The New York herald., 1862-12-28

giflsd win a,gslis psll.nss -ths eray rulers
Of both ssctieas Of this unhappy nstioa would
have been shut up In asyiuns for the insane.
The people. thank God arc still In their right
minds, and we sec no reason to despair of the
country, save In the conduct Of those who are
at the head of affairs, both North and South,
and who act In manner beftting rather the
madhouse which awaits them than the high
places which they now unfortunately OCCUPY.
The Pirate Alabama-Capture OF the
Californis Stcamship Ariel.
By the arrival Of the steamship Ariel at
this port, we have particulars Of further ope-
rations Of the rebel steam privateer Alabama.
It appears that after she was supplied with coal
and provisions at Martinique she started on
cruise in the Gulf Among the vessels she fell
in with was the California steamship Ariel.
This was on the7th inst The pirate not only
overlook the Ariel, but did it without any ap-
parent effort. Captain Semmes, after OBTAINING
her for three days, treating the passengers with
courtesy, paroling the marines, &o.. ransomed
her for two hundred and twenty-eight thousand
dollars.
The Ariel left this port for Aspinwall on the
LIST inst, with the usual complement Of passen-
gers and one hundred and twenty marines for
the Pacific squadron. She is steamer Of
twelve hundred and ninety tons burthen, was
built by Jeremiah Simonson, Of this city, for
Commodore Vanderbilt, and cost three hundred
thousand dollars. She made her first trip from
this port for Havre in March, 1866, and subse-
quently ran in the California line, afterwards
as a government transport in the Port Royal
expedition, and again in the California trade.
The owners Of the gold that has been ex-
pected on the return trip of the Ariel have been
looking for her for the past three days. Their
apprehensions for the safety Of the steamer and
their treasure have been growing more in
tense, and among the speoulations aaoat yes
terday was one that the Ariel had been captured
by the rebel Semmes, and their gold dust seized
and appropriated. These speculations were in
part correct; but the news we publish to-day,
thanks to the Pacific telegraph line, solves the
problem. It was fortunate, indeed, that the
Ariel was not captured on her return trip, as
she would, in all probability, have had amillion
dollars in gold on board, which would have
been . snug little sum for the exchequer Of the
pirate chief Her detention by the Alabama
going out explains the reason of her non-arrival.
The opinion in San Francisco is, that II the
Ariel returns to this port without proper con-
voy she will certainly be recsptured. II the
not return until our navy furnish him with
suitable convoy.
The capture Of this vessel proves three
things:-First; that the speed Of the Alabama
y sufficient, with small pressure Of steam, to
overtake our moderately fast steamships; Sc
condly, that in sending the fast sailing steamship
Vanderbilt to Europe in search Of the Alabama
she went in the wrong direction to effect her
capture; thirdly, that Admiral Wilkes and his
flying squadron were non est on this last inour-
sion Of the pirate craft. The last we heard Of
the Admiral and bis squadron was through the
English colonial papers, when he was hanging
around Bermuda, increasing the indignation Of
British subjects ct what they consider his out
RACES In British waters, which have attracted the
attention Of the home government sufficiently
to cause an increase In the vessels Of the Bri-
tish West India squadron. We have not heard,
however, that AdmiraliWilk or bis squadron
has effected the capture Of single vessel or
prevented one from running the Southern
blockade.
Is there no enterprising steamship owner
ready to capture this privateer by contract
Is semmes to have the, freedom Of the Atlantic
and the Gulf! Are afr our merchant vessels
to be ransomed by q single craft flying the
rebel flag, when we have navy Of three hum
dred vessels In commission?