Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-12-18
The affair Of the Nashville and the
Harvey Birch.


Nashville and the ship Harvey Birch, Of
which VIC received some particulars, created
considerable sensation in England. The
details of the affair are thus given by the
Southampton correspondence the London
Times:
About 8 o'clock last Tuesday morning.
10th Oct when in latstude 10 deg. 6
min. n, longitude deg. % min. W, the
Nashville fell in with the American ship
Harvey Birch, Captain Nelson. bound from
Havre to New York in ballast, with the
American flag flying. She ran alongside
her. and, as was stated to US, opened her
ports and ordered the ship to heave to. the
flag to be hauled down, and the captain to
come on board Immediately. This was
done, and Captain Nelson soon returned
to his ship with orders from the captain of
the Nashville for all the crew to get their
things ready as soon as possible, and 60 on
board the Nashville, as they intended to
destroy the Harvey Birch. They we're al
lowed an hour O.. an hour and half for
this purpose, and got part of their things
out The men from the steamer took most
Of the provisions, with the ships chron-
ometer, barometer, and some OF the charts,
permitting Capt. Nelson to retain his own
chronometer. but he has lost s 200 or
Sl,4OO worth of personal effects, books,
charts, &c. They then set fire to the ship
fore and aft, apparently in the deck hauscs
and the vessel was sOOG in flames from
stem to stern. The three masts we're seen
to 20 over the side, and Il hull was still
burning when the steamer left her. The
Harvey Birch was full rigged ship, Of
/ l,4S7 tons, American measurement and
cost about l2J, 900 in her construction
She had a total of twenty-nine souls on
board, including Mr. Blydenburg a son of
her owner, who was passenger, Captain
| Nelson, two mates, two bOatswains cook,
steward, carpenter, and twenty ssamen--
The men were put in irons on boardsthe
steamer with the exception of the Capt.
and mate, who were treated with great
politel ;, and kept as prisoners until the
arrival of the vessel here this morning.
when they were Immediately landed in the
docks and set at liberty, with all the per-
sonal effects belonging to them. 1t is sta
ted that, before they were put in irons, the
confederate oath was rendered to the men,
which they refused to take; but Capt. Mel
son tells Us he was not aware Of tic fact,
although it may be correct
Immc, ,ttly on landiar, Captain Nelson
waited upon Captain BristOn, the Ameri-
can consul at this port, who has caused the
crew to be temporarily boarded at the Sail
ors Home, and msdc arrangements for
them to be forwarded to New York il the
Hansa steamer, which sails hence on We'd
nesday next Captain Briston has also
put himself in communication with Mr..
Adams, the American minister in London,
and made that gentleman acquainted with
all the facts of the case. On leaving the
Nashville, Capt. Pcgram told Captain Nj
son that he hoped they would not part bad
friends. for what had been done was a sim
pie act of retaliation on the Northern
States for invading their territories, burn
ing their houses, ill-treatiug their women
and stealing their negroes, and they were
bound to retaliate on the property of the
North in every way they could.
About - O'Clock the Nashville steamed
into dock, where, as mentioned above, she
now lies; and, soon after she was berthed
Capt Patey, the admiralty superintendent
Of mail packets at this port, went on board
and had an interview with the captain.
Col PcytoD, an agent of the southern
confedcracy, and his wife, we're on board
the Nashville, and left for London by the
3 o'tlJck train. %,
The caI tain states that the Nashville
has put in here to have her tep deck taken
off, and to be fitted cut as vessel-of-waT;
but how far this detention will be found to
square with the legal and international
bearings of the case, remains to be seen
The arrival of the vessel here, urder the
and her landing prisoners of
war, as they are lied, is looked upon by
many persons as an infraction of the Queens
proclamation of neutrality. Groups of
politicians and commercial men have been
actively discussing the knotty Oints in :
vcived in the question and sundry messages
have raised up and down the telegraph /
wires during the day in relation to the l
subject. 1t is stated she has some spare :
officers on board for ships building or pre- c
pairing in England for the confederate navy. '
The paddle-wheel steamer Pacific, lately I
belonging to the Galway company, which
has been lying in ur docks for some months,
and has Just been sold, is now fitting out {
in the docks it is said, for voyage to the
West Indies, but strong impression pre- q
Gails that she is bought for the Confeder- Y
lite States We understand that the cap
.ure of the Harvey Birch took place ia 7j ?
athoms depth of water. {
CIpt. Pegram Indignantly denies the
statement of Capt. Nelson that he holds a
10 commission from the Confederate States t
If America, and has furnished Us with a
,o;y cf his commission under the confcd- p
rate seal.
Underwriting business in American ship p
]:ng WIS temporarily suspended uader the L
lews Of the occurrence, and subsequently s.
ncrcasld d war risks we're demanded. p
Tie Times, in a leader on the event, al Il
udes to the recent presence IN English wa c,
crs of the felleral steamer James Ad2er, o.
md argues that it would have been better II
{ both she and the Nashville could have ID
,een kept out of English -haEhors, but as te
his could not be done, both must be let in tE
like, an exposition of international law as
n the matter is looked for with I'M patience. b
The London Morning Herald says: 'lf Sc
re permit the Nashville to receive any as &c
istanee in reftting her warlike armaments, "
We shall be departing from neutrality and 50
mbrciliug ourselves with the federal gov fl
and aid beyond what is barely Il
ccessary to render her seaworthy, may e'
7cll be looked upon with jealousy by the IL
'eligercnt power whose ship she has burnt Ia
nd destroyed. g.