" Lieutenant D. M. Fairfax, U.S. Navy,
Executive Officer, San Jacinto."

A board appointed by the Navy Department to
examine into the question of iron plated frigates
had sent in their report, from which the following
is an extract :

" Opinions differ among naval and scientific men
as to the policy of adopting iron armature for ships
of war. For coast and harbour defence they are un-
doubtedly formidable adjuncts to the fortifications
on land; As cruising vessels, however, we are scep-
tical as to their advantages and ultimate adoption.
But while other nations are endeavouring to perfect
them we must not remain idle. The enormous load
of iron as so much additional weight to the vessel,
the great breadth of beam necessary to give her
stability, the short supply of coal she will be able to
stow in bunkers, the greater power required to pro-
pel her, and the largely increased cost of construc-
tion, are objections to this class of vessels as cruisers
which we believe it is difficult successfully to over-
come. For river and harbour service we consider
iron clad vessels of light draught or floating batte-
ries thus shielded as very important, and we feel at
this moment the necessity of them on some of our
rivers and inlets to enforce obedience to the laws.
We, however, do not hesitate to express the opinion,
notwithstanding all we hear or seen written on
the subject, that no ship or floating battery, how-
ever heavily she may be plated, can cope successfully
with a properly constructed fortification of masonry.
The one is fixed and immovable, and, though con-
structed of a material which may be shattered by
shot, can be covered, if need be, by the same or
much heavier armour than a floating vessel can bear,
while the other is subject to disturbances by winds
and waves, and to the powerful effects of tides and
currents. Armoured ships or batteries may be em-
ployed advantageously to pass fortifications on land
for ulterior objects of attack, to
to reduce temporary batteries on theuna
From shores blockade,
f or
rivers,h
and the approaches to our harbours
we know of the comparative advantages and dwls• aadt:
vantages of ships constructed of wood over those of
iron, we are clearly of opinion that no iron-clad
vessel of equal displacement can be made to obtain
the same speed as one not thus encumbered, because
her form would bo better adapted to speed. Her
form and dimension, the unyielding nature of the
shield, detract materially in a heavy eea from the
life, buoyancy, and spring which a ship built of
siani dto
conflictbe
bnuoto de
fiponsssefossretsh.
with ironclad vessels; but the speed of the former,
their crews whenss brought

we take for granted, being greater than that of the
latter, they can readily choose their position and
keep out of harm's way entirely. Recent improve-
ments in the form and preparation of projectiles,
and their increased capacity for destruction, have
elicited a large amount of ingenuity and skill to
devise means for resisting them in the construction
of ships of war. As yet we know of nothing supe-
rior to the large and heavy spherical shot in its de. '
structive effects on vessels, whether plated or not.
Rifled guns have greater range, but the conical shot
does not produce the crushing effect of spherical
shot. It is assumed that 44-inch plates are the
heaviest armour a sea•going vessel can safely carry.
These plates should be of tough iron, and rolled in
large, long pieces. This thickness of armour, it is
believed, will resist all projectiles now in general
use at a distance of 500 yards, especially if the ship's
sides are angular. Plates hammered in large
masses are less fibrous and tough than when rolled.
The question whether wooden backing, or any
elastic substance behind the iron plating, will tend
to relieve at all the frame of the ships from the crush-
ing effect of a heavy projectile, is not yet decided.
Major Barnard says, ' To put an elastic material
behind the iron is to insure its destruction.' With
all deference to such creditable authority, la e may
suggest that it is possible a backing of some elastic
substance—soft wood, perhaps, is the best—might
relieve the frame of the ship somewhat from the
terrible shock of a heavy projectile, though the
plate should not be fractured. With respect to a
comparison between ships of iron and those of wood
without plating, high authorities in England differ
as to which is the best. The top of ships built of
iron, we are told, wear out three bottoms, while the
bottoms of those built of wood will outwear three
tops. In deciding upon the relative merits of iron
and wooden framed vessels, for each of which we
have offers, the Board is of opinion that it would be
well to try a specimen of each, as both have distin-
guished advocates. One strong objection to iron
vessels, which so far as we know has not been over-
come, is the oxidation or rust in salt water, and their
liability of becoming foul under water by the at-
tachment of sea-grass and animalcules to their bot-
toms. The best preventive we know of is a coating
of pure zinc paint, which so long as it lasts is be-
lieved to be an antidote to this cause of evil. After
these brief remarks on the subject generally, we
proceed to notice the plans and offers referred to us
for the construction of plated vessels and floating
batteries. It has been suggested that the most ready
mode of obtaining an iron-clad ship of war would
be to contract with responsible parties in England
for its complete construction, and we are assured
that parties there are ready to engage in such an
enterprise on terms more reasonable, perhaps, than
such vessels could be built on in this country, lav-
ing much greater experience and facilities than
we possess. Indeed, we are informed there are no
mills and machinery in this country capable of
rolling iron 41 inches thick, though plates might
be hammered to that thickness in many of our work-
shops. As before observed, rolled is considered much
the test, and the difficulty of rolling it increases ra-
pidly with the increase of thickness. It has, however,
occurred to us that a difficulty might arise with the
British Government in case we should under-
take to construct ships of war in_ that country,
which might complicate their delivery, and more-
over we are of opinion that every people or nation
who can maintain a navy should be capable of con-
structing it themselves. Our immediate demands
seem to require first, so far as practicable, vessels
invulnerable to shot, of light draught of water, to
penetrate our shoal harbours, rivers, and bayous ;
we therefore favour the construction of this class of
vessels before going into a more perfect system of
iron-clad sea-going vessels of war. We are here met
with the difficulty of encumbering small vessels with
armour, which from their size, they are unable to
bear. We, nevertheless, recommend that contracts
be made with responsible parties for the construc-
tion of one or more iron-clad vessels or batteries, of
as light a draught of water as practicable, con-
sistent with their weight of armour. Meanwhile,
availing of the experience thus obtained, and the
improvements which we believe are yet to be made
by other naval Powers in building iron-clad ships,
we would advise the construction in our dockyards
of one or more of those vessels upon a large and more
perfect scale, when Congress shall see fit to autho-
rise it. The amount now appropriated is not suffi-
cient to build both classes of vessels to any great
extent."

