Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-24

port Of their which they can enter or o which they
can send single prize for adjudication haw roamed the
seas, capturing and destroying the commercial ships Of
nation at peace with Great Britain aud Frsoe but yet
when these coisar have needed repairs OF supplies they
have experienced no difficulty procuring them, because
it had been deemed sxpeden to recognise tho rebels as
beligerents Not of the many vessels captured by
these has ever been udciay condemned 10 legal
capture Wanton destruction has been the object and
purpose Of the eapos who have burnt and destroyed the
property of their merchant victims
This theory Of recognising rebels 40 soon
as they m their arms against the Government, and thus
declaring them entitled 10 national privileges on the hph
and in the harbors Of the world although without
port navy OF their is tho inauguration OF new
policy in the history Of nations For long of
years has been important point ia the progress Of
civilization, and particularly among the mtGme Powers
that the police of the should be guarded and main
tanned by the subsection of captures 10 the adjudication Of
tribunals administering the law of nations which receive
from the hands of the captor his prize into the custody
that law to be disposed Of by its rues but tbs
pursued IN fostering and giving 10 tho reb
robbers who, without recognised national flag port
at their command any Of bringing their captures
TO Judgment are committing their predatory acts is
restoration Of that Agerne and Trpoan system waich
long tiicted the civilized world but which, under the
lead OF our Government, exterm!nated in the early
part of the present century.
Thus far these rovors have escaped capture While 10
the West indies they protected whenever they
enabled to Zee into neutral port get within marine
league of the shore of neutral Government privileges
that was never In any quarter extended 20 the Medera
corsars Unfortunately Of he colonial authori
ties and nconsdsr able po tiun OF the opul on of the
European dependencies influenced by the protested neu
raty which elevated insurgents and sought to degrade
the national authority to an equality with them were IN
sympathy with the predatory rovers aud while lending
them aid and often furnishing them with information in
arpOsed obstacles and manifested unfriendy feelings to
the lawful operations of the naval forces of the Union
Compelled, we have been, to withdraw to great
tent foreign squadrons in order to establish and
force the blockade, the of the United States,
spread abroad sea- has been annoyed and often
pundered and destroyed by these unlicensed With
OF the nober attributes gallant and daring quail
ties which characterize naval warriors aud particularly
the American sailor these robbers of the shun naval
Antagonist Their prowesa exhibits itself in pundering
peaceful commerce. and their victims have been unarmed
merchantmen. Traversng the they do, with, ut
country OF their to which they resort it has been
difficult to trace meet them and thus far they have,
with the shelter and assistance of Governments which
cognse them beigerens and equals managed to elude
our cruisers.
Their early operations in the West Indies where
we have extended commerce, and where they had
adut0ri among those foreign Adventures VINO
gagged in illicit traffic, and sympathzers in large portion
of the colonial authorities. To protect interests In
that quarter and especially to guard the treasure ships in
their transit to and from Aspnwa flying squadron was
established the autumn of 1862 and placed under the
command OF Acting Rear Admiral Wilkes; This officer.
by his energy and decision contributed to break up of
the several lines of Illicit traders organized to carry sup
plies to the rebels in ships ostensby bound for Matamo
ras, but with cargoes having contingent destination to
Texas While, however he displayed efficiency in seiz
ing that class of blockadeunners and successful in
breaking up ofthe many cunnnRy conrived arrange
ments, be failed to capture the piratca rovers
The Department anticipating that the Alabama and
her associates wOud find ii necessary to abandon the
neghborbood Of the Antilles, and satisfied Of the direction
they would then take, ordered the Vanderbilt, fast
steamer independent cruising duty FIRST in the West
Indies and then onward to the South The orders to
Commander Baldwin, of the Vanderbilt under date of
January q, 1868 we're When you perfectly salts
that the Alabama has left the Gulf the West In
dies and gone to other locality, you will proceed
along the coast of Brazil to Fernando Noronho Rio
de- Janero, making inquiries at such places you may
think advisable From Rio continue your the
Cape of Good Hope &c
In derogation of these special and explicit orders Act
ing Rear Admiral Wilkes 10 falling in with the Wander
bt transferred his flag that vessel and attaching her
his squadron detained her in his possession long
to defeat the object and purpose of the Department He
did not release her until the 18th OF June, VIII Comman
der Baldwin proceeded to carry out his instructions but
he too late He arrived at Fernando Noronho on he
4th Of July at Pernambuco the 6th ard at Rio de ia
metro the I4th; thence he proceeded the I'd of
August to st Helena instead of going drect t. the Cape
Of Coed Hope The unfortunate detention Of the Van
detbt wholly defeated the plans of the Department for
the capture Of the Alabama, Florida, aud Georgia They
the Department anticipated arrived in those ATTITUDES
and visited those ports in May but the Vanderbilt 10
stead of being there to receive them the Department
intended improperly retained in the West Indies
Ill after that period.
national interests others have from lime to time been
dispatched pursuit ofthe rovers all of which built
in and have gone abroad from foreign ports prey upon
ous commerce The details of. all the measures which
have been adopted by the Department this view not
necessary here To disclose But with Of naval
vessels engaged in enforcing the blockade and without
clue to guide independent cruisers the trackess
they have thus far been unable tn encounter these
senpraca vessels, which always seek 10 evade naval
Antagonist Were the probabilities greater than they are
however of encountering them, and public naval
vessels permitted to enter the ports Of the maritime Pow
for fuel and other supplies when in pursuit. it would
not promote the interests If commerce the welfare OF
the country 10 relax the blockade for that object We
have, however, Of seamen a sufficient
supply for the immediate aud imperative duties that
pressing upon and although it would be nexpedent to
make public all the that taken and that
control the action Of the Government il may be i'm
proper 10 Ne that Of our largest aud fastest steamers
destined for foreign service has been detained for months
in consequence OF inadequate supply Of to
her. Other vessels also short Of their complement
ORDNANCE
The present condition Of naval ordnance IA pre-
sened in the report Of the chief ad of that bureau
will be read with interest. Ii exhibits gratifying ad-
in that department Of the since the
mencemeut of the rebellion and furnishes evidence that
in general efficiency in condition 10 maintain
standing at least equal to that OF any other Power Aided
by private enterprise the necessities OF the country which
great have been urmounted and dispensing with
the old artillery to which for time compelled to
resort, naval vessels have armament worthy
Of the service The suggestions embraced in the report
Of the Chief Of Ordnance commended TO the cOnsdera
ton Of Congress- and those which relate the magazines
and gunnery ship entitled to special regard.
PRIzEs
The number Of vessels captured by tho rqnadrons and
reported IT, the Department IT, the lat Of November s
.0i5, classified follows: Schooners 547; steamers
79; sloops 1871 briggs. 30 barques 70 ships IL yachts
destroyed the Mississippi and other rivers aud the
coast table giving their names dates of capture and