Year: 1863

KEY WEST, AUGUST 90 1868


Another fine prize steamer was brought into harbor
on the l9h, by Acting Master MARITIME Of the United
States steamer De Soto Capt Walker, by whom she
captured in the Gulf to the south and OF Mobile about
two huadrsd miles, having board five hundred and
eighty bales of cotton She is of those fine Alabama
boats entirely new in all her upper works. and probably
fitted up Ton this voyage, called the Alice Vivian and
to have brought passenger from Mobile the rebel Gen
Slaughter and his staff who board but finally
cuded to return and take another boat Our naval officers
were advised OF this in time keep the sbarpest lookout
for him. The cargo of the Alice Vivian will be discharged
here and sent to New York while the steamer together
with the James Baee, another river boat will be sent
to New Orleans


On the 20th still another prize steamer came in from
the Do Solo, whose officers will all become rich their
prze money This is the fast sdew heel steamer Crescent
from Mobile, and ast from Havans with full and
ed cargo of merchandise including large proportion of
and drugs She captured by the De Soto
while on her way 10 Mobile and had flag not the
English. She will be valuable prize


On the 2st English topsail schooner the Jornie
brought in prse to the baque Restless. whose station
at Charlotte Harbor Florida This schooner cleared
at Maamoras for Liverpool with full cargo of cotton
manifested owned by merchants of Texas hence the
capture This probably necessity Of form in order TO
evade lhe French blockade Of Matamoras If so John
Bull is between two fires.


The prize steamer Dolphin about which much has
been said in the British journals is being loaded up
with cotton and urpentGo for dispatch to New York,
where her small propo, toDs dapdated appearance and
age of twenty years. will disappointment aud
surprise, reminding forcibly Of the old Of great cry
and but little wool"


Admiral Baieys feet of small cruisers mprovised from
the captures OF this squadron aud consisting of
small schooners and soops suitably fitted up and armed
are doing excellent service keeping under observation
the host Of oa aud bays among these Florida keys
and on this coast generally Every few days of them
been the schooner Two Sisters, from Cedar Keys with
twenty -four bales Of cotton and two families of refugees
including several women and children grateful for being
rescued from the want and distress OF secessiondom an
Other sloop in charge of Acting Master Crane with
borhood OF Charlotte Harbor these small boats, from
their light draft of water escape large cruisers only
to tall Into the hands of the mo quito fleet


The Admiralty Court is still without its presiding officer
since the resignation Of Judge Marvin and from the very
large amount ot prize property constantly being brought
into this port for adjudication We suppose that the new
appoinee whoever he may be, only awaits ap
preach of the fall to his duties here.


The tone OF public feeling changing very much among
both 10y al and dsloy al and too The former
are hopeful and confident t. degree that adults OF up
prehension of future disaster to the Of the
Union, whilst the latter respcndingy resigning
themselves to abandonment of all hope of proongng but
for short time h. power Of JEFF Davis the armed
citizens of The South They, like all men, yield to fate
and IN variety OF and their desire To
be considered in the most favorable light with reference
the changed and changing aspect Of Affairs,