Year: 1865

The mails of the steamship China, from Queens
town on the 10Th instant arrived in New York on
Thursday.


The main points of the European news by this ar
rival were telegraphed from Halifax and published
in Wednesdays Commercial We, however present
this morning few additional comments of the Eng
sh in the of the late Rebel pirate Shenan-
doah and in regard to the claims Of our Government
Great Britain for the damages by the Anglo rebel
cruisers generally.


RELEASE OF OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE sHENAN-


D0AH.


From the London Times Nou 10


Her Majesty's Government appears to have been
of opinion that there legal grounds for keep
ing the captain and crew of the Shenandoah under
surveillance, and accordingly instructions were for
warded to Captain Paynter. OF Her Maestys steamer
donegal, to grant them an unconditional discharge
This was effected on Wednesday evening, at seven
sci and landed in Liverpool. The statements that
Captain Waddell had previously left the vessel were
with the utmost kindness by the officers and men of
the Donegal


CAPT. wADDELLs LETTER TO EARL RUSSELL.


The following is the full text of Captain Waddels
letter.


STEAMER SHENANDOAH, Nov 5.
To the Right. Hon. Earl Russell Her Britannia


Ma5estvs Minister for Foreign Affairs
My LORD: have the honor to announce to your
Lordshlp my arrival in the waters of the Mersey,
with this vessel lately ship of war in my command
belonging to the Confederate States of America The
singular position in which find myself placed, and
III. Il
trust induce your Lordship to pardon hasty refer
ence to lew facts connected with the cruise lately
made by this ship. commissioned the ship in Octo-
ber, 1864, under orders from the Naval Department
of the Confederate States and in pursuance of the
same commenced actively cruising against the
emy scommeree My orders directed to vsitcertain
seas in preference to others In obedience thereto,
found myself in May, June and July of this year in
the OchtoSk Sea and Arctic Ocean Both places if not
quite isolated still so far removed from the ord
nary channels of commerce, that months would
eiapse before any news could reach there to the
termination American In
consequence of this aw kward circumstance. / was
engaged in the Arctic Ocean in acts of war late
of reverses sustained by our in the field, and
the obliteration of the government under whose
received for the first time on communicating at
sea- on the Cd of August, with the British bark Bar
racouta: of Liverpool fourteen days from San Fran
cisco. Your Lordship can imagine my surprise at
the receipt of such intelligence. and | would have
given to it little consideration if an English
mans opinion did not confirm the war news, though
from an enemy's port. l desisted Immediately from
further acts of war and determined to suspend fur
ther action until had communicated with a Euro
pean port, when would learn if that intelligence
was true It would not have been intelligent in Inc
to convey this vessel to an American port. simply
ended. was in embarrassing position
l diligently examined all the law writer's at my com
mand, searching precedent for my guidance in the
future control, management and final disposal of the
vessel could find none; history is believe with
out parallel; Finding the authority question
ship of war, Immediately discontinued cruising
and shaped my course for the Atlantic Ocean As
to the ships disposal do not consider that have
any right to destroy her. any further right to COM
mand her. On the contrary | think that, as tho
property of the Confederate government has revert
ed, by the fortune of war; to the government of the
United States of North America that therefore this
vessel inasmuch it was the property of the Con-
federate States should accompany the other property
already reunited. have therefore sought this port
as a suitable one Ito learn the news and if / am
her battery, small arms, machinery, stores tackle
and apparel complete, to Her Majestys Government,
for such disposition as in its wisdom should be deem
ed proper. | have the honor to be, &C..


JAS. J. WADDELL Commander