, 1864-03-20
FRANCE hNDTllE UNITED STATES
Rebel Vessels in French Ports-The
Case Of the Rappahannook.
Tke French Government to be Held Respousi-
bic for al the Damage She Msy Do--4
Written Notification Serred Upon
the Emperor by 1r. Dayton.


PARIS, Tuesday, March ], 1861.
The French Government, tired Of the annoyances
French ports, has announced as Its Law Of aetion.
the earne regulations as those Published two or
three months ago by the English Government.
tie Original Neutrality Proclamation, md lend i
to diminish and simplify the contestatious
between tho two Governments Among things
that no vessel Of either Of tho belgerents can 70.
main In port Mose than twenty houfs, nnless
by stress Of weather or for necessary repairs. aud
1easiug It, In less time than three months. Theae
ru!es the French Government hope Will 1esaen the
tnducemeut. for making OF Is ports harbor Of
TIE Rappahannock has furnished fruitful ez-
ample Of the nature Of the annoyanees these YES
ssss sEs liable 70 provoke. n the atst place her
broke some part Of her machinery At sea, and drif
"a or was blown into Calais. which c,rcamstance
gives her the benefit Of the stress Of weather
Bat evidence has been obtatneo rom Epg1and.
TINT when tts vessel escaped ffom sheernees ehe
vas not n 1t ssndisien to 50 to ga, as for e1~
not stayed, Ind upon tbs very strong point II Is
urged that the French Government ought not to
alloy her to ieave port IS a Confederate vesael.-
I'LL lie pseEaTes sent q the vessel fron England
ought not to bo permitted to 20 on board; but this
objection vas oyer5nled by Tie French Gorera-
the packages. was for the repair Of the real
or pretended accident to the machinery
oi the Ehjp, End the r.. insignificant and
Of the cabin md kitchen. And again, eerious
discussion has arisen In regafd to the crew Of the
,yeseel. aud into which The English Government
recrnited II England BY Confederate agents, hare
deserted after arriving CALAIS and learning the
s ssIe e,;aSton ana q shtass sh 1t nnd captata Camp
the toWn to aid him In preventing these
deseEtions., This circumstance brought Lord
n,c Gs 5 % ss 1n a.i e as bss nov st ,een R
inteIe<ilDs oge: calaiF; # will be understood,
&c s %sss E. Il nsR sRs' III + Il
boats atart twice tay to cross the chan
nel, and 2 sailor once IN board Of one Of
stop 10 discussion which was annoying and irri-
tatfns to ali parties, the commander Of the Kappa
hammock asked the privilege Of transferring nisves
% o to IT sS tS
matter Of deseItion was no business of the French
Government, The request was very naturally refus-
Vessel ean hardly exceed half dozen. W 0A'' tD'
The American Minister at Pasis has collected
e1ea1k evidence IN regard to the Rappahannoek, to
ought by every lair construction Of International
law, 10 stand IN the -ame relation to the French
Govt1nmont as the -ifabana and Florida do to the
written notice to tie French Gosernment that il
will tc held responsible for nil the damase she may
do 10 American commerce.
This o1fclal notice of the American Minister at
once gave IN increased gravity to the af.fr, and
the Emperor, whose attention. had been specially
chilled to the subject. assure: the, American Min
lister, IN lengthy conversation, that tie inte1na-
tlonhl law, whatever 1t should Prove to be,
should be- etringeatly executed. His Majesty. in
fact, could promise no lcss than this !: for since
be sets himself gr a. 40 arbitrator II tae wo~1ds
affairs, he could not allow to go upon tho record
q precedent which would prove 90 prolific Of
troable In the future as this one certainly woud
Thus at the present moment, the prospect Is that
TIE Rappahannoek will not be allowed to 80 to sea-
But hnye already made this statement. and the
contrary statement that she would be allowed to
80 ont. and theae opposite statements were true at
the time OF making them. for the chances have va-
RED according to The evidences brought to LIGHT.
At present, as have eald, TIC prospect that the
vessel viii be retained; hut international law Is
not construed IN all countries alike. and the law
councillors. Of the French government may find
some technicality NC hare not ret dreamed OF
across the Atlantic
I helieye hare not yet said that the Rappah1n-
mock ls expected to meet at sea, II she gets ont,
British vessel containing the armament necessary
to complete her as lrst-class psyatecr. md thus
We will have another example of the new code set
up bF the rebe1s that Of inparting to vessels their
nationality and distinctive character On the high
EP9 instead Of Ia DnFt- tefetnfpre.