The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-29

thorities for the surrender Of the ship to
them. II they woud advance money ne0es-
sary to pay or the crew
When it was known through resident
merchant that the CcDtain-Gen-
eral was willing to make the necessary ad-
vance and take the ship. Carter was sent
to state the requirements and get the
money. and his brief report of the inter
view Is as follows:
After I'VE minutes conversation the
Captaln-General asked for the sum we
required. ! said $1,000" He said, SAY
$4,000" | replied that my orders were
10 ask for $4,000. lie then turned 10 an
official at n desk and BID him write, con-
tinued asking Questions. and then the
document was handed to him for perusal.
lie looked at him and said Shall we make
it s90'O!" But I obeyed orders. and
$4,000 was ordered 10 be paid.
Upon the receipt Of the money, Page
paid of the crew to May 49, 1865, and de-
livered the stonewar into the hands Of
the Captain-General OF Cuba. In July.
1865, she was delivered 70 the government
of the United States and the conditions Of
the surrender are set out in the annexed
correspondence between the Spanish Min
lister at Washington and Mr. Seward the
United States Secretary Of State She
was subsequently sold by the United
States TO the government Of Japan.
TECHNICAL QUESTIONS.
II may be thought by those who are
inclined 10 be severely critical that in the
arrangements for despatching the City
Of Richmond, some liberty was taken with
the municipal Law OF England, and that
there was some violation Of her neutral
territory. Scarcely anyone however, will
maintain that the shipment of arms by
the steamer was Illegal; and the officers
and men from Calais were unarmed in
plain clothes, were not above an hour
from English soil and merely passed
across a minute portion OF English terri
tory as ordinary travellers. II IL Is pos
sble to construe those movements as an
offence. II cannot be said that Her Males
tvs Government was In any degree
chargeable with neglect becaIse neither
the Customs nor the police autorities
could have known Of the purpose in adj
vance, and could not therefore have
made any arrangements 10 stop H. even
II the state OF the law would have Jus
tilted interference.
At Calais. however. the conditions were
wholly different. A Confederate man-of-
war was lying al that port She was In a
dock near the railway station. and could
be seen by every passenger en- route from
London 20 Paris In the daily mail trains.
Officers IN the Confederate uniform walked
her quarterback the Confederate nag
was hOisted and struck morning and even
ing. and all the routine and etiquette
was preserved on board Of her that Is
commonly practiced in national ships "
ing In the dockyards Of their own coun-
tries Her presence was permitted by the
French authorities and she was openly
used as "A depot ship. because no disguise
was possible Men were collected on
board OF her and afterwards distributed
% the Florida and other vessels as on pre-
vl0us occasions. and she was used In the
same manner % supply the wants Of the
St0newau II there was any violation Of
French neutrality, IL was done with the
taclt consent Of the Imperial authorities
and without greater concealment than Is
practced IN an well regulated business
transactions. 10 information was asked
and none was offered.
The United states urgently pressed at
Geneva the charge that Great Britain
had been both lax 90 her neutral duties
and partial towards the Confederate
States and commended the rigid exact
ness or France. The foregoing are some
Of the facts which may serve 20 Illus
tratr the true attitude Of those two neu-
trai powers and may help those who arc
stil interested IN the subject 70 determine
tho foundation upon which the Alabama
Claims" were bascd.