Interesting Foreign news.
The
European news, to the 20th ult., is interesting, and we give below some extracts:
The Alabama and the steam rams in Parliament.
In the
House of Lorde, on the 11th of February, the
Earl of
Derby, in asking Lord Russell to produce the correspondence between her Majesty's Government and the
United States in reference to the
Alabama and other vessels built in
England, from which the
United States apprehended injury, said:
The noble
Lord had refused to lay on the table the correspondence with regard to the rams built in the
Mersey, on the ground that they were now under judicial consideration.
He understood that the rams were detained by an order of the
Government in September, and that they were seized in October, From that time to the 6th February no steps were taken to obtain a judicial decision as to the legality of the seizure.
On that day an information was filed which might have been filed in October or November, and in that way the question might have been brought to an early issue.--Since that information was filed he was informed that
Messrs Laird had received an intimation that it was now necessary to send out a commission abroad four months after the seizure for the purpose of collecting evidence.
He thought the production of the correspondence between
England and the
United States on the subject of those seizures could have no sort of bearing upon the case about to be brought before the courts, that case being simply whether
Messrs. Laird had or had not in constructing these vessels infringed the municipal laws of
England.
He reminded Lord Russell that the papers he objected to produce had already been made public in
America, and laid before Congress.
What he wanted to see now was the
English as well as the
American version.
Earl Derby read copious extracts from the correspondence laid before Congress, and said the impression it produced was that the
Government had been compelled by the menaces and pressure placed upon them by the
United States to make concessions which they had refused to make in the first instance.
In addition to the correspondence in reference to the
Alabama and the steam rams, he wished also to have a copy laid before Parliament of any correspondence that may have taken place in reference to acts of violence committed by American cruisers upon English vessels.
Alluding to the threat of the
American Government, in a dispatch to
Mr. Adams.
to follow such vessels as the
Alabama and the
Florida into British waters and seize them, even if under the protection of the
British flag, he said the dispatch although not officially communicated to Her Majesty's Government, had nevertheless been laid before Congress, and it was expedient that we should come to a thorough understanding with the
American Government on the subject.
Earl Russell said the rams built at Birkeshead had been seized because there was reason to believe that they were intended for the service of the
Confederate States.
When inquiries were first instituted by Government it was alleged that the vessels were being built upon French account; but on communicating with the
French Embeseader at the Foreign Office, in
France, he found that there was not the slightest ground for that assertion, and there appeared to be small reason to doubt that they were intended for the
Confederate States.--Her Majesty's Government were extremely anxious that no act of theirs should give countenance to such proceedings.
With regard to the papers asked for by Lord Derby, he was informed by the law officers of the crown that their production would lead to further inquiry and discussion, and that Government would suffer from having their case either partially stated or altogether forestalled.
He must, therefore, still decline to produce any papers in reference to cases which were about to be brought before a proper legal tribunal.
With regard to the second question of the noble
Earl, it be would give the names of the cases to which he referred, there was no objection to produce any correspondence that might have taken place upon them.
The subject then dropped
Mr. Seymour Fitzgerald called attention to the circumstances attending the capture of certain British vessels — the Springbok, the barque science, captured at Metamores ship
Margaret and Jessie, and
Saxon, captured within the jurisdiction of the Colony of the
Cape of Good Hope.
He gave a detail of the circumstances under which the vessels in question were captured, and with regard to the murder of one of the crew of the Saken by a Federal
Lieutenant.
He declared that if all Earl Russell had done in the matter had been to exp an opinion to
Mr. Seward that the offending officer ought to be put upon his trial for murder, such conduct was utterly us worthy of
Great Britain.
He concluded by moving for the correspondence which had taken place with the
American Government on the subject.
The
Attorney-General opposed the motion stating that the principles of graze adjudication in
America were the same as in
England, and the disposition of the
Government very fair and just.
Lord strongly supported
Mr. on the ground that the practice of papers Government unconstitutionally to escape supervision, and that the policy of the
Government was obviously a truckling one so strong Powers and a harsh and exciting one to want powers.
After a general details, in which the truckling policy of Earl Russell was strongly discussed by
several speakers Lord Palmerston appeared to
Mr. Fitzgerald to withdraw his motion, and said it was due to the
Government of-the
United States to sag that they had invariably received our applications in a spirit of equity and justice.
It was also necessary to refer to the case of the
Trent to-show that where we had a strong ground of remonstrance justice had been dealt to us by the
Government of the
United States.
he thought it was prejudicial to the good understanding which ought to exist between two great Powers to accuse a foreign Government of acts of which it had not been guilty, and to express distrust of their equity, when had occurred to justify such charges.
Sundry other speeches were made, but the resolution was finally withdrawn.
A British vessel to Chase
It is currently reported that in a few date one of the fastest screw-steamers afloat would leave a British port on a cruise after the
Alabama.
This new steamer has been purchased, and is being fitted out, at the sole expense of two first class English houses-- one in
London and the other in this town, both of whom have suffered heavily in of the depredations of the famous Confederate cruiser.
The new vessel, it is expected.
will steam three or four knots faster than the
Alabama ever could or will do, beside being much stronger, and when armed (carrying guns of such a calibre and construction) the chances of the
Alabama being able to cope with her will be hope teen.
She will be commanded by a man who has gained much notoriety in connection with ocean navigation, and in whom
Capt. Semmes will find a "worthy of his steel."
The mission of this steamer, while it will be chiefly to hunt and catch the
Alabama, will also be directed against the other Confederate ers--
Georgia,
Florida,
Rappahannock, (should the latter go to sen,) and
Tuscaloosa.
Already the barks have left
England with for she "new comer," which will be discharged at one or two ports which this vessel will make her rendezvous.
This steamer, of course, will act in conjunction with the
Federal cruisers now on the look out for the
Alabama.
We may here repeat that this action on the part of British merchants is prompted by heavy combined and personal losses in the destruction of neutral goods in American bottoms and also by the fact that hitherto all the efforts of the
Federal navy to capture the
Alabama have been fruitions. --
Slavery Reporter.
The London
Post, of the 11th inst, speaking of the departure of the privateer
Florida from
Brest, sayer Intelligence was received at
Liverpool yesterday afternoon to the effect that the Confederate cruiser
Florida, under the command of
Capt Maffit, left
Brest on Tuesday night, in the midst of a dancing, on a cruise.
We understand that the
United States war steamer
Kearsarge, on being apprised of the
Florida's sailing, stood out to sea the same evening, so that there is every possibility of a fight between the two vessels should they chance to get foul of each other.
