The extraordinary news reached the city yesterday, that
Messrs. Sildell and
Mason.
with their
Secretaries, had been brought into
Hampton Roads by a Federal war vessel, and delivered to the custody of
General Wool, at
Fortress Monroe.
The fact was communicated by
Gen. Wool, under a flag of truce, to
Gen. Huger, and by the latter dispatched to
Secretary Benjamin.
It is said that the arrested commissioners will, by permission of
Gen. Wool, send a dispatch to our Government on the subject of their capture.
It seems that they had taken passage on the royal mail steam packet from
Havana to
Liverpool, and that the steamer was boarded by the U. S. man-of-war
San Jacinto, under command of
Capt. Wilkes, for the purpose of arresting these gentlemen, who, with their
Secretaries, were brought forcibly off. The ladies of the commissioners were left on board.
It is thought that the boarding was effected shortly after the steamer had left the port of
Havana.
The U. S. Consul at
Havana gave information of their embarkation on the
British packet.
The mere capture of two citizens is, of course, a small loss to the Southern Confederacy.
The affair assumes importance only in respect to the treatment it may receive from the
British Government.
The deck of a British vessel is as sacred as British soil.
To board a British vessel forcibly and carry off persons, is as great an insult to British sovereignty, as to send armed men to
London and to capture ambassadors assembled amid her Court.
It is in this aspect of the case that the capture of
Messrs..
Mason and
Slidell assumes importance.
The
British Captain.
protested against the whole proceeding, and will doubtless report it to his Government.
