New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-21


TIE ALABAMA.
Fr,,, frbe London 'tar 1Vhl 3
A return 10 au Orief %. TIE i4C.Se vi N'-L'
Sss beeu jssnCd, contGiIin" cory " OF or eA'I"c's
60, tie co-resacldence between tie Commissioh
e-s NJ Cr,.oas s.l tic CC.'p--iiorsc authorizes az
;ivcrnool relating 20 .be ,uilding fitting ou', and
sailing of tce Al8bana."
Inc frst letter from NJ. Edwards, he Collector
a. CustOrs at Liverpool, lu,osts report lioh Mr.
Morgan who saws that there hls been 10 attempt On
the part OF Messrs. IFird OF Bnkeut ead, WHO were
b1,ldipc the v,efel -uise Il ~ she was intended
tfr fhil-oi-war. She md u fact powder camsiefs
on board. Mes5rs. Lard however, Ccchued 10 give
information ~ o tie des,iraicn 81 the vessel un
tie 10th o. July, Mr. EDWARDS sends 10 tha Con-
misSoncGs Of Customs another report from Mr.. Nor
Ian that the vessel Is 10 the same saie as al hls
last report, and also incoses tbe following; -,
Copy Of letter f'on the United Saies Consul 70 me S'
hector fCuuoma Liverpool 0stat ilyerpc july > !bA'
" SIR: In accordance With a eugPeeuo1 oil Far
Russell in communication 20 IT, Adams, the Ameri-
can Minister ia London, beg 10 lay before you Tue
information ard circumstances which have come 10
Iuv knowledge relative to the ruuboat now beng
fitted out by Messrs. Laird &c Birkenhead Tor the
Confederstes OF the Southern United States OF
America, and intended 10 De used as pnNs1ser
against the United States
=" On my arrival, and taking charge Of the Con-
sulae il November last, my attention was called ny
the acting Consul aud by other persons u two gun
boats being or TO be fitted out for the so-esled Con-
federate Goyerument-tbs Oreto, lifted ou' by Mf.
Miller aud Messrs. Fawcett. Preston n Co., ana tie
Ole now IN question. Subsequent events luly
proved the suspicion with regard 10 the OTeto TO be
well founded; she cleared from Liverpool IN March
last for PaImo and Jamaica, and called direct foI
Nassau, where she is now Iece Wing her armament
sc pryateer for the eo-caled Confederate Govern
ineut; a!d NV attention Was called repeatedly 10 the
Runboat buildiug By Mr.. Laird by varions persons,
who stated TIA, she also was for Confederate PR
v6teer and being built 10y the MessTs Lard for
that express purpose.
NJ L. o. n tba
vatser Sumter nsmed Caody and Beaufort, passed
through LIVERPOOL ON their way TO Havana and
Nassau, and while here stated that there was a
eunboat building by Mr.. LAIRD at Birkenhead Tor
the Southern Confederacy, and not long after that
foreman employed aOout the vessel In Mr.. L2lrd's
yard stated that she was the sister Of the Oreto,
and intended for the same service and when pressed
for an explanation further stated that she was 70 De
privatoer for the Southern Government IN The
United States.
"Wben the vessel was first tried, Mr. Wellsman,
one Of the firm of Fraser Trenholm a. Co. Sho are
well known q. agents for tie Confederate "oVeTh-
mentl Andrew ard Thomas Byrne, and other per-
sons well known as having been for months
actively engaged in sending munitions OF war Tor
said Government, were present, ana have accom-
panied Der her varlons trals, as tLey mad accom-
panied the Oreto on her trial trip and Oh her de-
parture.
-. In April last the Southern screw-stesmer Annie
Child, which mad run the blockade out Of Charles
ton, and tine name Of which was changed at this
Of war, consisting of large quantity Of powder
rihed cannon, &C. by Messrs. Fraser Trenholm IL
Co., for the Southern COuiederacy, and left Liver
pool to run tie blockade under the command Of
Capt Hammer, and having on board several Of the
crew Of the pnvaleer Sumter, TO which have be.
fore referred.
"For some reason unknown tins vessel came back
and is now mere Since her return, youth named
Robinson, who had gone IN her as passenger, has
stated that the guubOat binding at Lands Tor the
kOutlAFn (OufederarV euDIect of treatment
conversation among the officers winnie she tine julia
UsberD Was out. That she was all the tine spoken
OF as Confederate vessel; that Capt. Bullock was
70 command her; that the money for her was sd
vaneed by Fraser, Trenholm 81 Co., that she was
not to make any attempt to run the blockade, bat
would 60 at once as prvateer; that che was 10
mount eleven guns, and that If the Julia Usfer
not going the Elk men from The Sumter, who were
on board the Julia Usher were 10 join the gunboat
This youth, being q native OF NewOreans, was
extremely anxious 10 get taken Oh board the gun
boat, aud wished tie persons lie made the con mun-
cation to 10 assist bin and Capt Bullock on his
behalf. lie has, l understand, bee9 removed to
school in London.
with reference to his statement, I may observe
that Capt Hammer referred 10 isa South Carolinian
has been mauy years in Fraser, Trenholm ~ Co b
employ; is greatly trusted by tbem snd n also IN
innate with Capt. Bullock, 80 that he would be
likely to be well informed the subject, and he
had 10 notion athat time # returning 10 Liverpool,
be would have no hesitation in speaking Of the mat
ter 10 bis officers, and the persons from the Sumter.
may also state that Capt Bullock referred to IL in
Liverpool; that be is an officer If the Confederate
Navy; that lac was seut here FOR the express
purpose OF fitting out pnvateers and seuding over
munitions OF war that he traDsacis his business a.
tie Office OF Fraser Trenholm Co; that he has
been all the time in communication with Fawcett,
Preston 81 Co., who fitted out the Oreto, and with
Lairds who are fitting out this vessel that he goes
almost daily board the gunboat, aud seems 70 be
recognized ar 10 authority.
"a Dir. Blair of Parable street. in this town,
who furnished the cabins OF tie Laird gunboat, HIS
also stated that all the fittings and furniture we're
selected 6y Captain Bullock, and were subject 10 his
tpproNal, although PAID Tor by Mr.. Lard.
Inc information Oh which have formed an I'M
dotbtiug conviction that this vessel beng titled
out Tor the so-caled Confederate Government, and
intended to cruise against the commerce Of the
Onl1eo olates, has come 10 ms from variety Of
sources and have detailed 1t 10 you far az prac
ucsof' 1 nave given you the Of persons
making the statements, but the information in
most cases L. gwen to by persons out OF friendly
feeling to the United btset and in strict confidence
cannot state the names Of my informsnts but what
have stated Is OF such character that little in
Quiry will confirm its truth.
Everything about the vessel shows her TO be a
war vessel she has wel-cCastIucted magazines.
abe has q number Of canisters Of peculiar and ex
pensiye construction for containing powder; abe
bas platforms already screwed 10 her decks for he
reception Of swivel guns. Indeed, the fact that she
is war vessel is not deuied by the Messrs. Laird
but they say she ie for the Spanish Government
Ills they stated on the Sd of April lat, when Cen
Burgoyne visited their yard, and was shown over it
and Tie various vessels being built there by Mesrs.
John Land, IT,, and Henry II. Laird, as was fully
reported IN the papers at the tine
Seeing the statement, and having been already
Informed from 70 many respectable sources that she
was for tue so-ealled Confederate Government, at
once wrote to the Minister in London 10 ascertain
nom tho Spanish embassy whether the statement
was true The reply was positive assurance shat
ehs was not for the Spanish Government. am