The New York herald., 1863-03-30

was IN like manner raised and destroyed by superior
Confederate force at very early hour the q Jaa
ary utmo two ships OF the bIockadng squadron having
been sunk, third escaped disabled and what reuaiued
Of The squadron aloat entirely driven of the coast
have the honor 70 submit therefore. that alleged
pTeexisting blockade Of the ports aforesaid termi-
mated at Galveston the lst day OF January last, and at
clearly in letter have had the honor 70 receive
from your ordship dated the 10th instant the fol-
lowing words="IAs a.t,ssa eg soekading force cy
de novo IN the usual form, to Be binding upon nesards
principle uniformly admitted by all text writers ON
public law and established by decisions Of Courts Of Ad
miralty.
am aware that official information Of either Of these
events may mol yet have reached the OF her
Majesty but the consequences attending the removal
the blockade (whether 10 be renewed not)
pcrtan TO the commercial interests involved that coud
ose time in asking that such may taken
BY her Maestys government In relation thereto will
best tend TO the resumption Il commercial
avail myself OF this occasion to acknowledge the
cept Of your lordshps letter Of the 10Th OF February
J. NJ MASON.
EARL RUSSELL TO Mr.. MASON.
FOREIGN UpTICR, Feb. 16, 1868.
SR-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt Of
your letter Of this date calling my attention to the
currences reported the public prints at Galveston
and Charleston the st and 3lst Of January respective
iy and have the honor to inform you that your
shall be considered by her Maesty's government am
&C. RUSSELL.
Mr.. MASON TO EARL RUSSELL.
No. "a UPPER SEYMOUR STREET, PoRrxAS SQUARE,
LONDON, Feb. is, 1868.
My IoRD-I have the honor acknowledge the receipt
Of your letter Of the 10th or February instant in
uecaIy 70 injuries which had The honor to address TO
your ordshp under the nstruc of tho Secretary of
State Of the Confederate states Of America the 7h Of
July last, concerning the Interpretation placed by her
Majesys government the declaration Of the principle
Of blockade agreed TO in the convention Of Paris
shall early practicable, communicate the letter
Of your ordship TO the government at Richmond but
will anticipate here ths satisfaction with which the Presi
dent win receive the assurance Of your ordshp at no
of nv n ndpmQ
without other reply to the inquiries contained IN my let
ter OF July.
relates the Interpretation placed by the Of
her Majesty that part OF the declaration Of Paris which
prescrbes the law Of blockade, constrained TO say
that am well assured the President cannot find in
source of like satisfaction II is considered by him that
the terms used In that convention are TOO precise and de-
finite to admit Of being qualifed-or perhaps IL may be
appropriate TO say rcu0ked-bg the additions
thereto contained IN your loydship's e1rosition Of hem
The terms Of thar convention that the blockadng
force must be sufficient really TO prevent 10 the
No exception IN made 10 regard TO dark nights,
favorable winds the size modc vessels successful
ly evading the character Of the
blockaded and yet II would seem from your ordships
letter hat all ess are D. te aea ,to consideration on
question whether the blockade 10 be respected
II s declared In tba, letter that
appears @ g her a to Be sssisn;y
tended 20 mean ,sa mus, be 80 in all winds
carried on OF DARK night or by means low steam
er o. eosn craft sea along as e. oo on,eae
States obstructed by bars, which do not admit
the passage Of large vessels What might be considered
a"sma" or "low" steamer coming IN from sea TO the
OF New York. Soud, at OF those Southern ports
be rated vessel Of very fair size when referred to the
ordinary stage Of water on its bar yet look in vain in
tho Of the convention referred for any authority
10 cxpound them in subordnaton TO the depth of water
or the size or mould Of vessels finding ready and com
paratively safe access to the harbor.
