Daily national Democrat., 1859-03-24
Exciting News.

y correspondent Of the Alta, writing from
La Paz, Lower California, under date Of Feb.
lst, furnishes us with some important news.
He says:
a few days since the Queen Of the Isles
touched here from Mazatlan on her way to
Guaymas, and brought us some news of the
state Of the scige of Mazatlaa, and among
other items that on the evening of the very
day that the St. Marys sailed for Acapulco,
(Jan. 5th) the English frigate Alarm got un
der weigh and sailed up among the Consti.
TUT nal fleet and anchored. The next morn.
ing she summoned them all TO surrender, and
Admiral Norton had to haul down his flag
and surrender the command so hravcly won
Capt Sweat, of the Queen says the thing was
publicly talked of in Mazatlan, that Capt
Curry, Of the Alarm, got $4,000 for the job
The liberals were very indignant about it.
The conservadores said, if true, l. was right,
though doubtless false, for the sake of Capt
Curry and the honor the British navy. 1t is
to be hoped that the affair will receive some
attention from the proper British authori
ties
The Queen of the Isle gives the following
as the current account of the provocation OF
the seizure Of the Constitutional war schooner
lturbide. Soon after that vessel was cut out
from under the guns of the forces holding
Mazatlan, she commenced taking prizes, one
of wkich had some copper belonging to the
Mazatlan bIanch of the French house of j. b.
Jerker d. Co. The commander of the Itur-
bide was informed that the copper was for
eign property, to which he promptly replied
that he should respect the rights of foreign
ers, but was co PEELED to hold the copper
as he knew, if it entered the port it would
he seized hy Gen Artiaga to make into balls
Nj. Muhlenberg, the agent Of the house at
Mazatlan, visited the st. Marys, which vessel
| lay near the Constitutional fleet, where he
met the Commander who assured him the
copper was safely landed from the vessels
and would be secure. Mr. Muhlenberg re-
turned satisfied. The day previous TO the
sliling of the st. Marys Capt. Curry sent q
communication to Admiral Norton, who had
increased his fleet to five sail, seven guns and
one hundred and thirty en-, addressing him
as the person commanding the Iturbidc, to
which Norton replied, ITO the person com
manding II. b MS frigate Alarm; which
astounding impcrtinence made Capt. Curry
feel queer, probably belligerant
When Capt Curry received reply to hi:
communication of the day previous, the St
Marys had sailed, and then the English fri
SdJc BOI ullueI NtlSlj uucuOIcu dnpllR tdpl
Nortous fleet, beat to quarters, opened hel
port holes, lit her matches, and the gallant
Norton had to give up his ship, Which the
frigate manned, and with the rest of the fleet
seven sail in all, sailed down again to th'
harbor of Mazatlan.
Owing to the revolution and the Pacific
steamers touching at Manzanillo the present
cruise Of the Alarm on the station may have
been very Improbable one to the officers
Hundreds of thousands of coined dollars are
known to be waiting at CuliGcan and Duran
go for the raising Of the siege of Mazatlan, tC
hnd their way to that port, and thence OF
board the English man of-war, in her to Pan
anna; thence to England The Alarm wal
soon to he relieved, and what other resourc,
was there IT, arrive at this desirable consum-
,iiaVion' that was to benefit so many eXeep
oy assisting one or other of the parties t.
eonquer and that one must naturally hav,
the preference to whom the merchants o
Mazatan had already advanced some hun
dred thousand dollars in payment of duties
at discount commensurate with the neees
stiles of the new government, and in the car
goes of vessels now coasting in the Gulf or
ders to enter the port.
Pesquera has sent q small vessel here fol
men and supplies, and vessels to raise another
navy to blockade the port Not much car
be done here. The very idea has made tn,
Governor sick, and he has gone to bed.