Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-31

America, the reception OF which may change the civ
war into great and worldwide struggle. Nothing car
interest unless It relates to the one QUESTION
Wi Messrs Mason and Slidell be given up?
Everything that bears this viii be greedily reat
by the British public ything that tends 10 show
the temper Of the Americans, to give clue to the
intentions Of their Government will be infinitely nves
tgated and discussed. Unbapply, the dispatches w
publish to-day give little information this point. sC
lar are able to judge from them, the American,
TO be unconscious Of the momeutous controversy
which they have raised It said that an uneasy feeling
prevails but cannot but think that being so aecus
toned 70 find the British give way in similar cases. they
will in few days have taken it for granted that every
thing is right aud that after little grumbng England
will acquiesce not only in what they lave done but In
what they announce their intention Of doing.
QUEEN yIJToRIA's PROCLAMATIoNs AGAINST
THE EXPORT OF WAR MATERIAL-wHAT Eff
FECT THEY NAY HAvE ON THE WAR.
From the London Pest, Government organS DECD
The second royal proclamation forbiddpg the export
Of arms and other warke stores not included In the
former has followed its predecessor day to soon
With whatever view the Cabinet at Washington has
been engaged in buying up all our purchaseable means
of offence and Defence after fashion that Charles Dick
ems would describe as wholesale retail and for export
alton" BY much by little, whatever to be OBJ
aned for money, was about to be purchased and ship
ped for America. Within the list ten days agent Of
up three thcu,nd Of salpee the chief component
Of gunpowder; and this was so much more than the
shoe that London could supply that the Amer.
icin agent we believe, was obliged to complete his
mission by contracting with manufacturers Of this COM
modify in the Provinces The export of these three
houslrd tons arrested by the former proclamation
probably jest in time
Mean will, however, the American government had
been purchasing small arms on a scale somewhat less
vast with much more discretion at least that the
fact had not become notorious But the necessities OF
the Washington Cabinet proving more urgent fresh
messenger is understood 10 have been Dispatched from
New York n the Persia which vessel arrived in Liver.
pool only Monday last Il is believed that the latter
agent repaired Immediately to Birmingham with very
extensive orders for rifles, percussion caps lead for bul.
lets and other stores OF war. These articles IL will be
seem had been included in the nerdict of the for
mer proclamation which had been issued but few days
b,fore the arrival Of the Persia. What the immediate
success Of this agents commission to the manufacturers
ia Birmingham and elsewhere may hsve been do not
know but II he were prepared to pay the ccs. 10 CASH
which he was very probably armed with the means OF
doing-it may be assumed that difficulty presented
itself in the completion of the contract far as the
manufacturers concerned
But go promp: and decisive has been the action Of
our Government that before this latter agent of the
Federal Cabinet had set foot for fortyeight hours in
ibis country second proclamation has issued, forbid.
ding the export Of "srns ammunition percussion caps,
tubes and lead This proclamation 10 dated Wednes.
" December a. and took the public by surprise y.-
rerday morning But for this rapid action, the geo
in question would probably have been Shipped 60 far
4, they ready prepared for USE by the end Of the
week The result Is that this Amerc gentleman was
thrown upon his beam ends and will probably return
IN New York by the next mail, with his cash 10 hs
,cket, and leaving the coveted arms and ammunition
on English ground.
The o. Ct Of the Fadersl Government certainly can.
not be logically prov d TO have been that Of prepare
ton for hosities sganst ourselves. IT. indeed IL
clear that this their motive the fact that their earlier
orders bad been issued fora they bad learned Of the
San Jlciuto s r would render their conduct peculiarly
cminous T. is, of course possible that these immense
orders may have been dictated by the exgency Of their
campaign against the Southernes They l ct to keep
an army of something like half million in the fec
and although doubt whether throughout their civil
war 20 much blood has yet been shed shed in
single ~ at Scerno the requirements of such an army
even 10 ammunition must still be corsderabl, The
manner however, in which the Federal Government has
set 10 work on the present occasion Is very unlike the
purchases they have hitherto made in support Of the
civil war; The ff.Is from the other much
a. a steamer taking in Goals for long voyage differs
from steamer supplying herself for river trip the
Thames
We mus. remember also that this order for satpetre
was Dispatched from Washington before the exploit Of
Captain Wilkes had become known. As soon as II had
,come known, flesh agent, as we have setn, vas
ut once cent here with orders to purchase IA e,
lead and percussion caps, on a SCALE it would up.
near of corresponding magnitude Once and for ali is
,rtsiny not tie usual course with those who can Gu.
aud come az ain We do not desire 10 give these con.
s;dsrations urdus significance. but thew aipIy imply
Jisnosron 70 draw our teeth and then tell ma 10 bite
n we can.
We shall not less rejoice at this prompt Intervention
of our ow1 Governm Mt even. If our difficulty with the
NoItaern Stats should be happily surm ounted and the
civil war should be left before to drag on it's weary
length We have aimed at the maintenance of bona
6ls neutrality between the combsisnts.
royal proclamation COZ siderable period ago. warn.