In accedng 10 the Terms OF that treaty great adpldge
are Welded to maritime ne1ral, with like immunities TO
maritime beigerent The property Of the neutral is
under the ag Of the bee and tho property
the begerent equally safe under the flag OF tho neutral
The only equivalent 10 the begerent, not maritime but
dependent other carriers this strictly
fined principle Of the law Of Blockade which the Conlede
rate States presumed extended TO them, when The
retea OF hr Mdjetys government, they became parties
70 those stpuatons OF the convention Of Paris OF 1885,
results that after yielding fun equivalents the stpula
| cidl 10 tteoi rolid seem ,utsory
In regard the character Of this blockade, to which
your ordshp again adverts In the remark that the
which it has been enforced gives neutral govern
mens for asserting that II has not been eff
cienily maintained although have not been instructed
make any further representations 10 her Majesty q
government on that subject since It's decision to treat as
7ectire cannot refrain from adding that for many
months the frequent arrival and departure OF vessels
mos Of them seamers from several Of hose ports have
been matters OF notoety single steamer has evadet
Charleston, more than thirty times. Ana within few
days past it has been brought to knowledge that two
steamers arrived January last and within ten days Of
Europe Of four hundred and the other OF five hun.
red tons burthen both Of which have since sailed from
Wilmington and arrived with their cargoes at foreign
ports. cite these only the latest authenticated
stances. And as another remarkable fact, it is officially
reported by the Collector Charleston the
accruing that port duties imported merchan
disc during the past year under the blockade,
than doe ne recects o. any one edr precious 70 the sera
the government, are much lower than those
exacted by the United States
AS regards other portions OF your ordships letter
may freely admit as IL Is there stated that blockade
would be in legal existence although sudden storm
change OF wind might occasionally blow or the bockdne
squadron Yet. with entire respect, do not SEE how
such principle Affects the question OF the efficiency Of such
blockade whilst the squadron Is on the coast And again
whilst not informed whether "A defence resting
the nadequacy the blockadng force has been
cases Of capture before the prize courts n America
well how futile such defence would be when pre-
sented behalf OF neutral ship, Whosc had
only not objected 10 but had admitted he s.fci1cy Of fh
EARL RUSSELL TO MR.. MASON.
| GoRKoN OtpcE, Feb. 10, 1869.
SIR-With reference my letter OF the 10th instan
ing attention TO the accounts which had reached th
country tending show that the blockade o tho ports
Galveston and Charleston had been put end TO by th
action Of the Confederse naval forces have the homo
now 70 state 10 you that the information which
hor Maiestys government have derived from you
letter and from the public journals this sub oc
not Sufficiently accurate 10 admit Il their forming a,
opinion, and they will accordingly by the first opportu
nifty instruct Lord Lyons report fully the matter.
When his ordships report has been received and con
edered, shall have the honor Of making further
munication to you the subject. am, &c. RUSSELL.
| EARL Russell TO Mr.. MASON.
| FOREIGN OFFICE, Fob. n. 1858.
SRI have the honor to acknowledge the receipt o
|
the Interpretation placed by her Majcstys
the declaration Of the principle o blockade made IL
1855 by the conference at Paris.
have already, in my previous letters fully explained
TO you the views OF her Maeety's government thi
matter and hape nothing further 10 ddd ia rsplv 10 you
last letter. except 10 observe that have not intended
state that any number OF vessels OF certain build or ton
mage might be left at liberty freely to enter bockadec
port without vtating the blockade but the occasiona
escape OF small vessels dark nights, under ohe
particular circumstances, from the vigilance OF com
petent blockading feet did not eoince hdt lary IN
hr ypbgs
10 ne raising Of a blockade. am, &c. RUSSELL
AMERICAN PosIAeE--Mr. pny Miles has been appointc
postal envoy representative of the United States Pos
0lce TO examine into aud report upon the details an
working Of the English penny postal system. new
postal bill drawn up last year by Mr.. Miles and tn
Hon. Mr. Hutchins Of OHIO and introduced nto Congress
which provided for uniform postage OF tso cents
penny sterng), a money order system &c, and whic
posponed TO the present session, aad is now undc
consideration Washington. The various reductions
| postage and the approaches 10 uniformity IN Americ
have been ennenty successful, and this year for IN
nrst time long period the department does not hav
10 apply to Congress for appropriations for deficit