Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-09
Who hid IL

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The plot to release the rebel prison
ers on Johnston's Island and provide
them withiarins, and NTH the formidable
army thus improyised march upon Co
lumbus and get the reinforcerlents a,
Camp Chase, and then seize several lake
vessels and, mako q general forsy upon
tho cities and commerce Of the lakes,
which was revealed to our Goyernmeu,
by Lord Lyons on the information Of the
Canadian authorities, the Democratic
press has uniformly declared an . Ab-
clifton lie" They, of course, were no.
willing to believe anything alleged against
2 rebel The recent report of the rebel
Secretary of the Navy, however, spoils
their sneers SO prettily that We copy ono
paragraph from it for their especial de-
light:
r. During the months of July and Au.
gust send secentv commissioned officers
and tortY trsst'00rthy petty officers to
the BRITISH Provinces with orders to or.
ganize an expedition and Cooperate
with army officers in an attempt to re-
lease the Confederate prisoners eonfn.
ed on Johhston's Island in Lake Erie.
From time to time learned that the ar
rangements made were sdss as to insure
the most complete succesA A large
amount Of money had been appended,
and, just as our gallant naval officers
were about to setsaibon this expedition,
the English Authorities gave information
to the enemy, and thus prevented the ex.
ecution of one of the best planned en-
terprisss of the present want +
Another paragraph affords the con-
elusive evidence of an official statement
that the rams seized at Liverpool by tho
English Government wero rebel proper
ty, nndthus closes the door efrectually
and finally against any attempt to uss
them against us Itsays:
1t In aceordancelw With the order of the
President, early in the present year, |
dispatched several agents to England
and France, with orders to contract for
eight irou-elad vessels; suitable for ocean
service, and csleulated to resist the or
dinary armament of tho wooden vessels
of-the enemy. These ships were to be |
provided with rams, and designed ex-
pressly to break the blockade of such of |
the ports as were9not blockaded by the |
on-clad Monitors of the enemy. Five |
OF these vessels were contracted for in
England and threein France. Due pre-
cautions were taken against contraven-
ing the laws Of Englandin the construction |
and equipment of these vessels. Three
have been completed; but owing to the
construction Of her neutrali-
ty laws, the government of England |
stationed several Har-vessels at the
mouth of the Mersey, and prevented their
departure from England. Subsequently
they vera seized by the British Govern
ment ~
= s.sAnother and larger vessel has since
beenzcemplesed.; but it is doubtful if she
will be allowedg to, leave the shores of
England, although tits believed the pre-
cautions taken are sufficient to exempt
her from the fate of her consorts. The
vessels being constructed in France
have been subjected to SO many official
visitations that | have forwarded in.truc-
tions to cease operations upon them,
until the negotiations pending shall per-
nit our agent to resume work upon
them. In~this connection it is proper
for me to state that the great re7ulsion
in popular sentimont,. both in England
and France, toward the Confederate
Government, has rendered our efforts to
obtain supplies from those countries al
most abortive. In view Of oil possible
/ have instructed the
agents of this department to wait more
favorable opportunity sfor carrying out
The instruetions previously forwarded.
By the last | sent Instructions that will
shortly be made apparent to our enemies
nearer home. / do net deem it advisa-
bic to communicate any portion fthese
plans to your honorable body atthe pres
eut time, fer reasons perfectly satistac.
tory to the: Presiaentsa-Ind. Journal |