The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-19

When the British public was fully informed
Of the nature and extent OF the afrront put
upon the national honor by an American Cap
tain In the Bahama channel a prolonged howl
for revenge went up from end TO end Of the
island. The paroxysms OF wrath were, If any
thing, more violent than the American dem
onstrations of satisfaction. From London
Charles Mackay wrote 10 Mr.. Seward on the
2lst of November:
Tho people are frantic with raae. and were
the country pollcd | fear 300 men ont OF ! 900
would declare for war. Lord Palmerston can
not resist the impulse II he would. If he sub
mits to the insult to the flag his Ministry is
doOnied-it would not last a fortnight"
This wave of popular passion and the una
nimity prevailing throughout England In favor
OF Immediate and most drastic action toward
the United States appears to have made a pro-
found impression on Mr.. Adams, our Minister
to the court OF st. James. On the 29tn he
wrote Mr.. Seward that the excitement caused
by the news of the seizure was so great as to
swallow up every other topic. In closing this
letter he used the GLOWING mournful and sig
~nificant language:
Il confess that the turn things have taken
has given me great anxiety for tho fate OF my
unhappy country. But l shall walt with res
~ignation the instructions which will probably
close my mission"
Mr.. Adams evidently thought then and con-
tinued TO think for some time afterward that
war must certainly ensue between the two
countries. After reading the American news
papers and noting tho current OF opinion, on
Doc. 3 he again wrote that he was making ar
rangements for the termination OF his stay In
London, preparatory to the reception OF tho
instructions which | expect to receive with the
return OF Lord Lyons" Al this date no had
received no Instructions from Washington.
On the 9th he Informed Mr.. Seward that 'the
current OF popular feeling Is still running with
r~esistless force throughout this Kingdom" nil
difference OF opinion being merged In an al
most universal demand for satisfaction for the
insult and injury" lie also expressed tho
opinion that the British Government las a
whole are believed not 10 he DESTROYS OF press
ing matters to a violent issue, but they are
powerless." Observing tho extent 10 which
the passions OF the English were aroused Mr..
Adams stated his positive conviction that a
collision is inevitable IL tho United States
should, before tho news reaches the other side.
have assumed the position OF Capt. Wilkes In
A manner 70 preclude tho possibility Of explana-
ton" He thought that by the middle of Jan
uary at furthest diplomatic relations would be
severed between the two countries.
1t will he perceived from these statements
that the English Cabinet was being pressed on
by an almost Irresistible pubic opinion. At
last 1t spoke. On the 3Oth OF November Earl
Russell, the Secretary Of State for Foreign AT,
fairs. despatched an instruction to Lord Lyons
that intelligence Of a very grave nature has
reached her MaIesty's Government" The
forcible taking OF Messrs, Mason and Slidell
from q British ship pursuing a lawful and inno-
cent voyage was held to he IAN act OF violence
which was an affront 10 the British nag and a
violation of international law" But Earl Rus
sell was 'wIlling TO believe that the United
States naval officer who committed the AgRres-
sion was not acting in compliance with any
authority from his Government, or that, II he
conceived himself to be 50 authorized, he misun-
derstood the instructions which he had received;