, 1861-12-16
The A1ason and Slidell Affair in
England.
Letter from the Purser of the Trent,
THE TIMES INDIGNANT But HONEST
Its Confession Of the Rigl1t,

KS CONCESSION OF the Right.
The newE by the Hausa, from SOUTHAMPTON.
received ut New York on Thursday, 18th inst,
was eagerly awaited in this country, as bring
ing the earliest intelligence Of the effect Of the
Trent affair abroad. Foreign files by this
steamer to the asth Of November, bring fu1l
accounts Of the reception of the news Of the
seizure Of Mason and slideu In England. Be-
10" we give the statement Of the purser Of
the Trent, furnished to the London Times, ind
an article from the Times Of the 26th, com
mcnting upon the affair.
The purser Of the Trent sends tic follow
ing letter to the TIMES: -
STATEMENT OF TIE pugsER.
TO the Editor OF the TimcH:
slR Il hasten to forward you some par-
tlculars Of the grieyous outrage committed to-
day against the English flag by the United
States stea1n sloop Sun Jacinto, Capt. Wilkes.
You have probably heard how, some three
weeks ago, the Little stca1ner Theodora, hav-
" the Confederate States Of America to
London and Paris, ran tho blockade at
Charleston, arriving safely in Havana Once
arrived there, they Of course imagined that on
neutral territory they were perfectly free and
safe from ali molestation, and therefore made
no attempt to conceal their names, position
and intended movements. Mr. SlidelI, the
commissioner for Paris, accompanied by his
wife, son and three daughters, and also bv his
secretary, Mr. G. Eustis, Will, lis wife; Mr.,
Mason, the Commissioner for England, being
accompanied by his secretary, Mr. McF Farland.
II was well known in Hayana that berths were
booked Tor the whole party to proceed By this
steamer to st. Thomas, there to Join the
Aomeward West India mail steamship for
southampton They accordingly embarked
yesterday, morning, trusting to receive the
same protection under the English flag which
they llad ;1rgIdy received from that Of Spain.
-" We left Havana yesterday morning ut s.
This morning, about halfpast II, we OBJ
served large steamship ahead, and on near
er approach found she was hove to, evidently
awaiting us. We were then in tile narrowest
part Of tic Bahama Channel, abreast Of Pare
don Gr;,nde lighthouse. As soon as we were
well within ringc, We had the first inti1nation
of her nationality and intentions by round
shot being fired across our bows, and at the
same moment by her showing american col
ors. VIC were now sufficiently near to observe
that all her ports were open, gums run ont,
and crew at their stations. On a still nearer
approach ste tired shell from swivel gun Of
large caiiber Oh her forecastlc, which passed
within few yards Of the ship, bursting about
hundred yards to lecWard.
-" We we're now within hail, when Captain
Aolr, commanding this ship, asked the Ameri-
can what he meant BY stopping his ship, and
WY @ nc dld So by flrln3Gshotted IT, guns, contrary
wished to send d boat on board Of us This
WAS Immediately followed by Il boat pushing
OF from 1llc side Of the San Jacinto, contaia-
ing between twenty and thirty men, heavily
armed, under the command Of the first Lieu
tenant, who came up on the quarterback,
i73.r n fair hi Ia,J
Il List OF passengers. AS his right Of search,
was denied, the information required was, Of
course, peremptorily refused. He then stated
that lie had Information that Messr6. SlideII,
Mason, EuEtis and Mcfarland were on board,
and demanded that they should be given no,
This also being Indignantly refused, Mr.. Slidcll
himself came forward and said that the four
gentlemen named we're then before him, but
appealed to the British flag, under which they
were sailing, for protection.
The lieutenant said that his orders were to
take them on board the San Jacinto By force
if they would not su11cnder. H. then walked
TO the side Of the slip aud waved his hand );
Immediately three more heavily armed boats
pushed of and surrounded the ship, and the
party OF marines who came in the first boat
came up and took possession of the quarter
deck; these, however, he ordered down on
the main-dcck, to take charge Of the gangwny
ports. Captain Williams, r. n, the naval
agent in charge Of the mails, who was of course
present during this interview, then, in thc
name Of her Majesty, he being the only person
on board directly representing her, made a We
llement protest1tion against This piratica1 act
During the whole Of tits time the San Jacinte
was about two hundred yards distant from uE
on the port bcaIn her broadside guns, which
were I'LL manned, directly bearing upon us.
