The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-06-25
American Affairs in England-The New
Pirate Virginia.

The Daily NelcS gives the following in regard
10 the new rebel steamer japan or Virginia
Early on Saturday morning. the llth, q chan
mel steamer put into Plymouth and landed lS
persons from the Confederate cruiser Virginia,
late the Japan. Two Of these persons were men
who had been scalded through the bursting of a
feed pipe in the engine room Of the Virginia,
whilst they had been acting a. hremen, and they
are now in the South Devon and East Cornwall
Hospital az Plymouth, under medical treatment
for the Injuries they have sustained. In conse-
quence OF this arrival, something has been learn
ed respecting the manner of the escape, and the
arming of this new Confederate cruiser. The
well known firm Of the Dennys Of Duinbarton
built the Japan for, 1t was SUPPOSED, the emperor
of China. She Is 4 very fine steamer, Of seven
hundred tons burden, and is fitted with engines of
go horse power. She was launched on the 10th
Of January last, and sailed from the CLYDE on
the Sd of April. When she left the Clyde she
had been named the Virginia, and some forty
carpenters went out in her 10 construct a maya
zine. These returned to Greenock in the tug
steamer that lowed the Virginia out. The day
after she had sailed an order arrived at Greenock,
under the circumstances narrated III our columns
last week. directing that she be seized. After the
Virginia left the Clyde she made her way round
into the English Channel. In the meantime, one
of the steamers that ply between New Haven and
France, chiefly for the conveyance of French pro-
duce, intended for the London markets, had been
taken up by "a gentleman" to carry some pack
ages and hardware across the Channel. tie
stipulated for the power Of taking the steamer to
another port than the one TO which he ordinarily
traded, or u discharge the cargo into another
vessel if he thought fit to do so. The steamer,
however, did take ONE passengers for France,
and left New Haven as if on her regular voyage
across the Channel. The Captain, however, had
instructions from the owners TO follow the direc-
ton given by the . gentleman" When they got
fairly into the channel the latter said, before
going across he wished to make for a certain
point, meaning the latitude and longitude some
where between plymouth and Falmouth. All
said the skipper, and away they went,
and soon arrived at the point indicated, and there
found a steam vessel, with which the gentleman
ne would like to communicate. He went on
BOARD the new steamer, but soon returned add
the captain that he had sold the cargo, and
[ must be put on board that vessel. The New
Iayen MIN brought his craft alongside, having
he misfortune to carry away his boom in doing
0. The cargo was transferred To the large
teamer, which was no other than the Confede-
ate cruiser Virginia, and the cargo or the New
laven steamer was guns, arms and ammunition.
he cargo safely transferred, some seventeen men
transhipped from the Virginia to the New
Iaven steamer, and these included the two men
ljured by s~calding. With these men, on the
g~entleman's'' directions, the New Haven $ amer
lade for Plymouth, and arrived there early on
Iturday morning. The Virginia has gone west
ard, probably to follow the practices of the
She is described as IL vessel of great
rength, and capable of Il high rate of speed.
ne Is armed with ten guns, in addition to two
" hItworths 6o-pOunders on pivots.