The New York herald., 1863-03-30
England's Neutral Play With
Jeff. Davis.
She Induces the "Beliigerents'' to
Accept the Treaty Of Paris. and
then MOdifies" the Treaty
to Their Prejudice.
Mason's Charges Against Russell and
Russelps Snubs to Mason,
kss, ke., Ass
The Blockade.


Mr.. MASON TO EARL RUSSELL.
No. 100 PIccApnLy, LONDON, April !, 1868.
NY LoRDOn the l7th OF February last had the honor
70 submit TO your ordship printed list Of vessels
entered and cleared at ports In the Island Of Cuba,
fedcrate States Of America up the December
1861 Inclusive; and in my letter accompanying the list
taken from official documents there by gentleman Of
melgence and integrity, well known to me, and worthy
ef entire reliance y
have now the honor OF submitting TO your ordship
like printed lists taken from the same Official sources OF
vessels from certain of bockaded ports OF the Coniede
rate States which with their respective cargoes entered
the ports Of Havana and Matanzas in Cuba, for the
months Of January and February in the present year
sent to me by the gentleman above referred to- and are
entitled to full credit.
They show that in January and February last ten
ses from New Orleans and six from Mobile had entered
the indicated in Cuba, making with those Of others
from the bockaded ports in all twenty five vessels not
prevented by the alleged blockade from successful
lures TO aforeign port. have, &c, I'M MASON.
This contained inclosure, setting forth al list of
vessels which arrived at Havana and Maanzas from ports
Of the Confederate States America during the months
Of January and February 1882 with description of their
cargoes landed The vessels numbered twenty eight and
tho table shows that they all owned either in the
rebel States or England. They ran from New Orleans
Mobile, Pensacola Galveston, Charleston, and few
other ports. Tho majority of them landed cotton and the
others rosin and turpentine.]
EARL RUSSELL TO MIR. MASON.
FOREIGN OrFlcE, April 4, 1852.
Earl Russell presents his compliments to Mr.. Mason,
and bcgs leave u acknowledge the receipt Of Mr. Masons
ports OF the Southern coast OF North America
MR.. MASON TO EARL RUSSELL.
No. 81 DEvoNsiRE STREET, PORTLAND PLACE,
LoNpoN, July 7, 1862. !
MY LoRD-I am instructed by q recent despatch from
the Secretary Of State Of the Confederate States Of Amer
to bring to the attention Of your ordshp what would
10 be addition engrated by her Majesty govern.
the principle Of the law Of blockade estab
lhed by the convention Of Paris in 1856 and accepted
BY the Confederate States Of America the invitation Of
her Majesty's government.
In the instructions the Of the convention Of
Paris is quoted in the following words:
IA ohobt ding he batts
cess 70 the coast Of tine enemy.
And the despatch Of the Secretary of State then pro-
ceeds:-
The e, 1 9sns % 9
ao.maay 1sqassa b .oa tAo.e Po%es. aae iAis sa
1S,ssa his S siaeS IL assent % 1hu'
Great. .nen was the surprise of the presen. a. finding
IN the published correspondence before alluded to (re-
Serng papers laid before Parliament touching the
American blockade), the following expressions Of Earl
Russell in his letter to Lord Lyons Of the 18th Of February
hast.
