The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-12-01
Surrender OF the shennndoah.

ing that they should have been turned over
to the United States as pirates. The New
York Times, however, holds that the sur
at Liverpool as a Confederate war vessel,
and his acceptance of the ship in that cha
racter, precludes US from all complaint
against the British authorities for dis
charging the officers and crew; but, at the
same time, insists that Waddell was guilty
Of piracy, since he continued to make war
after american captains had personally
made known to him the fact of the tcrmi-
nation of the war;" and no vessel (Which
he boarded and destroyed, during the
summer months, was without some news
paper from the Pacific coast, or other
quarter, abounding with conclusive evi-
dencc that the Confederacy had come to
an end" The Times should recollect that
American captains" had carried to differ
ent parts Of the world, at different times,
false intelligence regarding the war, and
that Northern papers had more than once
contained premature announcements Of
the fall Of Richmond. The following letter
of Capt. Waddell, from which we have
already published an extract, to Earl
Russell, her Britannia Majestys Minister
for Foreign Affairs, explains the conside-
rations by which his course was shaped
during the entire cruise of the Shenan-
doah, both before and after her meeting
with the Barraconta:
'STEAMER SHENANDOAH
November p 1875
"7O the Right Hon. Earl Russell, he, Byi-
tannic Mojesty's Minister for Foreign
-4fairs:
II have the honor to announce to YOUR
lordship my arrival i'll the waters of the
Mersey. with this vessel, lately ship-of-
war in my command, belonging to the Con-
federate States Of America
Ihe singular position in which find
myself placed, and the absence of all pre-
cedents on the subject, will, trust, induce
your lordship to pardon hasty reference
to a few facts connected with the cruise
lately made by this ship. commissioned
the ship in October, 1864, under orders
from the Naval Department of the Confe-
derate States; and, in pursuance of the
same, commenced actively cruising against
the cnemys commerce. My orders direct
ed me to visit certain seas in preference to
others. In obedience thereto, found
myself in May, June and July, of this
year, in the Ochotsk Sea and Arctic Ocean.
10th places, if not quite isolated, are still
so far removed from the ordinary channels
OF commerce, that months would elapse
before any news could reach there as to
the progress or termination Of the Ameri-
can war.
In consequence of this awkward cir
cumstance, l was engaged in the Arctic
Ocean In acts of war so late as the 20th
day of June, in ignorance of tho series Of
reverses sustained by our arms in the field,
and the obliteration of the Government
under whose authority I had been acting
The intelligence 1 received for the first
tune on communicating at sea, on the I'd
OF August, with the British bark Barra-
conta, of Liverpool. fourteen days from
San Francisco. Your lordship can ina
glne my surprise at the receipt Of such
intelligence, and would have given to il
little consideration if an EnS!ish1lian's
opinion did not confirm the war news,
though from an enemys port.
L desistcd Immediately from further
acts OF war, and determined to suspend
further action until had communicated
with an European port, when would learn
II that intelligence was true. It would
not have been Intelligent in me to convey
this vtsscl to an American port, simply be-
cause the master of the Barracuda had
said the war was ended. L was in an en-
barras ng position. diligently examined
all the law writer's at my command, search
ing precedent for my guidance in the
future control, management and final dis
posal of the vessel. I could find none.
History is, believe, without a parallel.
Finding the authority questionable under
which | considered This vessel ship of
war, Immediately discontinued cruising
and shaped my course for the Atlantic
Ocean.
As to the ships disposal, do not con-
slider that have any right to DESTROY her.
or any further right to command her On
the contrary, think that as all the pro-
perty Of the Confederate Government has
reverted, by tine fortune of war, to the
Government Of the United States of North
America, that therefore this vessel. mas
much as it was the property of the Con-
federate States, should accompany the
other property already reverted. have,
therefore, sought this port as a suitable