The Placer herald., 1862-03-15
European Judgment on the Lincoln style
of Blockade.


of Blockade.
According to John Bull" the San Fran
cisco Bulletin's London correspondent, the
stone fleet blockade, so much eulogised by
the Sacramento Union, is universally con
demned by Europe. Here what he says:
you will not have failed to notice that
the proceedings off Charleston have given
rise to some rather omnous growlinGs in
Europe, particularly on the part Of the
French press. The note in the Moniteur, in
fact, you may look upon as distinct assertion
on the part of the French Government that
the "rights of war; have heen carried to An
extreme, and that Louis Napoleon is some
what inclined to dispute your claim to "do
as you like with your own" Ia the British
press, you are, of course, aware, the subject
has been keenly discussed | am bound to
add that the act has been unanimously con.
demned. The journals most friendly TO the
North have sad all that they can say in
paliation OF the proceeding, but not one paper
in Britain has been found to justify it, The
Daily News republishes the views and state
ments put forth by the New York Times as
the fairest view to be taken cf the proceed
ings, showing that it only is some of the
smaller channels that are to lie destroyed
but that the main entrance to Charleston
harbor will be left open. But the Neps
unhesitatingly condemns even the modified
act, and still more point edly reprobates the
"vindictive" spirit in which the New York
press generally comments upon the affair,
pointing out that American journalists are
solely to blame for the severe tone in
which the European press has remarked
upon it. The Star has not word to say
in justification of the act-in fact, condemns
it, But the Star tries to break the force OF
public Indignation by showing that Britain
in its war with France on more than one oc
cason had precisely the same mode of damn
aging the enemy in view, for it was at one
time proposed to block up the entrance to
Boulogne ia military harbor only) by the
same method, and Lord Dundonald, it is
certain, pointed out that the anchorage at
AK could be forever destroyed by sinking
stone laden ships. All this would have told
with some effect If it could have been shown
that The suggestions of that day were acted
on, bnt as they were not it seems to me that
the well meaning Star rather damages the
cause of the North, for it only succeeds in
showing that the Tory Ministry of George
the Third refused to listen to the suggestions
that the Federal Government, at the sacrifice
of some credit, have, unfortunately, been in
too great haste to act upon"
According to the Unions reasoning all
Europe must favor the seresSivniss, for they
all say friend and foe-lhat this destroying
of harbors is an unwarrantahle piece of
barbarisn.
1t seems that the legal mode of blockading,
by repeating the acts making Southern
harbors ports of entry, is also obnoxious to
the rules Of war, as appears from the follow
inc extract from the same correspondents:
Some atten,ion-but not much--has been
attracted to Mr. Stevens notice Of motion in
Congress, proposing to declare that the
Southern ports be closed rs ports Of entry.
1t seems to be taken for granted by our
journals that Mr.. Stevens will take nothing
by his motion, and that they therefore need
not "fash their thumbs" about it, to use a
Scotch phrase But it is pointed out that
the passage of such measure by the Ameri
can Government would be an immediate
signal for France reopening trade with the
South, and probably also for recognizing its
independence And it is likewise pressed on
the notice of American readers that Earl
Russell has long ago intmated to Mr.. Sew
ard that such mode of trying to close the
Southern ports would be entirely disregarded
by this country"