The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-28 00:00:00

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THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 28, 1861.

TILE NAVY.

brigade arrived last night from Ireland. The sth
battalion Military Train, in command of Major
Salis, have alsa arrived at the encampment, Wool-
wich, from Shorncliffe, to replace the Ist battalion,
embarked for British North America. The sth
battalion consists of Capt. Hunt, Capt. Corbett,
Lieut. Harley, Lieut. Pettigrew, Lieut. Murphy,
Ensign Forrest, Adjt. Hesketh, Paymaster Craig,
Quartermaster Luttrell, and 269 non-commissioned
officers and men.

four months; draught of water, 10ft ; displacement
. tons ; speed per hour, 12 'knots.
" John Westwood, Cincinnati, Ohio—Vessel of
wood, with iron armour; plan good enough, but the
breadth not enough to bear the armour. No de-
tailed specification. No price or time stated, only
a general drawing. Not recommended.
" Neafie and Levy, Philadelphia—No plans or
drawings, therefore not considered; neither price
nor time stated. Length of vessel, 200 ft ; breadth
of beam, 40ft ; depth of hold, 15ft ; draught of water,
13ft ; displacement, 1,748 tons; speed per hour, 10
knots.

The Warrior, 40, iron frigate, Capt. the Hon. A.
A. Cochrane, C. 8., bent sails yesterday at Ports-
mouth, and to-day will haul off from alongside the
dockyard to alongside her hulk in the stream,
where she will be kept in readiness pending the
solution of the American question. During her
stay at Portsmouth she has been suppled with a
small auxiliary steam engine, which will be made
use of in working the yard whips when coaling,
getting up her anchor, &c.
The Black Prince, 40, iron frigate, will be re-
moved from the steam basin to No. 10 dock on
Tuesday.

Lieut. Collins, two sergeants, two corporals, and 36
privates, belonging to the Woolwich division Royal
Marine Light Infantry, yesterday left for Liverpool
to embark on board the Royal Mail steamship Peru
for the Pacific, for the protection of the mails.
Yesterday a detachment of 28 men of all ranks
of the Army hospital Corps, left Fort Pitt Ilospi•
tal, Chatham, for Woolwich, where they embark on
board the steamer Calcutta for Canada.

" William Norris, Cedar-street, New York—lron
boat, without armour. Too smlll and not recom-
mended. Price, 32,000 dols ; length of vessel, 83ft;
breadth of beam, 25 ft ; depth of hold, 14ft ; time,
60 to 75 days ; draught of water, 3ft ; displace-
ment, 90 tons ; speed not stated.
" William Kingsley, 'Washington, D.C., proposes
a rubber-clad vessel, which we cannot recommend.
No price or dimensions stated.
" A. Beebe, 82, Broadway, New York—Specifica-

