The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-12-24


ments have now, for the first time, been
made public, having been received at
the Navy Department in the safe OF
the Wachusett
PARIS, Jan. IS, 1864
StR-When thu Florida, now under
your command, is ready for sea, you
wiz sail on a cruise against. the enemy Z
commerce.
Your position is an important one,
not only with reference TO the immedi-
ate results 20 the enemys property, but
from the fact that neutral rights may
frequently arise under It. Reliance,
however, is placed IN your judgment
AID discretion for meeting and prompt
az disposing Of such questions.
Since the sailing OF the Sumter on
her very successful cruise, federal own
ers Of ships and cargoes have adopted
the practice of placing them under
British protection, ana this may at
times cause you embarrassment The
strictest regard for the rights Of neut-
rails cannot be too sedulously observed !;
nor should any opportunity be lost in
cultvating friendly relations with their
naval and merchant services, and of
placing the true character Of the con
test in which we are engaged in its pro
per light
IL not deemed advisable 10 100 rig
idly prescribe your cruising ground.
You are recommended, however, to
cover a large field of action; beginning
on the equator, between the longioudes
Is and 23' 20 intercept the vessels that
may be on return from California and
the East Indies About the lstof April
make for the northern coasts Of the
confederacy-say in the neighborhood
of Cape Hatteras-wheFe you will most
likely fall in with transport vessels car
rying supplies of provisions, men and
munitions TO their stations in North
and South Carolina
Having made your mark in this re-
giOn, il viii be well, If circumstances
permit, 10 make a dash on the New
England coast, taking care not to be
caught too near the enemy's coast on a
short allowance fuel
You viii not hesitate to assume re.
spousibIiity whenever the interests Of
your country may demand it; and
should your judgment ever hesitate in
seeking the solution of any difficulty,
il may be aided by the reflection that
you are 20 do the enemy's property the
greatest injury in the shortest time.
Authority is vested in you to make
acting appointments to FL any vaCan-
cies that may occur.
You VIII communicate with your
government as frequently as possible
through any safe channel that may Of
fer, always taking care 10 use the cy-
pber agreed upon in any word that
N ht beJray what you desire TO con
ceal.
The maintenance Of strict naval dis
cipline will be essential TO your success.
and you will enjoin this upon your off
GERS, and enforce its rigid observance,
always tempering justice with humane
and kind treatment / am, sir, very
respectfully, your obedient servant,
S BARRON, Flag officer.
Lieutenant Commander Charles N.
Morris, G. S. Navy, Confederate steamer
Florida, Brest, France
Confederate STATES or AMERICA, !
NAVY DEPARTMENT, Richmond,
June, %, 1864
Lieutenant c. NJ Morris, c. S. n, com
handing Confederate States steamer
st Georges, Bermuda 49,
SIB--GoJr letter without date. was
delivered 10y Mr. Averitt His condi-
ton OF health rendering his return to
duty at once impractble Lieutenant
Porter has been ordered TO report to
you IS early as practicable at St
GEORGE for duty a. executive officer
The following engineer officers, who 60
with hlm, Will report to you: Chief
Engineer NingHeld S Thompson, c. S
n; First Assistant VIM Ahern, C. S. N:
Second Assistants Chas Il. Collier and
John B. Brown, Z S y.
r. For cruising. funds you are author
lied 10 draw ~ twenty days upon Com
mander James D. Bullock (care of
Frazer Trenholm d Co, LIVERPOOL. to
the extent of fifty thousand (S5O.OOO)
dollars in such sums as you may from
time to time require, notifying him of
such drafts
The original Of your letter without
date IS written Ia CIPHER When you
again have occasion 10 resort to it you
will observe the following change -
After writing it place a figure (any) to
the left Of the first word in cypher
place two figures any to the right Of
the second word IN cyphe-; three fig
ures (any) to the left of the third word
four figures (any) TO the right Of the
fourth word in cypher, and then, with
the fifth word IN cyPher, begin with one
figure to the left, and so on rs before.
Enclosed l return you a copy of a por.
ton of your letter in CIPHER, with the
figures thus added, in order 10 illustrate
the change.
Lieutenant Averitt apprises me of
your intention TO cruise near the mouth
OF the Mississippi ] doubt not that
dash there might do good service; but
with the enemy's means of inter. com
munlcation, any delay in that vicinity
would bring his fast cruisers upon your
track The only passes to and from
the Gulf OF Mexico, between Honduras
and Cuba on the one side and Florida
and Cuba on the other, would be occu-
pied by them.
Apalachacola and ST. Marks are each
blockaded by one steamers side
wheel-and should you deem it advis-
able you might perhaps capture them,
and send them into ST. Marks under
prize crews and leave the Gulf at once
A dash at New England commerce
ana fisheries has always seemed TO Of
fer peculiar attractions, as you will see
by the instructions &c your predeces.
sors on referring to them.
The practice of placing their com.
mercial vessels under foreign flags to
avoid capture has become very general
with federal ship owners, and requires
increased vigilance on our part to detect
and defeat IL With an earnest desire
90 treat with all proper respect the
rights Of neutrals, this practice is an
abuse of neutral flags which Justice TO
them, no less than TO our own. calls
upon Us TO correct; and IN al cases
where the voyage, the build, the officers
and crew, or the papers, create suspicion
OF coiol able transfer for this purpose.
You viii not hesitate TO scrutinize close
ly, snd act upon your Judgment It
Is represented that the Brazilian flag is
generally used fraud identity 10 cover
American shipping between Brazil and
the United States
With earnest wishes for the welfare
OF yourself and crew, and the success
OF your cruise, / am, respectfully YOUR
obedient servant, 5. r. MALLoRY.