Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-16

marching on Fort Scott, and that lie had ordered
Col. Weir to move all the force he could to Fort
Scott.
COMMERCIAL.
(irld sold readily in New York on Satur-
day, at liSi(n.l49, against Ia for the CORES
| pondiug day Of last week. This il II rapid
rise.
ALARMING RAIDS OF CONFEDERATE
STEAMERS OFF TIE CAPE OF GOOD
HOPE.
Tho Alabama, Capt. Semmes; Georgia,
Capt. Marry: and Tuscaloosa. Lieut.. Low,
were Ill in or off the harbor of Cape Town,
Cape Ct Coed Hope, il August, and wore driv-
Ing a brisk business among the Yankee
shipping. The Cape Town argus" dr All
gust 10Th says;
During the whole of Saturday the Alabama
lay quietly Mt anchor in Table bay, the waters
Of which had then become comparatively
calm, Int with the EalOrouS no longer along
side, that vessel having dragged her anchor.
during Friday night and driftcd a considera-
bic distance IN iecward. In the fatter part of
the day, although the weather was gloomy, Il
goodly number of visitors went off to the ves-
81, and were received with tIe courteous
urbanity which distinguished the conduct of
the off 'ers of the ship towards the crnwds who
;hron.cd around her ou Thursday.
As soon ~ it was known that the Alabama
was in Saldanha bnv, Mr. Graham. the United
States Consul at Cape Town, addressed Il let
FER II the GJvcrnHr, requesting that the vessel
might lie 'at once seized and sent to England,
r-,r, ,-bon,n cha ,l,,nla.tip 1u naI ~ oo
the ground that the British Government, which
had a treaty Of amity and with the
United States, had not recognized the persons.
in rebellion against the United States as u
Government nc all" His E1cel!ency replied
that he had no Instructions or authority to
seize or dntain the vessel, and that the course
taken by Captain Semmei was, inhis opinion,
in conformity with tho instructions he had re.
ceived relative to ships Of war and privatcers
belonging to the Government OF the United
| States and the States calling themselves the
| Confederate States visiting British ports.
Against the capture Of the Sea Bride Mr..
Graham protested, Oh the ground that the
capture was made within British waters, con-
| tending that neutral waters were limited to
| the fighting distance from land, which, since
the invention Of Armstrong guns, must be
held to be six miles. lie also subsequently
claimed her forfeiture on the ground that, on
the day succeeding her capture the prize crew
nu l0ard Of her brought her within u mile and
n half of Green Point Lighthouse, which, he
maintained, "was n violation of neutrality as
much rs if the capture bad taken place at that
| distance from land" But on both points the
\ decision Of the Governor was adverse to his
| views. Mr.. Graham also claimed the delivery
to him, rs the official agent of the former wn-
crs of the Conrad, of the Tuscaloosa, on the
ground that being n prize and "not having
been condemned by any admiralty court OF
any recognized Government" she was de-
barred from entering any British port, and
ought, therefore to revert to her real own
crs" the moment she violated the Queens pro-
clamatiop.
His Excellcncy replied that he was not
aware Of. any provision Of international law
by which captured ships, as soon as they en-
tered neutral ports, reverted to their real
owners. He believed that the claims of con-
tending parties to captured vessels could be
determined in the first instance only by the
courts Of the captor's country, and was salts
fed that the Tuscaloosa was entitled to be re-
garded as d vessel Of war.
Against the decision of His Excellency in
each case Mr.. Graham formally 'protested' in
the name Of his government.
Having completed on. Saturday the repairs
intended tn he effected here, at Mt nm early
hour on Sunday morning Captain Semmes
weighed anchor, and at 6 o'clock the Alabama
took her first departure from Table bay.
On Saturday the Confederate cruiser Tus
c~aloosa, Lient. Low commander, formerly the
Conrad, Of Philadelphia, captured by the Ala
bama and converted by Capt: Semmes into a
tender to his ship, put into Simon's bay for
the purpoEe of retitting. She carries two
guns and ten men before the masts. About
fourteen DAYS ago she fell in with the Aneri-
can ship Santee, bound from Rangoom to
Falmouth, and captured her but as the vessel
was laden with a cargo belonging to British
owners, she was allowed to proceed on giving
Il bond Of $4,000.
A few DAYS after the Tuscaloosa fell in with
the American China clipper ship Snow Squall,
eight hundred tons, homeward bound. 1t was
blowing hard at tho time, and the Tuscaloosa
having fred nt the Snow Squall without
bringing her to, made chase but tho latter
being the fastest %sailer, escaped.
On Sunday afternoon the Confederate steam
ler Georgia. Capt. Maury, entered Simln's Bay
for coal and repairs. She appears to be an
ordinarilv-built packet boat, certainly not in.
tended for IA sighting craft. bnt having q good
crew, and being armed with two Whitworth
rihed guns aft, one large ffty-six gun forward.
and two thirty-twOs on her quarterback, and
being Il fast sailer is well suited to capture
merchant ships and run from war vessels Of
s%unerinr armament butinferior speed.
As she got into the entrance of the harborOt
St. Vincent she discovered n man .of-war With
the American enlors flying. put about and
went to the north side of the island, where
she Law until dark aud then stood out for sea.
The Georgia on her way captured the bark
Good Hone, of Boston, bound to Agulhas,
with q general cargo. Her captain had died
some DAYS before, and his body being preser.
we'd in salt, Captain Maury had it brought en-
board the Georgia. read the funeral service
over it, and committed it to the deep.
During the service the bark j.. W. Sewer
hove in sight and was chased by the Georgia
She was from Boston, bound to the AMOR
river, with machinery for. the Russian Gov
eminent. The, prisoners of the Good Hope
we're put on board and she was bonded.
Gn the 2jth of June she captured the ship
Constitution. of New York, loaded with coal
for Shanghai, made &. prize Of her, and took
her into the island.
On the 2Sth of July the Georgia captured
the ship City of Bath, Of Bath, from Callao to
Antwerp. The cargo being neutral, she was
bonded, and the prisoners Of the Constitution
were put on board her.
On the 10Th of July the Georgia captured
the ship Prince of Wales, of Bath, from Val
~paraiso, bound to Antwerp, with guano. The
cargo being neutral, the ship was bonded.
The following is a list of the Georgia's off,
GERS: W. l.. Maury. Commander; - Chap
-, E;rst J;antanont. - Ersn. Sa,on6