The Glasgow, 51, screw, new frigate, fitting out,
will be placed No. 8 dock on Wednesday.
The Pandora, 5, screw, hoisted her pendant of
commission at Portsmouth yesterday by Lieut. Hon.
James 'l'. Fitzmaurice, of her Majesty's ship Ma-
jestic, 80, screw, lying in the Mersey, to which
vessel the Pandora will be attached as tender,
Lieut. Fitzmaurice and a party of seamen having
arrived at Portsmouth from Liverpool yesterday
morning to navigate the Pandora round to the Mer-
sey. She took in her powder and shell last even-
ing, moved her position from alongside the north
wall of the steam-basin to a fairway buoy in the
harbour, and will sail for the Mersey this morning.
The gunboats Amelia, Lieut. Cheyne and Escort,
Lieut. Woodman, two of the advanced gunboat flo-
tilla.at Portsmouth, received sailing orders yester-
day for Liverpool. They will call at Plymouth
Sound, whence the Emerald, 51, screw, Captain A.
Cumming, will accompany them. Powder and shell
were hurried on board yesterday afternoon. After
dark they were taken to Spithead, where it was ex-
pected they would anchor for the night, resuming
their voyage at daylight this morning. The Mersey
was not the originally assigned destination of the
Amelia and Escort; but the authorities, in order to
provide efficiently for the defence of the port, have
set aside previous arrangements.
The Tribune, 31, screw, in the hands of the steam
factory and shipwright departments at Portsmouth
and fitting for service, got up steam yesterday to
test her machinery.
The mooring-lighter was under the bows of the
flagship Impregnable, 104, Capt. C. Vesey, in
Hamoaze, yesterday morning, for the purpose of
taking in her moorings. The guns of the flagship
are to be removed (a party from the Revenge assist-
ing), and her crew are to be paid off on the 31st
inst. The crew of the reserve depot ship Royal
Adelaide, 104, Capt. W. K. Hall, C. 8., are to be
paid off on the 30th inst.; after which she will be
re-commissioned, and removed from the upper part
of Hamoaze to the berth occupied by the Impreg-
nable, near Mount Edgecumbe, at the entrance to
the harbour. Tho Impregnable is said to possess
more ample accommodation for the novices than the
Royal Adelaide.
A trial of Hawthorn's night signals has just
taken place at Sheerness, in the presence of Capt.
G. Luard and a committee of naval officers ap-
pointed by the Admiralty for that purpose. The in-
ventor claims for his invention a superiority to
every other of the kind, and, so far as the tests
have gone, they have very much tended to con-
firm that opinion. The signals are produced
with only one lanthorn, and with the greatest
precision and correctness. During the trials the
simplicity of the invention was severely tested,
signals being give to ships of all classes, from a
three•decker to a smack, with the greatest ease and
promptness, without a mistake. The trials gave
every satisfaction, and received the strongest com-
mendation.

The following promotions and appointments in the
Royal Marine Corps were yesterday announced at
Woolwich :—First Lieut. W. A. Boyd to be Capt.,
and appointed to the Chatham Division, vice Hus-
kinson, retired on the half-pay list, and appointed
paymaster, vice Hookley, deceased ; Second Lieu-
tenant C. R. Brand, serving on board the Immor-
talite screw steam frigate, belonging to the Chan-
nel Squadron, to be First Lieutenant, sndappointed
from the Woolwich Division to the Chatham
Division.

tion and sketch defective ; plan not approved.
Price, 50,000 dols ; length of vessel, 120 ft ; breadth
of beam, 55ft ; depth not stated ; time, 100 days ;
draught of water 6ft ; displacement, 1000 tons ;
speed per hour, 8 knots.
" These three propositions recommended—viz.,
Bushnell and Co., Newhaven, Connecticut; Merrick
and Son, Philadelphia ; and S. Ericsson, New York
—will absorb 1,290,250 dole of the liArepriationof
1,500,000 dols, leaving 209,750 dole yet unexpended.
" The Board recommends that armour with
heavy guns be placed on one of our river craft, or if
none will bear it, to construct a scow which will
answer to plate and shield the guns for the river
service on the Potomac, to be constructed or pre-
pared by the Government at the navy-yard here for
immediate use.

" We would fui ther recommend that the Depart-
ment ask of Congress at its next session an appro-
priation, for experimenting on iron plate of diffe-
rent kinds, of 'lO,OOO doll.
" All of which is respectfully submitted.

"J. SMITH.

" H. PAULDING.
" C. H. DAVIS.
HOD. G. Welles, Secretary of the Navy, present,"

THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

(From thejSpeeial Correspondent of the Times.)

