The Portland daily press., 1863-03-07
The Confederate Navy.

The Confederate Navy.
We shall soon see, whether the British Gov
ernment means to maintain an attitude of i'm
partial neutrality toward the contending par
ties in America. If one half of the statements
in the subjoined letter are true, that Govern
ment must in some way be aware of the facts.
as it is certainly able to prevent the consum-
nation of this barefaced scheme for powerfully
reinforcing the rebellion. The letter is anon
ymous, dated at New Inn, w. c., Feb. IL, and
addressed to Lord Palmerston. 1t is publish
ed in the London News, from which we copy:
Does anybody outside of lunatic asylum
believe that the emperor Of China is in i'm
mediate want of feet of war steamers? Will
the noble lord, the secretary of foreign affairs,
hazard an opinion upon this point? Will the
honorable member from Birkenhead afford
the public the benefit of his experience?
Who should know if he do not? If report
speak true, his celestial majesty is a profita-
bic customer of his. On the premises belong
ing to the Messrs. Laird, at Birkenhead, in a
covered she'd, or "annex" to the main yard,
two powerful war steamers are in course of
construction for the emperor of China. Their
burden is about 2200 tons. They are of the
ram class, are partially ironplated, and meas
ure, say 200 feet long by SO beam, and Is feet
deep Their engines, now nearly ready, are
ranked nominally at 300 horse power, but each
will work up to thousand. and will give
them a very high rate of speed. In the main
yard of the same premises another steam ram
Is being built, also for the emperor of China.
Her length is about $50 feet by IS feet beam.
and depth from l6 to Is feet. She is partially
iron-plated, like the two others in the annex,
and the three are expected to be ready for sea
in two months from the present time, perhaps
sooner. Capt. Bulloch, who commanded the
290,' Is daily in attendance, experimenting
their progress. Does the gentleman hold his
commission from his celestial majesty or from
JEFF. Ddris.
In the yard Of Messrs. w. c. Miller a Son.
Liverpool, there is nearly completed wooden
screw-propelled vessel OF about four hundred
tons. She has been constructed upon the plan
OF the American coasters, being nearly fiat
bottomed. She is built for fast sailing under
canvas, and under steam is expected TO run Is
knots an hour She is to be armed with nine
FOUNDER guns, and is expee ted to be ready for
sea in the course of four weeks. II is COM
monty reported that she belongs TO the Con-
federates. Messrs. Lawrence 4 Sons yard is
the highest up the Mersey. A large screw
steamer is being built there for the emperor
Of China. Messrs. Fraser. Trenhole 4 Co.,
of Liverpool. "dcpostaries. :" as they are styled.
ed for a large vessel Of three thousand tons,
which is to be built at Stockholm.
Messrs. Thompson Brothers are building on
the Clyde, n powerful arnor-ciad steam ram,
for the emperor Of Chine, to be ready for sea
on the 9th OF April next. She Is about two
hundred and filty feet long, by forty-nye feet
beam and ihirty-nye feet in depth. Her armor
plates, are from four and hall to Ave inches
thick. Her engines will be Of five hundred
horse power each.
Mr.. Peter Denny OF Dunbarton has con-
strncted two fine screw steamers. They are
lying In the Clyde. Report Of q asomewha, an-
thenfic kind says one OF them IL partly owned
BY ne Chinese, and partly by indisid nals at
Nassau, New Providence. II l. publicly an
nounced that she y soon 10 BE- employed on
the line between Nassau and Charleston. Her
name y the Virgssia. The term Chfaese Is IN
general gxe IN The building yards ofthe Clyde
and The Nersey 70 designate TIE coafcdsrafes,
and fhe emperor of GhfRa. has no other si0-
HlNcdffoR ia this connection than fo persoaify
jefferson Daris. The Chinese have been stri-
wing very hard 10 purchase the sister vessel
% the Virginia, through one Of their agents In
Liverpool bat Mr.. Denny built and lost the
Memphis. and be requires the "Celestials" TO
pay cash down before he parts with his prop
erty.
The Messrs. Scott of Greenoek are com
pleting very fine iron screw steamer, which
Is alleged 10 be Intended for the trade be-
tween Charleston aud Savannah. Two weeks
ago n fine vessel Of the same class a. the yir-
ginia was launched from Messrs. Blackwood's
yard at Port Glasgow, and common report says
she Is intended for fhe Chinese
Upwards of iiily steam vessels. Of various
descriptions, IN dlfiirent stages OF complete
ness, might be enumerated In this Chinese cat
egory. The Iih section Of the seth Geo. Ill,
cap. 81. prohibits, under penalty of fine and
imprisonment, with a forfeiture OF the proper
~, the equipment, furnishing, fitting out, or
arining OF any vessels. 10 be employed In the
service OF any foreign prince, state. or polen-
tate. with intent to commit hostilities against
the subjects or citizens OF any prince or state,
with whom his majesty shall not then be at
war. DO not the facts herein submitted, my
lord, warrant an immediate and a searching
Investigation into the nature of these transac-
tions tor the "Chinese?-
The shareholders conspiracy Is largely. nav
mainly, indebted tor its success up to the pres
ent time to the material aid which has been
extended TO it by British capitalists. Two
years before II broke out, their cooperation
had been secured through the instrum ntatitv
Of the highest diplomatic agents ofthe United
States then in this country Large advances
were promised upon mortgages of enormous
quantities OF cotton, tobacco and rice. nor was
the fact concealed by the democratic party, that
in the event of secession and war, almost any
amount Of pecuniary aid would be procured
from this quarter. These powerful combina-
tions in support Of the Shareholders conspiracy
comprised the monetary, shipping and mercan-
tile interests. As much as e16,000 and even
e20,0W have been subscribed by individual
members of these associations; and in one in
stance sum Of s5,000,000 sterling can be d.
rectly traced as the financial result of a single
operation. Not many days ago, lists were ex-
hibited by confederate agent, in which fig
ured the names of Manchester men of high
standing for large sums which they had re-
Gently subscribed in aid Of the confederates.
Another of these emissaries is now in this
country, whose name can be furnished if need
full He is duly accredited by Jefferson Davis.
and his credentials are indorsed by Mr.. Mason
the diplomatic though officially unrecogDized
envoy of the confederate states. His object
is to negotiate a loan for the confederacy of
shareholders, and to conclude arrangement, for
the supply to them OF all kinds Of commodi
ties, especially munitions Of war. The factors
who have agreed TO carry out these arrange
ments, are accountants, men of standing in the
city of London. Their contract is signed and
sealed by Jefferson Davis, and iudorsed by Mr..
Mason. The conditions OF the contract are as