New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-02
Great Britsim.

SEIZURE OF THE TUSCALOOSA IN SlMoSS BAY.
The Calcutta arrived from the Cape OF Good
Hope with dates TO Jan. o. She reports The COnfed.
crate cruiser Tuscaloosa seized In Simons Bay on
the 27th December by Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker, in
accordance with special instructions IRON the English
Government, the alleged grounds for doing so being
that she was stl uncondemned prize. She Is de.
tanned until she is claimed by her owners. Her com.
msnder hos made protest against the capture.
The following summary is from Tie Cape Arsas OF
Jan. O.
"Since the departure of the mail steamer Cambren
the 2lst December the most interesting event that
has occurred has been the seizure by the Government
under orders from home o he Confederate cruiser Tus
caloosa, formerly the Federal bark Conrad The Ius'
caloOsa, which in Simon's Bay rather more than
three months ago returned to that port on saturday
Dec &c. Lieut. Lowe, her commander, reported that
since her last visit the Tuscaloosa had been cruising be-
tween the Cape and Brazil and had spoken nearly lOO
vessels But Of that number only one happened 90 be
Federal That was the ship Living Age which.
giving bond.
During her cruise the Tuscaloosa put into one Of
the brazilian ports for water and supplies but
fused both, In consequence OF which her crew are said
Lowe hoped this visit to Smons Bay TO get the bot
tom Of his vessel recoppered well 10 take in all
the supplies he needed But his hopes doomed 70
be disappointed for the day after her arrival Admiral
Sir Baldwin Walker dispatched from the flagship
Lieutenant and boarding party OF 70 men to take pos
session of the Tuscaloosa in the Queens name. The
officer promptly executed the orders Of the Admiral,
and the vessel was seized accordingly. Lieut. Lowe
lodged with the Admiral formal protest against the
seizure which will be transmitted TO the Home Govern.
ment
THE United States Consul Mr.. Graham. lodged
claim TO the vessel behalf Of her former owners and
has since been informed by the Government that she
will be- detained until she can he handed over 10 them
The point upon which the authorities at home differ in
opinion from Mr.. DeDysseD, who acting Attorney
General and such legal adviser of The Government
when the Tuscaloosa formerly visited the Cape is
the competency of Captain Semmes to condemn prizes
without taking them TO regularly constituted prize
court. Such court Captain Senmes claims TO constitute
board the Alabama by virtue OF authority from his
Government and the question at Issue is whether that
court pretended colrt il court whose decisions
aggrieved persons bound to submit TO- and other
Governments to acknowledge and accept
In view, the very idea OF a court implies that
the persons whose property is TO be disposed OF shall
have the right of being present aud the of sdy0
eating their With these conditions it cannot be
said that the court held by Capt Scmmes on board the
Alabama complies. And his court, certainly il not
such O court the ether Powers Of the world have
established 1t may b. said that the circumstances OF
the Confederate States exceptional and that the
coast being bockaded by q superior naval Power, il
would be impossible for Capt. Semmes TO send hs przes
for condemnation to court Of his own country Bat
that we take it, is accident, all the unpleasant
SEQUENCES Of which the Confederates must submit TO;
and ii Capt Semmess court be not Snch court indie
pendent Powers bound to acknowledge andfespect.
the condemnation clearly Illegal.
Upon that point tho whole ease turns. IL the con.
domination Illegal, the conversion Of the Conrad
into au armed cruiser, and her commission such,
we've equally So and SIZE cannot claim indemnity from
-
held that the condemnation was sufficient then Is the
Tuscaloosa entitled 10 all the privileges Of sbp-Oi-
wgr, one OF which ia freedom from arrest
"Tho public feeling here upon the subject IL exactly
expressed in the following letter of our SimOns Bay cor
respondent; ,. ~, =, ~, 800.
"On Saturday, the Confederate vessel Tuscaloosa
arrived here for repairs. provisions, &c. Her com
mander having been on previous occasion received by
the authorities here accredited officer in charge of
a Confederate man.ofwar, thought (hsying been more
than three months away that he could safely enter this
port and obtain his supplies, sc He however, was
holds possession Of hor. ~ course the authorities
acting up their instructions and there Is denying
this fact-that II il is lawful and right to seize the ship
now il neither lawful nor right 10 receive her as
she was received on former 0ccasion-teoogni1e her
as a Confederate noi.war allow her commander to
leave this port under that impression, aud on his return
fully believing that all was right TO seize his ship with
out any warning
had held Court OF Inquiry on board the Vanderbilt
specting the death OF Mr.. Gray, chief mate OF the
Saxon sezSd Angra PeIuins with part OF the cargo
of the Conrad board. and that che evidence ~
sidcred that fuller esgation into the affair should
be made when the Saxon reached New-York."
Tho Nils Juel 46, Danish frigate, has arrived at
Plymouth. She captured Prussian vessel laden with
timber of Lovestof She has orders 10 capture ships
belonging TO Prussia, Austria, Bremen Lubbock, and
Hanover.
High gales have been prevalent IN all parts of En-.
gland and Scotland during the last few days. and ship
ping disasters reported from every part OF the coast
HOUSE OF LORDS. Monday. Feb. l5.-Lord Russell
read extracts from the correspondence with Mr. Adams
and by comparison OF dates Droyed that the decision
Of the Government as 10 OBTAINING the ironclads
could not have been Influenced BY any representations
Of M Adams. He thought Lord Derby ought to have
quoted the correspondence more completely.
Lord Derby denied that he had suppressed anything
Lord Campbell chilled the attention Of III House la