WASHINGTON, DEC. 13.
The brief contents of the telegram which conveys
to us the effect produced in one day in England by
the news of Mason and Slidell's arrest must be
elucidated by the fuller details expected every hour,
before we can form any opinion here as to the final
result on the relations between the two countries.
So far as can be judged there can be no complaint
made against the English people for intemperance
or violence. In Washington there is a feeling of
surprise at the modification of tone and apparent
calm of which we hear—not, indeed, among those
who have all along affected to think Great Britain
must bear this unexpected interpretation of the
right of search with equanimity and with resigna-
tion, but among the doubters,who shook their heads
end said there would be a tremendous explosion at
the other side of the water. Lord Lyons has not
received any despatches in reference to the subject,
but it is likely the next mail will convey him in-
structions from the Foreign•office, and afford a base
of communications between the two Governments
on the subject, unless it be incontestably proved
that the arrest was perfectly justifiable by interna-
tional law, and that henceforth our mail steamers
may be detained ad libitum by any captain of a
belligerent man-of-war who may choose to say he
has reason to suspect the mail steamer is carrying
an enemy's despatches or emissaries; and not only
that, but that the bags and letters may be opened in
prosecution of that search, and that persons reputed
to be enemies proceeding as passengers under the
flag may be seized and conveyed away by force.
No Power in the world would gain so much as Eng-
land by recognising these principles. But since the
Treaty of 1856 at Paris it may be held that Eng-
land is bound to take the sense of her co-signataries
in reference to any great question of international
law affecting the maritime relations of the great
Powers with each other and with external Powers
which did not assent to that treaty, and which
have subsequently evinced such zeal in favour of
its adoption.
If a United States Government mail-bag or a
United States official henceforth be carried by any
British steamer, we shall have committed a breach
of neutrality, and the Nashville may prey upon the
Cunarders as well as on the Havre steamers which
are under such conditions. I do not know what
French jurists and statesmen may think of the case,
but I think I may state that the French Admiral on

The Lee, 5, screw gun-vessel, 431 tons, 560 horse
power, one of the advance gun-vessels which are to
be stationed in the diffet eat harbours on the coast,
has had this day her compasses adjusted at Sheer-
ness, whence she will proceed to Liverpool, which
is her station. ller crew, consisting of one lieute-
nant and 21 seamen, have arrived from the Majestic,
80, Coastguard vessel at Liverpool, Capt. Edward
A. Inglefield, to navigate her to her destination.
About 120 seamen gunners from the Cambridge,
42, Capt. A. Jeruingham, in Ilamoaze, and other
ships at Plymouth, left on Thursday evening at
7.10 by mail train for Liverpool. It is supposed
that they will be placed on board the mail packets
for purposes of defence.

The whole of the resources of the smitheries at
Chatham Dockyard are being taxed to their utmost
to provide the necessary ironwork, and to keep pace
with the progress of the several ships fitting for
commission at that port. In addition to the ordi-
nary work of the department, the workmen have
commenced forging the after-portion of the keel of
the iron screw frigate Achilles, 50, in consequence
of the delay experienced in obtaining the portions
of the heavy forgings for the vessels from the
several ironworks contracting to supply them, The
portion of the keel now being forged at Chatham is
25 feet in length, and weighs upwards of eight tons.
The iron bowsprit for the Defence, 22, iron
steamer, has been received at Chatham from the
Thames Iron Company, and successfully fixed in
its place in that vessel. Its weight is rather less
than five tons. The iron masts have also arrived at
the dockyard from the Thames, but these cannot be
fixed until the vessel has been undocked. Every
day sees the steamer approaching nearer com-
pletion, and from the progress already made it
is believed she will be ready to proceed to sea
in about three weeks. The following
officers have taken up their commissions and
joined her :—Capt. R. A. Powell, C. 8., Commander
P. Saumarez, Lieut F. T. Thompson, Lieut. J. G.
Meade, Lieut. W. Lowther, Lieut. E. P. Pocock,
Master W. Mayes, Surg. C. F. A. Courtenay,
Assist.- Surg. J. Paterson, M.D., Paymaster G. H.
L. Wise, Assist.-Paymaster R. R, A. Richards ; J.
Cox, clerk; J. M. 011 is, chief engineer; W. Collier,
engineer; T. Hartley, S. T, Wallis, and T. Green,
first-class assist.-engineers ; W. Williams and T.
Stewart, acting second -class assist.-engineers.
Nearly the whole of her crew, consisting of 450 men,
have joined, most of them having been draughted
from the guardships at the several ports. During
theitime the Defence is fitting the officers and crew
are accommodated on board the Glocoster, 50, in
Chatham harbour.

