Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-09-05
WILL. D. SoMERs, Sec'y.

WILL. D. SoMERs. Sec'y.
The Federal BIockade--PrOspects OF a Naval War
between England and the United States
We have been enabled to trace and define the report
referred to in yesterdays paper with respect to the
breaking Of the blockade by the ngress Of the British
ship alliance.
The investigation we made of the report yesterday
was very much baff1ed, but at last, resulted in con-
rmation which we consider satisfactory, of all lis main
points of intelligence. The Government had heard
nothing 10 an official way of the ingress OF tie l4H1
nnce; but the report of It had reached member OF
Congress from the Sheriff OF the county on the coast
where the vessel had the blockade We make the
statement it has reached Richmond from this
| which is recommended to entitled to credit
A single error occurs in the report made yester
day, occasiOned by Misrepresentation of localities
here two places of the of " Beaufort on the
Atlantic c0ast-One in North Carolina, and the other
in South aoina the latter being in the locality of
Port Royal one Of the finest harbours south of Nor
folk into witch it supposed that the Alliance had
entered Itnow appears that it Beaufort in North
| Carolina harbour on the neck Of Cape Lookout,
where the vessels landed.
It is further stated that at the time the Alliance en-
tered the line of the blockade this point number of
merchant vessels were observed out at sea aud
supposed that they might follow the Alliance in under
the protection of British steamer that lying off
the coast This may possibly account for the circum-
stance of the Withholding from general teegraphic
municaton of the intelligence of the gap made in the
blockade by this vessel pioneer.
This is the first instance, believe of the ngres
vessel of a neutral power into our bockaded ports
and such is entirely sufficient to furnish the occasion
for freeing the neutral trade of the British Government
from further restrictions.
1t is we'll known that several of our own vessels have
made their egress from the bockaded ports and that
of them have done SO in repeated instances The
late intelligence from Europe reports two arrivals from
Southern ports, viz: the Genoa, from Savannah. at
Deal and the Kaer, from New Orleans, at Barcelona
1t is to be understood, however that in coutempla-
ton of public law, the escape of the blockade by our
own vessels cannot properly or perhaps justly free the
commerce of neutral When however, as in the case
of the Alliance the vessel of neutral power itself runs
the blockade through either the inefciency or the re-
mssness Of the cruisers through some accident
un0ccounted t0r there doubt that in the common
estimation OF international law, the blockade is posi-
lively and permanently broken
The test of the blockade for England so far as her
own rights involved is positively determined and
the circumstances attending the adventure Of the AH
point to prompt and effective measures for the as
sertiOn of those rights 1t is known that number OF
British war vessels stationed Immediately on
the North Carolina coast and that the running of the
blockade by British merchantmen at Beaufort was
performed in the sight of of them. The late ad
dtlOns to and concentration of the British squadron
or rather fleet, of the Southern coast means some
thing. There has never before been such formda
BILE array of modern vessels around anC
about coasts. The British feet, now under thu
command of Admiral MILNE, numbers forty-twc
vessels, with an armament of 497 guns, and between
six and seven thousand Jn fact, every circum
stance aids the conclusion that if the Lincoln Govern
ment shall insist upon any further continuation of thu
blockade, the preparations of the British Government
are complete instant and fully resolved upon for nava
war with the United States to he commenced immedi
atey off the coasts of the Atlantic.
P. S.-Since the above written the information
given by about the running of the blockade has beer
fully confirmed by dispatches received at the War De
partment, not until last evening The captain of thu
alliance is expected to reach Richmond to-day. He
cargo will be offered for sale to the Government From
what learn of it, it is of the most valuable de
scrption Besides assortment of general articles ant
some cases of arms perhaps it consists of 1919 900 per
cussion caps, large quantities of medicines quicksilver
pig iron, sheet ron tin plate several thousand dozen
, spool cotton, &C.. &c.-Rlchmond Examiner 10Th dug