The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-01-12
score, rn..rue,ions to the Floridn.

/ YlaO0 puDllC, laFIHk OSSA ~
the Navy Department In the safe OF the
! Wachusstt:
/ PARIS, Jan. 25, 1864.
| SIR-When the Florida, now under
your command is ready for sea- you VIII
sail on cruise against the enemyss com
merce.
| Your positior 's~an important one,
not only with .fe-ence to the immedl-
ate results to tt. enemy's property, but
/ from the fact that neutral rights may
frequently arise under it. Reliance how
ever,,@is placed i'm your@ju'lgmeft and
posing of such. questions.
Since the sailing of the Sumter on her
very sd tccessful cruise Federal owners OF
ships and cargoes have adopted the prae-
tice of placing them under British pro
lection, and this may at times canse you
embanassment. The strictest regard for
the rights of neutrals cannot be too
scrupulously observed; nc should .
opportunity be lost in cult ating friend
ly relations with their naval ard mer-
chant services, and placing the true
character OF, the contest in which we are
engaged in its proper light.
| 1t is not deemed advi> 4ble TO too rig /
IL prescribe your cruising ground. You
are recommended, however, TO cover .
large field of action; beginning on the
| equator. between the loneitndess Is de
grees, to intercept the vessels that may
be on return from California and the
| East Indies. About tae lsJ Of AprIi
| make for the NJ rthern coasts OF the Con-
! federacy-say in the neighborhood OF
Cade Hatteras-where you will most
likely fall in with transport vessels car
rying provisions, men and munitions TO
their stations in North and South Caro-
! lima.
Having made your mark in that re-
gion, it will be we'll. if circumstances
permit, to make I dash on the New En-
gland coast, taking care not to be caught
too near the enemy's coast on short
allowance of fuel.
You will not hesitate to assume re-
spopsioility whenever the interest OF
your country may demand it; and should
| your judgment ever hesitate 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 in
jury in the shortest time.
Authority is vested in you to make
acting appointments to fill any vacancies
| that may occur.
Y ou will communicate with your gov
ernmentas frequently as possible through
any safe channel that may offer, always
| taking care to use the cypher agreed
upon in any word that might betray v hat
you desire to conceal.
The main ntenance of strict naval dlscI-
pline will be essential to your success,
and you will enjoin this upon your Off
GERS, and enforce its rigid observance, al
wars 'o',,rerin g Justice with humane and
ki-. J r ..,e-t.. | am sir, very respect
fully, your obedient servant,
S. BARRON, Flag Officer.
Lieutenant CoN0ander CHARLES NJ.
RoRRIs, c. s. Navy, Confederate steam
er Florida, Brest, France.
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA,
Navy Depart Richmond, June 2, ga. !
Lieut. c. M Morris, commanding Con-
federate States steamer Florida, st.
Georges, Bermuda:
SIR: Your letter, without date, was
delivered By Mr4Azerii4stt y: -IgIig gc7s csa dition
os hsaifh rendering his return to duty at
once impracticable, Lieut.. Porter has
been nrdared TO report TO you as early as
practicable at ST. Georges Tor duty as
executive officer. The following eI.gin-
Ger officers, who go with hims#ill also
report to you: Chief Engineer Wipgfeld
S. Thomp pson, c. S. ~ First Assistant
VIM Abern, C. S. N; Second Assistant
!Chas. II. Collier, and John B. C. Brown,
S. n.
For cruising funds you are authorized
to draw upon Commander James D.
Puilock at twenty-days (care OF Frazer,
Trenholm & Co., LIVERPOOL TO the ex
tent of fifty thousand $50 G00) dollars,
in such such sums as you may from time
TO time require rotifying him of such
drafts.
The origina OF your letter without
date is written in cypher. When you
again have occasion to resort to it you
will observe the following charge: After
writing it place q figure (any) to he left
Of the first word in cypher; place two
figures (any) to the right Of the second
word il cypher; three figures (ary) to
the left Of the third word four fgures
(any) to the right Of the fourth word in
cypher, and then, with the fifth word in
cypher, begin with one figure to the left,
and SO on as before. Enclosed | return
a copy of a portion OF yo,r letter in =
pher, with the figures thus added in or
der to illustrate the change.
Lieut.. Averitt spprises me- of your in
tention to cruise near the mouth Of the
/ doubt not that a dash |
there might do good serv ce. hut will. lie |
enemy's means of inter communication. |
and delay in that vicinity would bring
his fast cruisers upon your track. The !
only passes TO and from the Gulf of /
Mexico, between Honduras and Cuba on |
the one side and Florida and Cuba on /
the other, would be occupied by them. |
Apalalachicola and St. Marks are each |
block AIDED by one steamer-a side-wheel |
and should you deem it advisable, YOU |
might perhaps capture them, send them |
into ST. Marks under prize crews and |
leave the Gulf at once.
A dash at New England commerce and |
fisheries has always seemed to offer pc
culiar attractions, as you will see by the |
Instructions to your predecessors on re-
ferrir to them.
The practice Of placing their CONNER
cial vesse, g under foreign flags to avoid |
capture, has become very general with
federal ship owners, and requires in
creased vigilance on our part to detect
and defeat it. With an earnest desire to
treat with proper respect all neutrals,
his practice is an abuse of neutral flags
which justice to them, no less 10 t;.r
OVID, calls upon US to correct; and in ali |
cases where the voyage, the build, the
1fHGers and erew,sor the papers, create
'ns PiSion of eoiora BE transfer for this
purpose. you will not hesitate to scruti-
1ize closely, and act upon yonr judgment.
1t is represented that the Brazilian hsC /
II