The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-20
INTERESTING REBEL CORRESPOND.
ENCE,

THRsBCREr INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COMMANDER OF
THE REBEL PHIvATBRR "FLoRIDA."
WASHINGTON, December l6.-The following
Important Rebel documents have now, for the
first time, been made public, having been received
at the Navy Department in the safe Of the
WachtSea:-
PARIS, January %, lS6i.- Sir when the
Florida, now under your command, is ready for
sea, you will sail on cruise against the enemy's
commerce.
Your position is an important one, not only
with reference to the immediate results TO the
enemy's property, but from the fact that neutral
rights may frequently arise under It, Reliance,
however, is placed in your judgment and discre-
tion for meeting and promptly disposing of such
questions.
Since the sailing of the Sumter on her very
successful cruise, Federal owners Of ships and
cargOes have adopted the practice Of placing them
under British protection, and this may at times
cause you embarrassment. The strictest regard
for the rights OF neutrals cannot be too seduously
observed; nor should any opportunity be lost Ia
CutivatiAg friendly relations with their naval aud
merchant services and of placing the true charac-
ter of the contest in which we are engaged in its
proper light.
Ii is not deemed advisable to too rigidly pre-
scribe your cruising ground. You are recon-
mended, however, to cover a large field of action,
beginning on the equator, between the long tudes
Is degrees and % degrees to intercept the YES
sells that may be on return from California and
the East Indies. About the lst OF April make for
the northern coasts of the Conederacy, say in the
neighboThood of Cape Hatteras, where you will
most likely fall in with transport vessels carrying
supplies of provisions, men, and munitions TO
their stations in North and South Carolina.
Having made your mark in that region, it will
be well, If circumstances permit, to IN AXE a dash
on the New England coast, taking care not to be
caught too near the enemys coast on u short
allowance of fuel.
You will not hesitate to assume responsibility
whenever the interests of your country may de-
mand it and should your judgment ever hesi-
tate in seeking the solution Of any difficulty, it
may be aided by the reflection that you are to
do the enemy''s property the greatest injury in
the shortest time.
Authority is vested in you to make acting ap-
pointmenls to fill any vacancies that may occur.
You will communicate with your Government
as frequently as possible through any safe chan
mel that may offer, always taking care TO use the
cypher agreed upon in any word that might
beray what you desire to conceal.
The maintenance Of strict naval discipline will be
essential TO your success, and you will enjoin this
upon your officers and enforce its rigid oOserV-
ance, always tempering justice with humane and
kind treatment am, Sir, very respectfully, your
Obedient servant, S. BARRON Flag Officer
Lieutenant Commander CHARLES NJ. MORRIS,
Confederate States Navy, Confederate steamer
Florida, Brest France.
CoEpEDBRATB STATES OF AMERICA, NAVY De-
PARTMENT, RICHMOND, June 2, lS6k-Lieutenant
c. NJ. Norris, G. S. n commanding Confederate
States steamer Florida, st. Georges, Bermuda
Sir Your letter, without date, was delivered by
Mr.. Averlt His condition of health rendering
his return to duty at once impracucaole, Lieu
tenant Porter has been ordered TO report 10 you
as early as practicable AT st. Georges for duty as
executive Cfiicer The following engineer Off
GERS, who go with him, will also report TO YOU
Chief Engineer Wngheld 5. Thompson, Q. $. NJ;
LIST Assistant William Ahern, @. S. N; I'd Assist
ants Charles II. Collier and John b. Brown,
C.S.N.
For cruising funds you are authorized to draw
at twenty days upon Commander James ID. Bul-
aoly fpar nnfI I'rpW M I'm x
TO the extent OF fty thousand (SjOOOJ) dollars in
such sums MS you may from time TO time re-
qure notifying him Of such drafts.
The original of your letter without date Is
written in Cypher. When you again have occa-
sion 10 resort 70 IL you will observe the following
change After writing il place figure any TO
the left Of the first word in cypher; place figures
(any) to the right of the second word in cypher;
three figures (any) to the left Of the third word
four figures (any) to the right Of the fourth word
in cypher end lben, with the fifth word in cypher,
begin with one figure to the left, and one as
before Enclosed return copy OF portion OF
your letter in cypher with the figures thus added,
In order TO illustrate the change,
Lieutenant Ayeritt apprises me of your intention
10 cruise near the mouth Of the Mississippi. /
doubt not that dash there might do good service
but with the enemy's means of inter- r-Communica-
tion, any delay in that vicinity would bring his
fast cruisers upon your track. The only passes
TO ana from the Gulf Of Mexico, between Hon
duras and Cuba on the one SIDE and Florida and
Cuba on the other, would be occupied by them.
Apalachicola and st. Marks are each block
AIDED by one steamer-a sidewhee-and should
YOU deem II advisable, you might perhaps capture
them, send them into St. Marks under prize
crews and leave the Gulf et once.
A dash at New England commerce aud fisheries
has always seemed TO offer peculiar attractions, as
you will see by the instructions 70 your prede-
cessors on referring TO them.
The practice of placing their commercial YES
sells under foreign flags to avoid capture has be-
come very general with Federal ship-owners, and
requires increased vigilance on our part to detect
and defeat il. With an earnest desire 10 treat
with all proper respect the rights Of neutrals this
practice Is an abuse Of neutral 1ags which justice
TO them, no less than to our own, calls upon US
to correct and in all cases where the voyage, the
build, the officers and crew, or the papers, create
suspicion of colorado transfer for this purpose,
you will not hesitate to scrutinize closely, and
act upon your judgment. IL is represented that
the Brazilian flag is generally used fraudulently
70 cover American shipping between Brazil and
the United States
With earnest wishes for the welfare Of your
self and crew, and the success Of your cruise, /
am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
5.R. MALLORY, Secretary of the Navy.