The " stone fleet" was off Tybee Island on the
Gth. General Stevens, with 1,000 men, occupied
Beaufort.

THE MASON-SLIDELL AFFAIR.

THE PROTEST OF IRE CAPTURED COM-
MISSIONERS.

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, eratarked 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; wss
about 240 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 0 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 duo
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 San 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, " Thsy 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 Muir 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, naming 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
would not leave the ship they were in unless compelled
by the employment of actual force greater than they
could resist, and Messrs. Eustis and McFarland united
in expressing a like Purpose. That officer
stated thati?Hnhfeeoferhwrdoecaperse;tdoa:heuxew-tewceiurofetuld not be compelled to resort
withtt oodthe employestehu it in
answered
t hbwiyso
the
ed
undersigned
dc,
eo
hrmseieg:nectodsc necessary
tprtyahr
they
would submit to such a force alone. The lieutenant then
wtheree
tehisthbeotratsstawteerree,
etmhee under-
signedwont t
goingto the gangway,
time
at samethe
e
deck next below, followed by Captain Mcir and by the other
passengers. The lieutenant returned with a party of ilia

men, a portion of whom were armed with side arms, and
others—appearing to be a squad of marines—having
muskets and bayonets. Mr. Slidell was in his state room,
immediately by and in full view. The lieutenant then said
to Mr. Mason that, having his force now present, he hoped
to be relieved from the necessity of calling it into actual
use. That gentleman again answered that he would only
submit to actual force greater than he could overcome, when
the lieutenant and several of his men, by his order, took
hold of him, and in a manner, and in numbars sufficient to
make resistance fruitless; and Mr. Slidell joining the group
at the same time, one or more of the armed party took like
hold of him, and those gentlemen at once went into the
boat. During this scene many of the passengers became
highly exasperated and gave vent to the strongest expres-
sions of indignation, seeming to indicate a purpose of re-
sistance on their part, when a squad armed with muskets,
with bayonets fixed, made sensible advance of one or two
paces with their arms at a charge. It must be added here,
omitted in the course of the narration, that before the
party loft the upper deck, an officer of the Trent, named
Williams, in the naval uniform of Great Britain, and
known to the passengers as having charge of the mails and
accompanying them to England, said to the lieutenant
that, as the only person present representing his Govern-
ment, be felt called upon, in language as strong and em-
phatic as he could express, to denounce the whole proceed-
ings as a piratical act.
Mr. Slidell and Mr. Mason, together with Mr. Eustis and
Mr. M'Farland, against whom force in like manner had
been used, were taken to the San Jacinto as soon as they
entered the boat. When they reached your ship, you re-
ceived them near the gangway, announcing yourself as
Captain Wilkes, commander of the ship, and conducted
them to your cabin, which you placed at their disposal.
When the undersigned came on board, they found the men
at their quarters, and the guns bearing on the Trent. After
some time occupied in bringing on board our baggage and
effects, the San Jacinto proceeded to the northward through
the Southern channel, the Trent having been detained from
three to four hours.

Tho foregoing is believed to bea correct narrative in sub-
stance of the facts and circumstances attending our arrest
and transfer from the British mail steamer to the ship under
your command, and which we doubt not will be corrobo-
rated by the lieutenant present as well as by all who wit-
nessed them.

The incidents here given in detail may not have been
witnessed by each one of the undersigned, individually, but
they:were by :one or more of them. As, for the most
part, they did not pass under your notice, we have deemed
it proper to present them in this form before, expressing
the wish, if considered incorrect in any part, the inaccu-
racies may be pointed out, with a respectful request that
you will transmit a copy of the paper to the Government of
the United States, together with your report of the trans
action, to facilitate which a copy is herewith enclosed.
We have the honour to be, very respectfully, your obe-
dient servants, JOHN SLIDELL. I
J. M. MASON.
GEORGE EUSTIS.
J. E. M'FARLAND.
REPLY OP CAPTAIN WILKES.

