The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-02-09

hands at rather easier rates Prime advanced &c
&c. per bushel, with liberal transactions Provisions
were less sought after as also groceries, hides,
seeds Spices oils and FRUIT at about previous quotations
There doing in rice domestic whisk ey and in
foreign liquors with fair business hay lie ather tai
low and tobacco. Iths and lime quiet rhe freght
market was inactive, and there considerable depre
citation in rates on American vessels
The Late Charleston Anair-Thc News by
the Princess Royal-The Blockade and
| the Cotton Question.
The prize steamer Princess Royal which ar
rived yesterday at Philadelphia, direct from our
blockading squadron off Charleston, brings the
authentic intelligence of the late rebel sortie
among our ships at that station and the actual
results.
1t thus appears that the original particulars
furnished from the exulting rebels at Charles
ton to the Richmond Dispatch, and which were
exclusively published in the HERALD the other
day, were rather highly colored and somewhat
wide of the mark, but that the rebel Captain
Ingraham had good reason to believe that he
had sunk the Mercedita, and had probably de-
| stroyed another of our blockading vessels.
Captain Stellwagen, Of the Mercedita, did re-
port to the Palmetto State that his ship was
sinking. He sent a boat to that vessel for the
purpose, In command Of lieutenant who
was paroled. But it appears that his ship got
of. The Keystone State did receive shot
through her vitals, by the results of which
twenty-three of her men were killed; but it
now appears she was saved. The early hour
OF the morning, the fog on the water, the ex-
oft nff ha kbo Ill;
nation of the rebels to make the most of their
partial success, will easily account for their
first flaming reports upon the subject,
and for that most essential mistake Of all, that
they had completely dispersed our blockading
squadron. Had they discovered, after their
first South Carolina furry of excitement was
over, that their original reports to the Rich
mond Dispatch we're correct, we should have
had the same rejoicings over the event by the
other Richmond journals; but they have ex-
hibited degree of Indifference over their won
derful victory which proves that substantially
it amounts to nothing.
1t is probable that one object of this rebel
raid was the recapture of our prize steamer
Princess Royal, with her immense supplies of
British "aid and comfort to the enemy" She
had been caught in attempting to run the
blockade, and while she was still within reach
she was a prize worth all the hazards of an
effort for her rescue. But still we have no
doubt that the main purpose Of the rebels was
the dispersion Of the blockading squadron from
undertaken with some understanding that the
clearing away of the blockading ships for even
a few hours would be accepted and acted upon
by England and France as a legal termination
to the blockade. The readiness and apparent
exultation with which the British and French
consuls at Charleston co-operatcd with Beau
regard and Ingraham in their proclamation Of
the raising of the blockade furnish strong pre-
sumptive evidence in support of this opinion
The news by the Princess Royal, however
disposes of this convenient prcteyt advanced
by Beauregard, Ingraham and their confederate
European consuls for armed intervention. The
blockading squadron was not dispersed from
the roadstead, and that fact will settle the ques.
ton on the other side Of the Atlantic. But. If
the fact were otherwise, we should have little
to fear from England or France, considering
the present condition Of the "happy accord" be-
tween them in relation to American affairs.
Louis Napoleon's outspoken Mexican pron.as-
ciomiento has somewhat shaken the brotherly
love of England. The London Times pro-
nounces that manifesto precious specimen Of
French audacity, and the cool manner in which
the Emperor assigns the Mexican republic to
the Latin race is well calculated to excite the
wrath of Anglo-Saxon John Bull Tins we
may shortly discover that this Mexican i'm
broglio of Louis Napoleon has not only broken
his entente cordiale with England, but has very
materially simplifed the work of SUI ppressing
this rebellion in Southern view of the subject.
Meantime it appears that the rebds at
Charleston are under no small obligations 10
England at this particular crisis. We are in
formed from the Richmond Examine that the
British ship Cadmus, which lately sailed from
Fortress Monroe, turned up very opportlnely
the other day at Charleston; for there, conmu-
nicating with the rebels, the officers Of the
Cadmus appraised them that their city would be
very shortly assailed by formidable expedi-
ton of our land and naval forces. The Caimus
went uOWn 10 uhe On Tue DTltlsn COnsul ana
this valuable information to the enemy was
probably given in explanation of this proceed
ing; but the proceeding itself was probably
intended as . trick for communicating this
seasonable warning to the rebels. This is
British neutrality. But we can understand
il when it is considered that raw cottoa in
England is worth dollar pound, andthat
English manufactures Of all descriptions are
worth ten times over in Charleston their cost
price in England, and that every failur' Of
our arms against the rebellion increases the
chances Of free trade and cheap cotton iron
Southern confederacy.
But let us be patient. Having dispose, of
the blockade question at Charleston, we hpe
soon to reach a solution OF the cotton question
- ~. L..