Weekly national intelligencer., 1864-03-31
THE PRIvATEER FLORIDA AT SEA.
The Navy Department has received the follow
ing letter from Commander Preble:

The Navy Department has received the follow
ing letter from Commander Preble:
u. s sLooP OF WAR ST LOUIS.
Funehat Roads, Madeira, March /, IA A. M 1884
SIR The Florida has succeeded in getting to sea I
shall follow at once though hopeless Of catching her out
Of port Eeson said the want Of rgates in his squadron
would be forever impressed his heart am sure the
want Of steamers will be found engraven on mine Had
the st. Louis been a steamer of war, / would have
anchored alongside Of her, and unrestricted by the
the twenty four hour ru my old fos could not have es
capped The Governor true to his declared intention
would only allow her to take board twenty tons of
sufficient take her TO the nearest port Her comman
der plead for sixty tons next forty asserting that he
needed that much to ballast bis vessel The Governor
told him. the suggestion Mr. Bayman that as he came
in without it, he thought he could 90 without it, but il
ballast was needed there plenty of stone the beach
that he might take
supposed that she would 20 20 sea during the
night and certainly in the morning and had an intma
ton that passing she might pour In broadside
sho,ted and my guns aud had men to them
got slip rope on the chain and stationed ookouts all over
the ship aud in the tops cautioned the officers 10 exra
vigilance and repeatedly deck mysef to watch and
see that my orders were executed The night dark
and squay. The Florida lay close in the beach and
under the highland with all her lights covered and not
whstsDdg all this vgiIaoce she crept unseen to the
eastward and her departure was mt discovered uotil the
moon rose, a few moments since.
blockade runner, the julia which arrived in the af
teruoon reports the Kearssge having left Cadiz three
days ago, destination unknown. The Florida gave out
that they going to Cadiz for Goals but think not
and shall 90 direct TO TeDere hoping do not nd her
there to put the Sacramento her track The prevail
ing winds would not permit to get Cadz from Ma
ders in to do her any injury IL thought that
port her destination.
The authorities here have done all they could hasten
ber departure and prevent her full supply and do not
imagine that the island will be troubled by presence
Of rebel vessels of very sgain waited on the
Governor to inform him of ber intention to ship men 10
complete her and he assured that il should not
be allowed though IL might be done candestnely which
he could not help have to believe that she made
addition to her crew, and know from the statement of
gigs crew, that three Of the brought with her
deserted. Her crew is described to az made M Of
Spsniards, Frenchmen. and Portuguese with few Eng
shmen, and but Ons American. Her frat lieutenant is
Thomas A. Dornin formerly midsh pman in our service
notice no change in the appearance of the Florida
since last her. except that she has yards on her
maiomsst-hen she had and she has changed her
billet head for shield surrounded by scroll work in
which Is borne the arms Of the rebel States.
My en- have been wild to fight, and drew the shot
from my guns the day she in fearing that in their
excitement they would FIRE into her without orders and
break the neutrality OF this port One thing certain the
Florida does not intend Reht unless the chances are
largely in Esr favor for she sknked away from the old
81 Louis lam, very respectfully,
Tour obedeot servant,
/ GEO. HENRY PREBLE,
Commander u. g. Navy
Secretary OF the Navy, Washington