United States Steamer San Jacinto,
At Sea, Nov. 13, 1861.
Gentlemen,—Your letter dated the 9th inst. was handed
to me yesterday. I shall transmit it, agreeably to your re-
quest, to the Hon. Secretary of the Navy, with my report
of the transactions to which it refers.

In reply to your wish to have any inaccuracies it may
contain pointed out, I deem it my duty to say the facts differ
materially in respect to the time and circumstances.
The facts in my possession are derived from the logbook
(the official record of the ship), and from the reports, in
writing, of all the officers who visited the Trent, all of
which will form a part of my report.—l am, respectfully,
your obedient servant,
CHARLES WILKES.
CARD OP THANKS.

- - ----- -
United States steamer San Jacinto, Nov. 15, 1861.
Sir,—Before leaving your sbip we think it proper that we
should state that since we have been on board of her we
have uniformly been treated with great courtesy and atten-
tion.—Yery respectfully yours,
JOHN SLIDELL,
J. M. MASON,
J. E. M'FARLAND,
GEO. EUSTIS.
Capt. Wilkes, commanding United States steamer
San Jacinto.

will complete fitting. Her royals were yester-
day got on end, and she has nearly competed
rigging. Her removal from the harbour to Folly
Point is considered a very unwise one, and will re-
sult in a loss of two or three days.
The Cormorant, 4, 200 horse power, and the Race-
horse 4, 200 horse power, belonging to the steam
reserve at Chatham, are both to be fitted for com-
mission, orders to that effect having been yesterday
received at Chatham.

No. 6 screw steam transport Mauritius, Captain 1
Cruikshank, lately purchased by Messrs. Begbie
and Co., went down to Woolwich pier from Dept-
ford yesterday morning, for the purpose of shipping
300 tons of war stores and military clothing for
America. The troops, 720 in number, will go on
board at Cork, including Capt. Morris's battery of
the Bth Brigade Royal Artillery. The Mauritius will
ship at Woolwich about 300 tons, consisting of shot
and shell, 30 snow sledges, a battery of 12 pounder
Armstrong guns for the use of Capt. Morris's bat-
tery, 752 suits of warm military clothing, 14 non-
commissioned officers from the 3d Regiment (Buffs),
the 14th, 60th, 61st, 53d2 78th, and 84th Regiments
of the Line, who have volunteered to join the Cana-
dian Militia; and 46 horses. The Mauritius em-
barked naval provisions at Deptford sufficient for
a six weeks' voyage, and, according to her usual
rate of speed, the captain expects to perform the
voyage to America in 13 or 14 days.
Her Majesty's ship Devastation, Commander
M'Crea, commissioned at Woolwich, having em-
barked five Armstrong guns and materials for the
Bacchante and Clio in the Pacific, left Greenhithe
on Sunday on a trial of her engines, her minimum
speed having been proved as 10 knots per hour,
which was pronounced satisfactory. Her steering
was, however, notified as bad. Shortly after the
inspecting officers had left for shore, to return to
Woolwich, and when the tide was at his highest
flood, she became imbedded on the Maplin Sands, a
little below Shoeburyness. The occurrence took
place at half-past 5 on Sunday evening, After
being stranded about 17 hours she was liberated,
and continued her voyage to Portsmouth yesterday
morning at half-past 10 a.m, No material damage
was sustained.

The following appointments have been made at
the Admiralty :—Commander A. It. Henry, to the
Stromboli, vice Commander Lord Elphinstone, su-
perseded at his own request; Commander J. W.
Pike, to the Vigilant, commissioned; Lieuts. Bon-
ham W. Bas and George Henley, to the Vigilant ;
John G. Morgan, master, to the Vigilant; and F.
Leonard, surgeon, to the Vigilant. The following
appointments will be made on the Hannibal being
paid off :—Thomas Bullions, chief engineer, to the
Asia, for the Hannibal ; J. Jolly, first class assistant
engineer, to the Fisgard, as supernumerary; D. C.
Miller, second class assistant engineer, to the Fis-
gard, as supernumerary ; B. Carr, second class
assistant engineer, to the Indus, as supernumerary;
W. T. Comerford, paymaster, to the Vigilant ; John
D. Parminter, paymaster, to the Dauntless ; Alex.
F. Gain, assistant paymaster, to the Victory, as su-
pernumerary ; Benjamin Urwich, clerk, to the
Vigilant ; William F. Crosthwaite and Arthur J. C.
Clarke, assistant clerks, to the Ajax ; William 0.
Roy, assistant clerk, to the Wellesley; Richard
Harbord, assistant clerk, to the Majestic; John T.
Greet, assistant clerk, to the Russell; J. T. Hugo,
assistant clerk, to the Blenheim ; and Aubery A.
Fauvel, assistant clerk to the Dauntless.