, 1862-01-23

ing Of the ship Harrsy Birch, but as yet no par
tculars of the affair. The event took place at
the entrance to the British Channel within one
days sail Of Southampton, into which port the
pirate steamed on the following day, and received
the hospitality usually accorded to vessels Of war
The following, from an English paper, contains
all the circumstances attending this act of piracy
50 far as they are known -
| The steamer in question was called the Nash
| rWe beiores ewas purchased for the Confederate
navy, and is Of 1920 tons burden She is com.
manded by Capt Pegram; his chief subordinate
| officers being First Lieutenant FauntlerOy and
Second Lieutenant Bennett, and she has a crew
OF eighty men, all whites, mostly English and
Irish. She carries only two long twelve.pounder
rihed cannon.
The NdSiraLe is from Charleston, last Ber.
muda, for England on special service II will
be remembered that this ship ran the blockade
| in Charleston harbor, about twelve o'clock at
night, towards the end Of October, within sight
Of two federal cruisers but exhibiting no lights,
she ran close along shore and escaped unnOticed
She put into Bermuda for Goals, and the cap.
tain states that he was treated while there with
every attention and poiiteness by the Governor
Of Bermuda.
About o'clock last Tu, sday morning, when
in latitude 40 deg. minutes north, longitude 0
deg. so min. west the NashciHe fell in with the
American ship Hdrey Birch, Capt. Nelson bound
from Havre to New York, in ballast, with the
American flag flying. She ran alongside her,
and, as was stated TO us, opened her ports and
ordered the ship to heave TO- the flag TO be hauled
down, and the captain to come on board imme-
diately. This was done, ard Capt. Nelson soon
returned to bis ship with orders from the captain
al ha MI for all fhn To nt-
things ready as soon as possible and go on board
the NdshUitte as they intended to destroy the
Hdrpey Birch. They were allowed an hour or
an hour and a half for this purpose, and got part
oi their things out The men from the steamer
took most Of the provisions, with the ships chro-
nometer, barometer, and some Of the charts,
permitting Capt. Nelson to retain his own chro-
nometer; but he lost some $1,000 or $l400 worth
Of personal effects, books, charts, &c. They then
set fire to the ship fore and aft, apparently in the
deck houses, and the vessel was soon in flames
from stem to stern. The three masts were seen
to go over the side and the hull was still burning
when the steamer left her
The HGrrey Birch was fine full-rigged ship Of
! ,4s7 tons, American measurement, and cost
about $4,000 in her construction.
She had total Of twenty-nine souls on board
including Mr.. Blydenburg, "a son Of her owner)
who was passenger, Captain Nelson, two mates,
two boatswains, cook, steward, carpenter and
twenty seamen The men were put in irons on
board the steamer with the exception Of the cap
tain and mate, (who were treated with great po-
liteness) and kept as prisoners until the arrival
Of the vessel here this morning, when they were
Immediately landed in the docks, and set at lib
erty with all the personal effects belonging to
them. Il is stated that before they were put
in irons the Confederate oath was rendered to the
men, which they refused to take, but Captain
Nelson tells us that be is not aware Of the fact,
although It may be correct
As might naturally be supposed, this event
ere ted much excitement in England, and Opin-
ions differed as to what course should be pursued
towards pirate who burns vessels off the very
coast Of Britain, and next day asks for shelter
and courtesy. From the extracts of the British
press which have come to hand, it would seem
that the prevailing sentiment was, that IL some
thing was no. done towards discountenancing the
visit Of the Nashville, the United States would
have just cause for war against England. The
natural presumption is, however, that our Gov
ernment will not demand satisfaction, and Great
Britain will not offer il; and we shall have to
content ourselves by quietly pOcketing this with
other insults.