the North American station would have felt it his
duty to take Slidell and Mason out of the San Ja-
cinto by force, had they been taken by force out of
a French steamer. It is affirmed, with every reason
to believe it, that M. do la Graviere expressed him-
self to that effect when he was speaking of the
transaction; but it is no reflection on an officer so
sensible, so collected, and so firm as Admiral Milne
to observe that he did not arrive at a similar con-
clusion. The report of Captain Wilkes, which is a
curious exemplification of the terrible effect of legal
studies on the naval mind,shows he had his doubts
as to how he could get at Mason and Slidell, and
that at last the bright idea started into his head
that they were "living despatches." As Rousseau
would have been thought a better Christian if he
had died without his " Confessions," so Captain
Wilkes might have stood higher as "an interpreter
of international law" if he had not written his dis-
quisition on " Wheaton" and others. Nelson
coming home from Trafalgar might have been re-
ceived just as Captain Wilkes has been welcomed in
New York after his tremendous "exploit." The
discussions which succeeded the arrest have sub-

sided, and all we hear now is praise of the action,
the regrets of Mr. Welles that the Trent was not
captured, and an under-current of apprehension that
things will not be taken so quietly in England. In
New York we hear stocks fell and exchange rose at

. ..
once, and if exchange should continue to rise, the
day of trouble for the New York banks is nearer
than they or any one expected, though its coming

The following appointments were made at the Admiralty
last evening :
Commander W. H. Phipps to be Inspecting Commander
of the Coastguard, vice Henry, appointed to the Stromboli.
Lieutenants—Edward Wilmot, to be commander ; Rich.
H. Napier to the Bacchante (additional), for disposal.
Masters—Jabcz Leone to the Cumberland, for the Me-
dusa; William Barrett to the Pembroke; Henry P. Ward
to the Ajax.

has been regarded as sure.
Dr. Parsons, Professor of the Cambridge Law
School, published a letter in the Boston Advertiser,
in which he expressed an opinion that Captain
Wilkes was as much justified in seizing Mason and
Slidell as the Government is in blockading the port
of Charleston. He starts with the dictum of Lord
Stowell, that you may stop the Ambassador of your
enemy on his passage. That dictum is susceptible
of qualification, and is not and cannot be absolute,
and it is in effect impossible to admit that wherever
an Ambassador is found at sea he may be seized.
Could he be stopped on board a national ship, though
the nation to which the ship belonged might be made

Master's Assistant—S. Bowden, to the Edgar.
James E. Fawcett promoted to surgeon.

THE ARMY.

No. 8 battery of the 10th Brigade Royal Attil-
lery left head-quarters, Woolwich, by special train
for Liverpool last night to embark for British
North America. The battery was in command of
Major M'Crea, and consisted of the following offi-
cers and men :—Lieuts. D. N. Taylor and J. S.
Rothwell, Assist.-Surg. Richards, and 117 ser-
geants and rank and file.

amenable to the penalties of breaking its neutrality
by the act of carriage ? During the Russian war,
when the English and French fleets lay in the
Pincus, the American Minister took the Russian
Envoy to Greece on board an American man-of-
war, which lay between the allied squadrons, and
which received the Russian with every mark of
honour and saluted the Russian flag hoisted at the
main. It was proposed to the British commander
to resent the affront, and to seize the Ambassador ;
but he never dreamed of doing so, even when
he was on his passage to the shore. There
are cases obviously -where the principle does not
apply, and this instance is only given as an ad ab-
surdum reduction of the doctrine laid down in the
dictum. Until any arguments come from the other
side the people here are content with the decisions
of their own lawyers and publicists, and if they are
in harmony with our own there is no ground for
auything more than a little surprise, such as may

The sth company of Royal Engineers, in com-
mand of Capt. Gosset, arrived at Woolwich last
night from Chatham, per steamboat, and having
landed at the Royal Arsenal-pier, under the direc-
tion of Brigade-Major Milward, who awaited their
arrival; marched to the North London Railway
station, and proceeded to Liverpool for embarka-
tion to North America. The line of march both of
the Royal Artillery and Engineers was crowded
with people cheering. The men appeared to be in
excellent health and spirits.

Two batteries of the 15th Brigade Garridon Ar-
tillery, in command of Colonel Graydon, under
orders for Bermuda have arrived at Woolwich from
Pembroke ; and two additional batteries of the same