assuming that The blockade duly notified and also that
port sufficient really to prevent access o. o create an
ss voanty permit esress insress the fact that various
% w s ln the
S9ekade from being eaectuai one BY International law
ton 70 the definition Of tho treaty Of Paris Of 1885,
such be the Interpretation placed BY Great Britain on
he treaty Of 1856, is but just tna this government
should be 30 officially informed Certain is that this
government did not could 1t anticipate that very
doctrine In blockade formerly maintained by
Groae Britain, and which all Europe supposed be
by the Treaty Of 1885, would again be asserted
BY that government
language Of her Majesys Secretary Of State For
sgn Affairs may not have been intended 10 bear the con
ssruction attributed TO- IL but 1t Is evidently sus-
ceptble Of this interpretation and cannot be
tons In guarding our rights In matter which mast in
future lce as ne present 50 deeply inoope the Interests of
AS warrant for the assertion in the despatch Of the
ha niUaAn Ap,
Urine In relation 70 blockade, formerly maintained by
Great Britain referred by him TO the text of the
lows
That in order determine what eharacerzes blockadea
OF ne with s ss IS sy @
sEy A 9, s.s,sn'y near IA s'ia danger in snerins-Ar
The force and effect Of these superaddcd words 1t must
be plain to your ordshp, has materially and most preu
existing war the interests Of the Confederate States
could this be better shown than by the adopt
Lyons, that
e. r.. ,s s. Z, ys,;e.: a .s': sy 1sss s ssps sss one
may be readily admitted that the fact that vari-
Gus ships entering or leaving port have successfully
nay not have been evident danger entering or
leaving IL but certainly does show that the blockade
tanned BY force sucent really. 70 prevent access 70
" coast Of the enemy"
Ihave, therefore, the honor request for the infor
nation Of my COVE rnment, that your lordshp will be
good enough 70 enable TO solve the doubt
he President Of the States rs 70 the construc
Ten placed by the q her Majesty on the tex.
a The convention OF Paris, - accepted BY the,govern
neat ans Confederate states IN tho terms herenbefore
sdered effective when maintained at epemys port by
force sufficient 70 create an evidcn danger Of
ing or leaving III and NOT alone wherc sufficient "realy
O. the subject OF the alleged blockade have received
from the Department the Confederate States
and instructed to lay before lordshp, her
Msostys Secretary OF State for Foreign Affairs the
~ln.
of Charleston South Carolina, In the months OF November
and December 1884, and Of January February March,
1852 at tho port Of savannah Georgia for the months OF
October, November and December, 1891 at Galveston
Texas for the months Of December 1851, and January
and February 1862 at New Orleans Louisiana, for the
months Of November aud december, 1901 aud February
1881 at Pensacola, Florida, the months ef December
Florida for .he months OF December 1861 and January
1882. and at Port Iavaca Texas in January, Ise2
The docHnes Oh international law certainly are hat wnT
doe na psa an ed 10 bni,ceen beigercnt and
neif as erceaa ports and racs actually tiokadsd;
and yet IN the strange and anomalous petsnsons the
United States apparently acluosced by neutral Powers
all commerce between neuirals and the Confederate
states is prohibited along az entire coast line Of
two thousand i've hundred miles. Armed vessels cruise
Aloug the coast, and capture all neutrsls fall into
Their way on the allegation that the entire
blockade. The Confederate states, known have
teen commercial, their carrying trade being
almost entirely in the hands u other nations We're il
otherwise little effect would be produced upon their
commerce oy this mIsnamed blockade As IL ~, the few
shis and other vessels armed by them have, from The
beginning OF the war, been actively probably en-.
poyed iu carrying their products foreign ports and
pinging back supplies. Not ten, IN the large
nnm6er q voyages 30 made n is believed has been CAP
turcc and had hnt rsrrc1 ben od for neutral vf0ks
winch the aw of nations provides, commerce lei,osu
tJiSfs and As GoGfeaeof, Ss,s hare cOtara-
try tnhfte utrrsysed. And in this view, I am in.
srnctcn to inquire whether may not be practicable
% require o the bocknding Power 10 specify from time
~ time The pors claimed TO be actually blocksdcd Be
dee tas larger ports tfew IN number Confederate
sts,es there arc numbers Of smaller towns, accessible
from the sea- wncre commerce We carried on
with foreign natons III the few posses~ed by Con-
feieratc ana bockaded uo-ts trsIgna,ed
b,se latter would at once be commerce OF the
vorld IN anything DOT contraband. Hoso far M ssxd 4,
ueipanaS Burdi Poc7s rerains for h,,. "a a.
k The arS ie Of cofon done from such pors
wtNch not and nave not been blcckaded but com.
G,eSge with which Intercepted by armed cruisers oeca
Voniy passing along the coast, ,conid ar 10 supply
Sse prnsirg demand II Earofsnn mastvdcture.
Ip lhfa connection instructed smphu icdiv 10 di.
,lam any loi,cy in me Confederate e government 10
proAibn ,,courois e e1Torf n oofom II has been the
policy Of the enemy 70 propagate such belief, and per
kavs 10 pou,o extent may have obtained credencc In