"Any open resistance to such force Was
OF course, hopeless, although, from the lonc
and repeated plaudlt5 which followed Captain
| Joined in by every one, without exception, O
the passengers congregatcd on the quarter
| deck, men Of all nations, and from the mlnl
| fcslcd desire Of some to resist to the last,
| h re no doubt tat TINT czs7'y peTson eeoad haa'
joincd hart and souz in the struggle had com
ntaude7 G,t gisrn tic order. Such an order ht
| could not, under such adverse circumstances
| concientiously give, and it was, therefore, con
| sidered sufficient that party Of marines, will
hayonets fixed, should foruibly lay hands 0,
| tic gentlemen named. This was done, AMI
| the gentlemen retired 10 their cabins to at
| range some few changes OF clotlling.
/ IA most 1iea1t-rending scene now tool
/ place between Mr.. Slide11, his eldest daugh
Ter, a noble girl devoted to her fathcr, an
the lieutenant. It would require a more abl
pen than mine to describe how, with hashin
eyes and quivering lips, she threw herself !
was, resolved to defend him with her lift, til
Oh the order being given to the mariucs to at
vance, which they did with bayonets pointe
at this poor defencclcss girl, her father endc
the painful scene ly escaping from the cabi
| by Il window, when he was Immediately seize
'.y the marines and hurried into the boat, cal
ing out to Captain Afor rs he left that he hcl
him and his Government responsible for tn
outrage.
ST further proof were required Of Il
, ncanncss and cowardly bullying In the LII
Of conduct pursued BY the Captain Of tt
. I Eur, rs1fn fi9Et mi
| ing asked if they would have committed th
: outrage if nc had been man-of-war, they I
) piled, @Certainly not,' and, secondly, th
! CAPTAIN Wilkes sent an oryacr for CAPITA
Moi1 to go on board his ship, and q -secol
for Captain Moir to move the Trent closer
; the Sun Jacinto. OF course, not the slighte
c ! notice was taken Of either order, nor did tn
: attempt to enforce them.
Il II am, sir, your obcdient servant.
, 1.-THE Pl-RsER or THE TRENT.
: "Royal Mail Steamship Trent, ut sea, \
c yember s.
TIE LONDON TINES on THE sE1zCRE.
t The following comments upon the TIT
c affair are in tic Ii;ues Of November Is:
t at requires strong effort Of sclErestr;G
l. to discuss with GOODNESS the intelligence
:, ! publish to-day. An English mail steam
e sailing under the British flag, and carryi
u letters and passengers from Spanish port
/
c and oycrhaulcd- -Four ofthe passengers ha
o been taken out and carried OIL us prisone
:; claiming and 1ainly claiming, rs they wt
being forced away, the protection Of the f
. Of Great Britain These arc naked fac
IS We nut out Of sight the accidents that
r iou7 gentlemen thus kidnapped nere aceraii
y 1rith diplomatic mission from the Confe5e,
u States Of A1Heried 10 the courts Of Europe, and
= tho peremptofy mnnncr In Which the Fede
X, frigate acted in making her seizure. The int
~ ton Of the Federal Government evidently '
1e to act upon their strict right, and to do SC
Il as little ctremonious manner rs might
he If they arc justified By their rights as bellie
s1- ents in what they have done, the manne'
2 doing it is mere question Of good OF
aa taste. II rude fellow claims bis rig
1e eoarsc1y, we must get give him his rights;
ct if VIC would not find ourselves in tic wr,
re We must not quarrel with him on aecoun
he his i'll manners.
in SIS it, then, true that every officer Of
IN American Navy can stop and overhaul
lat ships wherever they may be found, and
Il take out Of them any person.. whom he l
ay officers Of the Confederate government :?
no we were to admit the Federal view Of t!
to own position, 1t would be plain that no S
lat right exists. They tell us that they arc nc
a. war, but are only putting down rebel
ny their own ports, bat are simply enforcing a
re which hes closed the southern ports as p
on Of entry. They insist upon putting t
int quarrel upon the same ground as If the Q1
cr Of. England we're putting down rebellia
nd the Isle Of Wight Now, If this we're SO,
on | clear that thc federal states Of America b
,Ek IN etonnfnfv ouT mail steamer, been guilt,
oes an act Of aggression which could only
OF, properly punished By 1aying an cmbargs
AZ every Amtrican ship in British ports
tnc sweeping theirlitt1e navy from the seas.
an would, according TO their point Of vie~,
I'M | {,n af md C,1d .oF 1a RI