Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-06-23
The British Government and the Block.
ade of the Southern POrfs.

By order of Brig. Genl F. Z0LLICOFFER,
J. G. AEGLlDE, Act'g Asst Adjt Genl.
The British GOvcTnment and the Block
ade OF the Southern Ports.
A correspondence with the United States Govern.
ment upon the subject of blockade has been laid
before Parliament The first communication from
nbrd LYoSs to Lord JOIN RUSSELL transmits copy
of note from the Secretary of State of the United
States, communicating copies of the Presidents
proclamation declaring blockade Of the ports of the
Ststes of South Carolina Georgia, Alabama, Florida
Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas This proclamation
declares fhe letters of msrque and authorization #
the seeded States be insufficient TO protect any,
body acting gnder them from the penalties of the
Laws for the prevention of piracy. The following
letter from Lord LYoXs to Lord JeHx RUSSELL is
important:
WAsHNeToS, May 2, lS6l.-MY LORD: have the
honor 70 enclose you copy OF the note by which
acknowledged the receipt Of Mr.. Stewards note of
the fifth ult, announcing the intention of this gov
erRnent 70 set on foot blockade of the Southern
ports. ] was careful so to word my note as TO
show that accepted Mr.. Stewards communication
&c announcement of an intention 10 set on foot
blockade, not as a notification of the actual COM
mencement of one. believe that most of my col
leagues made answers in the same sense.
/ have the honor TO transmit to your lordship
The exteIton of the bio de to the ports of Viz
ginis and North CeroliI a. which have been sent to
me in blank cover from the State Department.
have made il my business since the entrance Of
ne present administration into Office, nearly two
monrs ago to endeaSor to ascertain precisely their
intentions with regard 10 the commerce OF foreign
nations with the States which have withdrawn
from the Union Up to the day before the blockade
was announced the government had not itself come
20 any decision on the subjeet. Nor did | think it
expedient to press It to make any declaration so
long as the commercial operations of British mer-
chants and British vessels in the seeded States
were carried on without hindTsnce and without
inconvenience. But since the W5ckade has been
proclaimed, / have thought myself entitled to ask
with persistence for definite information respecting
the mode In which i is 10 be carried into effect |
had IN particular long conversation on the subject
With Mr. SeHsrd, in presence of the chief clerk of
the State Department on the 18th ultimo. | had
prepared Mr.. Seward for the interview. by suggest
ing to him, through the Under Secretary Of State,
the advissblsness OF diminishing the disagreeabe
impression which the announcement of the block
ade would make abroad, by giving, as soon as posi-
ble definite assurances that il would be carried on
with liberal consideration for the Interests of
foreign nations
So far as assurances in general terms go, nothing
could be more satisfactory than Mr.. Stewards Ian
guage. did not however, succeed 10 obtaining at
che time az definite declaration Of the rules which
would be observed as l had hoped.
The principal point to which IdIew Mr.. Stewards
alton which was given to US. l referred him T.
the notifications of blockades made by Great Brit
ain during the late war with Russia, and pointed
eat TO him tho care and precision with which every
particular was stated TO them. ! asked whether 1t
was intended TO issue similar notices for each South
eru port the actual blockade Of it should
commence.
The reply which received was, mat the practice
of the United States not to issue such notices,
but 70 notify the blockade individually to each yes
sci approaching the bloekaded port and to inscribe
a MEMORANDUM Of the notice having been given on
the ships papers. No vessel was liable to seizure
WHICH had been individually warned. This plan
had, was assured, been found TO be, IN practice,
the most convenient the fairest for all parties
The fact Of there being blockading ships present TO
dive the wsrnang the best notice and best proof
that the port was actually and etiectually block
sded
The principal objection to the plan sppea ed to
me 70 be- that it might in some cases expose foreign
vessels to the loes and inconvenience Of making
useless voyage which more general and public
announcement of the blockade would have pre-
vented.
observed TO Mr.. Seward that the limits o. the
blockade which il was intended 10 establish
not clearly stated 1t was not easy to understand
exactly 10 what extent of coast the expression the
ports within" the States mentioned was applicable.
Mr. Seward said that il intepded 10 blockade
the whole coas: from thesChesapeake Bay TO the
mouth Of the Rio Grande. i observed TO him that
elae extent of the coast between these two points
uss ] supposed about ; 900 miles. Surely the
United States had not naval force sufficient 10
tabIish an effective blockade of such length OF
coast Mr.. Seward, however, maintained that the
whole would be blockaded and blOckaded ettc-
lively.
Imay perhaps be allowed 10 refer your lord
ship TO clear declaration of the principles of the
limited States on such matters which Is contained
in a note from Mr. Buchanan dated 18th December,
1876 and transmitted TO the foreign officer in
Sir Richard Packenham's dispatch of the same
date.
already in port when the blockade should be set on
yoot would be allowed to come out with their car
ooes!I asked whether they woudlbe allowed to come
ont with cargoes shipped after the blockade was
actually established. Mr.. Seward did not speak
posiliyey on this point; what he said seemed to i'm
ply that the tine at which the cargo was shipped
would not be INQUIRED into. J said that supposed
that il was clearly understood that foreign ships
coming out OF blocksded ports n which there was
no United States customs authorities would not De
interfered with by the blockading squadron on the
plea of their being clearances or other papers re-
nuired by the revenue laws.
Mr. Sc ward said that il was the bona nae intention
Of the government 10 allow foreign vessels already
in mort when the blockade was este bllshed to de-
mart without molestation. He did not say that any
aartcuiar term would be fixed after the expiration
- which foreign vessels would no longer be allow
ad TO Quit blockaded ports. He did net repeat TO
me the assurance he gave some time ago 10 one Of
- colIaa Cue that vessels arriving without know
a I,Ioeksded port and come out again. Nor did he
saw ANYTHING of the intention, which he expressed
- onotber of my colleagues Of proposing to the
TagiIsturo that the United States should adhere 10
the declaration Of the Congress Of Paris On mari
time law. .- I'll, =.
On my pressing Mr.. Seward to give me- either in
writing or al all events by a formal verbal an
nonnoemont some definite information for the guld-
ance of British merchant vessels he promised to
send me copy of he Instructions Issued to the on
,ers of he blockadiDg squadron, snd he was conf
dent l should find them perfectly satisfactory. lie
was good enough to add that, If IN any individual
esses tho rules Of the blockade should bear hardly
Brjtish vessels, he should be ready to CONSIDER
the equity of the matter. and to receive iaVoraby
any represent Itions which might make on behalf
of the interests of British subjects
Nr. Seward has not yet sent me the copy OF the
instructions. reminded him, however yesterday,
Of his promise, and hope that he will enable ma 10
transmit copy TO your Iordship by the British
have &c, LToAS.
The following is extract from subsequent
dispatch from Lord Lyons to Lord JOIN RUSSELL:
WAENeToS Nay Ain my dispatch of the I'd