New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-12-23
The Mason and SIideu Protest.
WILKES REPLY

We are, says the Petersburg Express of the l7th
in possession of late Northern papers through the
kindness of friend. We find that among the i'm
portant documents recently transmitted to the Fed
era Congress by Wel!es, Lincons Secretary of
the Navy, as the protest to Wilkes by Messrs. Ma
son, Slidell Eustis and Mcfarland, against their
arrest on board the British steamer Trent, at sea-
Nov. s. The following is the protest and the reply
of Capt. Wilkes:
U. S. STEAMER SAN JAclsro, AT SEA- Nov. 9.
Capt. Wilkes, U. $. N, Commanding San .aciuto
Strive desire to communicate to you, by this
memorandum, the facts attending our arrest yester
day on board the British Mail steamer Trent, by
your order, and our transfer to this ship,
We, the undersigned, embarked at Havana on
the 7th instant, as passengers on board the Trent,
Captain Moir, bound to the Island of st. Thomas,
the Trent being one of the regular mail and pas
senger line of the British Royal Mail Steamship
Company running from Vera Cruz, via Havana to
St. Thomas, and thence to Southampton, England
We paid our passage money for the whole route
from Havana to Southampton, to the British Con-
sul at Havana, who acts as the agent represent
ative of the said steamship company, Mr.. Slidell
being accompanied by his family, consisting of his
wife, four children and servant, and Mr.. Eustis
by his wife and servants.
The Trentleft the port of Havana about s O'Clock
A. M. on the morning of the 7th inst, and pur-
sued her voyage nninterruptedly until intercepted
by the u S. steamer San Jacinto, under your com
mand, on the day following, the Sth inst, in the
| manner now to be related.
When the San Jacinto was observed several
miles distant, the Trent was pursuing 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 light
| house of POradon GRANGE, the San Jacinto then
lying stationary 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 nation
| ality of the ship being then unknown. When the
| had, baeH
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 OF the San Jacnto still
| pursuing the due course of her voyage, shotted
gun was fired from the latter ship 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 two or three hundred yards of the San
Jacinte, second shouted 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 under
stood to be: They would send a boat" Both
vessels were then stationary, with steam shut off
A boat was soon put off from your ship, followed
| Immediately by two other boats, with full crews
| and armed with muskets and side arms. A lieuten
ant in the naval UNIFORM of the United States Navy
and with side arms, boarded the Trent, and, in the
presence Of most of the passengers then assembled
on the upfer deck said to Capt. Moir that he came
/ with orders to demand his passenger list. The
captain refused to produce it, and formally pro
tested against any right to visit his ship for the
purpose indicated. After some conversation, i'm
parting renewed protests on the part of the cap
tain against the alleged object of the VISIT and OF
the part of the officer of the San Jacinto that h'
had only to execute his orders, the latter said
"That two gentlemen, naming Messrs. sidel
aud Mason, were known to e9n board, as alst
two other gentlemen, naming Messrs Eustis an'
Macfarand, and that his orders were 10 take am
carry them on board the San Jacnton 1t shoai
have been noted, that on first addressing the cap
tain, he announced himself as lieutenant OF tn
!, United States steamer San Jacinto. The four gen
tlemen thus named being present, the lieutenan