The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-26

more healthy competition will do no harm.
BRITISH WAR VESSELS CoMINa TO EXAMINE
THE BLOoKADE.-By our Havana correspond
ence, published in yesterdays HERALD we
learn that the British frigate Jason, one of the
finest in the navy, had just arrived at that port
on her way to the mouths of the Mississippi RI
yer, for the purpose of ascertaining with what
effectiveness the blockade Is carried on in that
quarter. She is to be followed by number of
other first class frigates, with smaller vessels,
which will be distributed all along the blockaded
coast, with instructions to break the blockade
wherever it shall be found unsupported by
sufficient naval force to make 1t entirely ef-
feetve.
This is important Intelligence, and may be
the harbinger Of serious trouble should the
blockade prove not effective at all points But
We trust 1t is now, or shortly will be, complete
Iy 60, sad leave no opportunity for John
Bull to pick q quarrel with our government
IF the ships now in commission are not sufii-
cient, merchant vessels should be purchased
up and armed for the purpose. The English
press win probably call these privateers; for
already the organs Of the British government
have accused the President with attempting to
blockade the ports of the South with pri-
vateers, while he denounced privateer-
ing on the part Of the rebel States
as piracy. But there is manifest dis
ilction between privateers aud merchant
men turned by the government into navy yes
sells, commanded by regularly commissioned
officers That the commanders of privateers
receive commissions called letters of marque
is true; but theee differ from commissions in
the navy. The privateer is not owned by the
government but either by the captain or
private individuals, his employers, who are
entitled to the value Of all the prizes they cap
ture, after paying percentage to the govern
msnt. 1t is not, therefore, public vessel, and
is totally different from q merchant ship pur-
chased by the Navy Department, and COM
manded by officers of the navy, and there is
really no force in the objection of the British
journals.
A blockade, to be reflective" must consist
of such force at the port blockaded as to be
capable of preventing the ingress or egress of
vessels, or at least to render it extremely
difficult" The best authorities on interna-
tional law say there must be decentralization
Of force equivalent to that of siege on land.
To effectively blockade the whole Southern
coast will require great number Of ships, but
not as many as is generally supposed. The
coast, though very extensive, has compare
lively few ports or .harbcrs, and it is only
necessary to station vessels at these, and not at
every point of the entire coast. It is true,
there may be considerable smuggling carried
on by vessels of Light draft, in small bays or
inlets, hitherto not known as ports of entry;
but the main channels of commerce will be
soon so completely blockaded that nothing can
escape.
Our correspondent says the British war
frigates have instructions to "break the block.
ade wherever it may be found unsupported
by sufficient naval force to make it entirely
effective" So, then, the British officers are to
be the judges Of the effectiveness of our
blockade, and will undertake to escort safely
to port or to sea all vessels bearing their flag,
if they deem the blockade not effective, and
it any of our ships-of-war should interfere
they will give them battle If this intelli-
gence be true, the sooner we are prepared to
meet the contingency the better. If, indeed,
we were as well prepared now by sea as we
are by land, the contingency would never
arise, and no British man of-war would venture
NEEDLE with the blockade of the rebellious
states.
GIVE Us THE NAMEs-A WORD TO LII. D.