The Black Republican., 1865-05-13
OUR RELATIONS WITH PORTUGAL.
THE FEDERALs AND REBELS IN TIL
TAGUS

THE FEDERALs AND REBELS IN TIE
TAGUS.
ITO the Editor OF the London Times
AS nearly ali the telegrams and state
ments sent out from this city in regard to a
recent occurrence in the Tagus which have
been published in the Times and other
newspapers, while protesting to give an
honest version Of the event, reflect in the
most unjust and unworthy manner upon
the conduct and alleged purposes OF the
United States ships-ot-war Niagara and Sac.
ramento / ask the privilege Of stating the
exact facts, i'll order that they may be com
pared with those which have been drawn
from morbid imaginatiOns.
The ram StOnewall came into the Tagus
on Sunday morning, the 26th of March, and
moored at the anchorage assigned to ships OF
war. A notice was soon afterwards served
by his MaiesIy's Government, requiring the
ram to quit the port within "a hours, which
limitation expired on Monday, the 9th, at
ppm. The vessel remained in the Tagus
until 1890 A. VI. on Tuesday, the 2Sth OF
March, that is to say, some 20 hours beyond
the time fixed by the notice. There was 10
pretense Of t0rce nldJelpe to warrant this
delay, for the ram had just issued from the
port of Ferrol after stay OF seven weeks for
repairs had made the voyage between the
two places with remarkable speed, and the
weather was fine.
The United States ships Niagara and Sac
ramento entered the Tagus on Monday even
ing. the 9th of March, five hours after the
time for the departure of the StOnewall had
expired, and came to anchor at o'clock,
about three-uuarters Of a mile above Belam
Castle. which marks the conventional line
of inner entrance to the port, and is some
two and half miles below the regular an.
chorage of ships-of-w Fort ST. Julian
guards the outer entrance at the bar, five
miles beyond Belam Castle.
His Maiesty's guardship Sagres was m0ored
above Belem Castle when the Niagara and
Sacramento entered, and a subordinate
officer of that ship came off and conveyed,
hv means of a person called an interpreter,
4 verbal request TO the effect that as the
nresepce Of The StoneYall had excited much
anxiety. it was desired that the two ships
should remain near the Castle, and should
not 90 out for twenty-four hours after the
Stonewall.
Commodore Craven, commanding the
Niagara, at once accepted this verbal mes
saoe. as if it had been formal communica-
ion and voluntarily gaze his adhesion to
both conditions in token Of respect to q
friendly Government though neither OF
them was obligatory for two reasons-hrst.
because he was entitled to go, in the absence
If y snecific otfense, to the regular anchor
age OF ships-of-war; and next, because, as
Portugal had never declared neutrality or
conceded belhgerent rights to the insurgent
communities in the United States, such a re-
striction as that proposed was not applicable
Ia the case No official notice of any kind
was given to Commodore Craven, or to the
Minister of the United States.
The StoneWall started out on Tuesday
morning, the 28th of March, at haI-past IL
O'Clock. When all alarm was supposed TO
have suhslded orders were given at quarter
past three p. R.-nesrly i've hours after