The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-09-26


designed from the beginning to join the
Florida and the Alabama, and prey upon
the commerce of the Federals "a those
ships have done. The consequence ia. that
the Federals and their friends are natural
~ enraged, and we are assured that If the
suspected vessels are allowed to escape,
peace between America and England can
no longer be maintained.
We have only to ask ourselves what our
feelings would have been if, while we were
blockading the Russian ports during the
Crlmean war, some neutral State had fur
nished the Russian Government with CRUZ
sers enough to close the sea against our
commerce. Of course, we should never
have allowed them such range as the AL
ALBANIA has enjoyed; but fome day or other
even we, with our enormous navy. NAV
find our hands too full. It is not our in
terest to allow such precedent to be es-
tabiished for the first time, If it does not
exist already, nor. to connive at its extern
slons, II 1T has any existence. Of all the
doubts which the question contains we
ought to give ourselves the benefit, and
our interests, as it happens, coincide on
this occasion with the desires of the Federal
Still, the Americans, whether of the
North or of the South, must be perfectly
aware that we can make no concession to
menace, and that the laws of England,
Whatever they may be, are not to be
changed at the dictation a foreign State
We believe that if our Government could
feel itself justified in stopping any suspec-
ted vessel, the public would be glad to see
the power exercised. We do not think it
morally right that ships like the Alabama
should leave our ports for such service as
that IN which they are engaged. We do
not wish to see any more Of them sail on
the like errand, though the Federals have
themselves mainly to thank for the mis-
cnle1 which these cruisers have been per-
mitted to work.
FROM the Birmingham Post, Sept.l
According to report, iron plated vessels
are now being built on the Mersey and the
Clyde. Ihese vessels are not ordered BY
our own Governments; they can not ~ any
possibility be intended for the merchant
navy-they must be vessels-of-war. IT ia
alleged that some, if notall of them, are in
tended for the service of the Confederate
navy, and the notorious Florida is known
to be lowering about our western coasts.
ready to take charge other future consorts
the moment they are fairly out of the build
ers' hands.
There can not be doubt that this per-
sistence in ship building for the Confeder-
ates, will bring about the most deplorable,
and, probably, the fiercest and most calam-
itous war, of modern times.
This conclusion being inevitable, it be-
hooves the English people to consider very
carefully what is their duty under these
circumstances. AS we believe, their first
and most important duty to avoid war with
America. We do not counsel slavish SUBJ
mission to the whims of the American peo-
pie. England is not, and ought not, to be
moved by vulgar buster, or terrified by
lmpudent threats. If, without good cause,
the Americans were determined to force
us into war, then we should have no choice
than to go to war, for disgraceful aud cow
,hyria cnr Eo; -
than war itself But, in the present case,
1T seems to us that the Americans ask at
the hands of England nothing but the
barest justice. They call upon us not to
fold our arms and let our own laws be bro
ken either in letter or spirit, to their injury
or wrong. They appeal against ourselves
to ourselves. They point reproaehfully to
to the fact that, while we were at war with
Russia, they prevented Russia from build
ing or buying ships in American ports.-
They call upon us to do for them what they
then willingly did for us. Can the de-
mand be resisted with any show Of reason?
Let us, then, judge the Americans by our
selves. -
From the Manchester Examiner, Sept. IL
While the Confederate prospects are ru-
ined on the Mississippi, and overcast on
the Rappahannock, they seem to be bright
ening on the Mersey. Experience, which
is said to make even fools wise, has proba-
Wy SOuo AOI SOulcCuluS WIFI MI. Laird
He is aware that the trick by which the
Alabama got safely out of port cannot be
repeated, and the legal proceedings in the
case OF the Alexandra, have shown him
the points which need to be most carefully
guarded in an attempt to evade the law
1t is quite certain that Mr.. Laird is not
building vessels Of war for the Confeder-
ate Government. Of course not. Mr..
Laird knows how to conduct his business
without the risk Of being caught in an ille-
gal transaction. It may be illegal for A to
build vessels for E, but, if so, all you have
to do is to thrust in B, perfectly upright
and honest character, who will be at no
loss for opportunities to hand over the ves-
sci to =: II one go-between is not enough
thrust in G and D, and legal detection viii
become exceedingly difficult. ,.~
Mr.. Laird is said to "make no mystery"
about these vessels, and there is no need
for him to make any, for the mystery con-
fronts US ready made. The vessels, tho
built on "French account" have Turkish
or perhaps Algerian names--the Ell Tous-
soon and Ell Monnassir. The former will
be ready for sea in month, the latter will
take, perhaps, couple of months longer.
There cannot be doubt as to the character
of these formidable vessels, and there can
be but little as to their real destination
Il they were building for the Turkish
Government the Sultan would order them
In his own name. They are plainly intend
ed to become public vessels of war in the
service of some naval Power, and there is
no such Power which need have recourse
to French agency unles it be the Confeder-
ate States. We have no doubt whatever
that they are building on French account.
and Just as little doubt that Mr.. Laird
knows their ultimate as we'll as their i'm
destination. A French dodge is
so easily arranged that the Confederate,
agents would deserve to be fined for clum-
siness if they did not adopt it. a#
These ship building operations must be
productive of pleasurable excitement to
Mr.. Laird as well as of pecuniary gain.
Next to the solid satisfaction of midnight
haul, there is probably no more exquisite
than that of trieking the police. But while
this employment is sport to Mr.. Laird.
is serious business for us. 1t stands to
reason that, as neutrals, we ought not to
supply one of the belligerents with ships
of war, ships ornaments, and ships
crews. We are VIGOROUSLY doing all of
this. We are doing it in way which adj
mits ola technical denial, and which makes