Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-13
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
MONDAY, AUGUST s, 1868.
THE TROUBLE AT SMYRNA.

We have been favored with private letter from
an Officer Of the sloopofBar 81. Louis, from which
we make the annexed extracts, relating faithfully,
We presume the circumstance 1T Hmyrssa connected
with the arrest Of the Hungarian Kosta, and the
considerations which decided the Commander of the
ST Louis to demand his release 1t appears that
Capt INeRAHAM felt very sensibly the delicacy Of
the position in which he was placed, and was much
embarrassed how to act; but the opinions and
advice Of our Charge d'Afaires at Constantinople,
confirmed by the claim of the prisoner to American
protection, decided the Captain not unnauraly, that
the course of peril or of battle, if need be- was the
course Of duty. Truly thankful are we that SO
awful an issue was averted by the eonsiderate alter
native proposed by the two Consuls
"USITED STATES SHIP ST. LOUIS,
SMYRNA, JULY Z, 1858.
sI wrote you that one Martin Costa, Hungarian
fugee had been forciby taken board of Austrian
brig-ofwar, and confined in double irons Although he
was citizen of the United States still he had made
hi declaration Of intention to apply to become such
Ca, INGRAHA knowing that certain death would await
the if he should be carried to Austria determined
if pas sble to save him. if he could do it without COM
prom;s ng flag Orders had been issued by the Aus
triau Co usul carry the away the 29h of June
Can't In graham hearing this the night of the 2Sth
sent his roest that the must not be carried away
until It was fully settled whether not Martin Costa
an American On the morning of the Goth ship made
sail and bore lown towards the Austrian brig and
chored near so could watch and that the
not carried off, The Austrians thinking that were
going to take the man. made every preparation to receive
us During the m, ornng the Austrian Captain word
that the man would not be sent away. Letters the
same day from Mr. 'RowS the Charge dAfaires ad IN
tsr at Constantinopl stating that Kosta citizen
Of the United States I'd such entitled protec
ton from our country Wel as things STOOD the Cap
tain was in doubt how act but asked that further time
might be allowed SO as to h from Mr. MARSH who was
daily expected at Constant uope The Austrians gave
until last Saturday the I'd Of July Other letters came
from Constantinople, but st Captain lngraham WAS
In doubt and after little Versation with the Con-
sui the Captain and Consul wt'nt on board the Aus
trian bripofwar to see Martin Co After con-
yersation Martin Costs demanded protection from the
American flag Capt Ingraham then told him he should
have 1t. The Captain and Consul returned board Of
our shin and the Captain word to the Austrian that
he demanded Martin Costa by four o'clock in the even
inr After this was tremendous excitement spread
throughout the ship oil hands called TO quarters to
make actions the big guns were cut
lasses sraarms boarding pixies and every thing ready
for an engagement The Surgeons brought out their IN
struments ready cut of legs, patch up wounds &c
The shore crowded with people, to witness the en-
pace The news spread like wild6re throughout smyrna
and the people were much excited as we were Dele
cations came of to the ship to see something couo not
he done 10 prevent an action After four or five hours
Ihappy for all parties the American and Austrian Con-
sus came to compromise that is, the Austrian C9nsui
who had full control Of the man. consented that Martin
Costa should be delivered into the hands Of the french
Consul who consented take charge Of him, until every
thing was fully settled by the two Governments as 70 VINO
had Claim to the man Well, after this was settled OF
course we all breathed much freer than we did before
No doubt but many lives would have been lost on ooth
des Although our guns are much larger than the Aus
trians still the quarter intended lighting their
guns woudhnye been Just destructive as ours The
Austrian force consisted Of brig Of sixteen guns one
schooner of guns and three mail steamers, which
would no doubt have assisted in the engagement 80
you see their force much larger than ours There
was general rejoicing after the matter was settled
and the American citizens in Smyrna gave a dinner
10 Captain IsGRAHAM and his officers on the 4th OF
July There general jollfcatiop, and there was
popping Of bote-corks instead Of the big guns. Last
night we gave ball board to Of the residents OF
Smyrna whohave been very kind to US since our arrival
In port