The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-12-20
Important Correspondence.
REPLY OF CAPT. WILKES.

REPLY OF CAPT. WILKES.
Among the important documents trans
mitted to Congress by Secretary Welles is
the protest to Capt Wilkes by Messrs. Ma.
son and Slidell, against their arrest on
board the British steamer Trent, at sea
November 8. The following is the protest
and the reply Of Capt. Wilkes
u. s. STEAMER SAN JAc1NTo, AT SEA,
November 8.
Captain Wilkes, U. S. N. commanding San Sn
Jacinto
SIR We desire to communicate to
you by this memorandum, the facts attend.
ing our arrest yesterday on board the Brit
ish mail steamer Trent, by your order, and
our transfer to this ship.
We, the undersigned, embarked at Ha.
vana on the 9TH inst, as passengers on
board the Trent, Capt. Moir, bound to the
island of st. Thomas, the Trent being one
of the regular mail and passenger line of
the British Royal Steamship Company
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
steamship company, Mr.. Slidell being &C.
companied by his family, consisting of his
wife, four children and servant, and Mr..
Eustis by his wife and servant.
The Trent left the port of Havana about
8 o'clock, A. NJ, on the morning of the 7th
inst, and pursued her voyage uninterrupt-
edly until intercepted by the United States
steamer San Jacinto, under your command,
on the day following 1.-THE. 9Th inst.). in the
manner now to be related
When the San Jacinto was first observed
several miles distant, the Trent was pursu
ing the usual course of her voyage along the
old Bahama or Nicholas channel; was about
two hundred and forty miles from Havana,
and in sight of the lighthouse of Poradon
Grande, the San Jacrto then lying sta
tionary, or nearly so, about the middle of
the channel, and where it was some fifteen
miles wide, as since shown US on the chart,
the nationality of the ship being then un-
known. When the Trent had approached
near enough for her flag to be distinguished,
it was hoisted at the peak and at the main,
and so remained for time. No flag was
shown by the San Jacinto. When the
Trent had approached within mile Iof the
San Jacinto, still pursuing the due course
of her voyage, 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 to three hun.
dred yards of the San Jacinto, second
shotted gun was fred 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: "They would
send boat" Both vessels were then sta.
tionary, with steam shut off, A boat very
soon put of from your ship, followed i'm.
mediately by two other boats, with full
crews and armed with muskets and side
arms. A lieutenant, in the naval uniform
of the US. navy, and with side arms,
boarded the Trent, and in the presence of
most of the passengers, then assembled on
the upper deck, said to Captain Moir that
he came with orders to demand his passen-
ger list. The Captain refused to produce
it, and formally protested against any
right to visit his ship for the pur-
pose above indicated. After some
conversation, impartiDg renewed protests 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 be had only
to execute his orders, the latter said "That
two gentlemen, naming MIR. Slidell and Mr..
Mason, were known to be on board, as also
two other gentlemen, naming Mr.. Eustis
and Mr.. Mcfarland, and that his orders
were to take and carry them on board the
San Jacint0." 1t should have been noted
that on first addressing the captain he an-
nounced himself as Lieutenant of the
United States steamer San JacintO. The
four gentlemen thus named being present,
the Lieutenant addressed MIR. Slidell and
afterwards MIR. 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 presence of the
captain ct the Trent, bis officers and passen-
gers, 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 with them 10 expressing
like purpose. That officer stated that he
hoped he would not be compelled to resort
to the use OF force, but if it would become
necessary to employ it, in order to execute
his orders. he was prepared to do so. He
was answered by the undersigned that they
would submit to such force alone. The
Lieutenant then went to the gangway where
his boats were, the undersigned going at the
same time to their state rooms on the deck
next below, followed by Captain Moir, and
by the other passengers. The Lieutenant
returned with party of his men, portion
of whom were armed with side arms, and
Others, appearing to be squad OF marines,
having muskets and bayonets. MIR. Slidell
was in his state-room Immediately by and
in full view. The Lieutenant then said to
Mr.. Mason that having his force now pre-
sent he hoped to be relieved from
the necessity of calling it into &C.