Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-11-29
THE SEIzURE OF THE FLORIDA,
LIEUTENANT NORRIS OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
LyDIGHAIION or TIE BRAZILIARS.
ExsauatOr Of the Yankee Consul Withdrawn.
COMMENTS OF The LONDON TINES.

The Iadsr publishes the following account of the
oAoture of tho FLORIDA, written BY Captain HOrris her
late commander:
BAHIA October IS 1854.
slR-It is With great pain that have to report the
seiz Irs OF the Confederate ates steamer Florida,
lateiy under my command.
arrived at thi5 port the inst, at 9 P n, to
procure coal Gld provisional aud also to get SSme eight
repaifs after cruise Of 81 days. just at anchor
ing a boat passing around asked the OF our
vessel and upon receiving our reply etated that the
boat was from Her Britsnnic jsStyj etesmsr Our
lew x morning I found q the Uated S!stes
steamer Wsohusett Eas st anchor near US, but no
E1Rlsh steamer so at oIca concluded that the boat
whch had hailed us the ev5ning before vas rom the
Wac usetts.
We Wers visited On tie morning of ths 9Th by q
Be Ian sMoJg, 10 whom ! stated my Waite, snd MAS
informed by him that he Wrpd report the same 20 the
PfgsdJnt ami that until his susFer was received Ws
could hold no communication Whh tbs shore. Al noon
| received commune ItOn (Whinb vas lett on board
the Flofids) from the President, stating that be MAS
"a dy 20 receive me- At Our interview he informed
me thst As hours would Do allowed me to ht aud re
pair but tLat should his ohiet engineer, whom 10
sIuld asnd on board 10 examine the machinery deem
The time too short no would grant the necessary
tsosiOn Hs was most urgens in his request that
should strictly observe tts laws OF neutrality az tho
mo tina stating 10 me that be had received the most
ssiemu ASSURANCES from the United States Consul that
contrary TO the laws OF nations ard Of Brazil aud that
he desrsd thG same from me, which l uabssitatinIly
pave Toe b. Ian admiral, who Was present az the
Interview suggested iha, had better move nv Veese
in b4tuten his ship aud tho shore a. our proximity 20
the Waehusstt might Csuss some difficulty ny Assu-
rsnces 10 the President seemed 10 set his mind at rest
on the score of any collision between the two vessels
AID upon leaving him ] immesia ely repaired
on board AID moved the Florida elOee inahoie TO
the PORTION suggested by tho Admiral | iound the
Bfgzlan engineer on board, ard vas informed By him
,hat il would rfaaire four days 10 repair the pipe OF
the condenser. feeling rOw TO apprehension OF any
oii ulty occurring while IN par, snd ~isbng to graf
Nv tie crew with short liberty not only on the score
OF good conduct bu, sso OF health, | determined TO
permit one watch st time TO go ashore for IA h9arr,
and sent the p RI va Oh on shat afternoon About
go a BOAT came ngaide, stating that abe Was
rom the Uailsd States steamer Wsshusett with tho
II z Consul Who had an CihCisl communication for
the commander Of the FLORIDA. The letter, With the
card OF the Oonsul handed TO Fret Lieut. Porter
sho sftsr OK ,miniug Il, and finding it directed 10
OapS Nora SloOp florida" returned ii unopened
IA the OOIFul stating that ii was improperly aCdtets
es that the vessel the Confederate States steamer
Florida and Ihst when the letter Uss so directed Is
would be received The next day OH Ar. de VId
iky came on board having received letter rom the
United sted OOnl ul inCOsing one Tor me. lie re
ouesed me- before receiving my letter. to Permit
ajm 10 read 10 ma the one sent to him L was re-
| uuss. OF Mr.. De VijiEJ TO carry challenge to tie
c5HmRadr OF tie FIOIida, and, IN case VI its accept
.aes 10 Il his (he CONSUL influence in having tie
1 rauairs of toe F.Orda speedily finished / informed
NJ. de Vldky that had heard quite enough, and,
aadug the letter to sill improperly addressed,
declined receiving is bat Al the same time said to him
tha, had come to Bahia for special purpose, which
being npishej should leave; that would nei-
thar s,ek nor avoid contest with the WsehuSet but
| should encounter her ousi'e of BtzlAn waters,
Would u o my utmost endCaSors 10 destroy her. That
afternoon the port watch having returned, sent the
,tarboard watch (he other halt of the crew. ashore
o liberty, going asO myself in company VITA several
of the Cheers From'our nearnoss to the WAchuset
nerpens on board OF that vessel could well these
/ men LAve the ship ASS so A. NJ was. awakened
bV the proprietor Of the hotel az which was sLayin,
and tod that there come trouble on board the
Florida as he bad heard hrIng aud cheering Ia tie di
e,ion of the vessel hut sceOunI Of the darkness
va unable 10 discern anything l INN edistely has
tened 60 the landing d vas Informed by Brss Ian
officer that The liLsd States sssamer Waotuaett had
~ mo aud ssiz d Ell orda, aud was then towing
bar cut of thu hsroOF. hu Tisd fl to the Animals
| vessel and was tell bJ him that he was at o;ce
g9nE in pursuit., which he did as soon So steam
a. raised o. bssTd agISli seAlss belonging to the
| dos. TIE AimiraP5 ship, being c;lEaz~ veaati
soop-of.War, vas taken in toy BY The steamer, ard
xo4t q II tho EsEbor. H. seluTned in tho afternoon
| WITH ali vessels having bsCn uLabls 10 Oveifake
che Wiehusett. on mu-ter.rg the tf6csEs and
crew LETT on shore, found there xers faur cctrs,
z: Lieu. BsrIos, P3Jmaster TAYLOR, MidShipmau
| Dixie and Masters Mite King and IL men, Of whom
x Isl e-csped by sKiurii lirSm the Fiegids aiief
ar seizu o OF tie sc,uI occurrences and los of
Ele an beard 90 bride, have hesn ahs to 6Ed ont
! very lt.le. Toe substance of what have gathered
lsom ire six men who escaped. is 90 follows That at
sl5A. H., on Oct I, Master T. I. Hunter, Jr, being
/ N charge of the Secb, the Waohusstt left
her anchorage, and taking advantage Of the
darkness, steamed for the florida, from whom