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Copy from the log book of the San Jacinto. At sea. Friday, Nov 8, 1861. From eight A. M. to meridian: As per calculation, lying-to off Paredon lights; at half-past ten a bark in sight to the eastward and a schooner to the northward; at twenty minutes to twelve made out a steamer to the westward. K. R. BREESE.

K. R. BREESE.

PROTEST OF MASON AND SLIDELL.

hundred and forty miles from Havana, and in sight of the lighthouse of Paredon Grande, the San Jacinto then lying stationary, or nearly so, about the middle of the channel, and where it was some fifteen miles wide, as since shown us on the chart, the nationality of the ship being then unknown. When the Trent had approached near enough for her flag to be distinFrom meridian to four P. M.: Moderate guished it was hoisted at the peak and at the breezes from the northward and eastward, and main, and so remained for a time. No flag was pleasant; at five minutes to one beat to quar had approached within a mile of the San Jacinshown by the San Jacinto. When the Trent ters, hoisted the colors, and loaded the guns; at five minutes past one fired a shot across the to, still pursuing the due course of her voyage, bows of the steamer in sight, showing English a shotted gun was fired from the latter ship colors; at seventeen minutes past one, the across the course of the Trent, and the United steamer close on us and not stopping, fired anStates flag at the same time displayed at her other shot across her bows, at which she peak. The British flag was again immediately stopped; hailed her, and at twenty minutes hoisted, as before, by the Trent, and so repast one Lieutenant Fairfax, in the second cut-mained. When the Trent had approached, still ter, with an armed crew, boarded the vessel; on her course, within from two to three hunat twenty-five minutes to two sent Lieutenant dred yards of the San Jacinto, a second shotted Greer, in the third cutter, to the assistance of gun was fired from your ship again across the Mr. Fairfax; at two he returned, bringing in hailing distance her captain inquired what course of the Trent. When the Trent got withMessrs. Slidell, Mason, Eustis, and McFarland, and then returned to the steamer; received on was wanted. The reply was understood to be board the baggage of the above gentlemen and they would send a boat, both ships being then some stores for their use; ran to leeward of stationary, with steam shut off. A boat very the steamer; at twenty minutes past three she soon put off from your ship, followed immedistood to the eastward; at half-past three ately by two other boats, with full crews, and hoisted up our boats and stood to the north-armed with muskets and side-arms. A lieutenant in the naval uniform of the United States, ward and westward. and with side-arms, boarded the Trent, and, in the presence of most of the passengers then assembled on the upper deck, said to Captain Moir that he came with orders to demand his passenger list. The captain refused to produce it, and formally protested against any right to visit his ship for the purpose indicated. After some conversation, importing renewed protests on the part of the captain against the alleged object of the visit, and on the part of the officer of the San Jacinto that he had only to execute his orders, the latter said that two gentlemen (naming Mr. Slidell and Mr. Mason) were known to be on board, as also two other gentlemen, (naming Mr. Eustis and Mr. McFarland,) and that his orders were to take and carry them on board the San Jacinto. It should have been noted that, on first addressing the captain, the officer announced himself as a lieutenant of the United States steamer San Jacinto; the four gentlemen thus named being present, the lieutenant, addressing Mr. Slidell, and afterward Mr. Mason, repeating that his orders were to take them, together with Mr. Eustis The Trent left the port of Havana about eight and Mr. McFarland, and carry them on board o'clock A. M. on the morning of the 7th instant, his ship, which orders he must execute. Mr. and pursued her voyage uninterruptedly until Slidell and Mr. Mason, in reply, protested, in intercepted by the United States steamer San the presence of the captain of the Trent, his Jacinto, under your command, on the day fol-officers and passengers, against such threatened lowing (the 8th instant) in the manner now to violation of their persons and of their rights, be related. and informed the lieutenant that they would When the San Jacinto was first observed not leave the ship they were in unless comseveral miles distant, the Trent was pursuing | pelled by the employment of actual force greatthe usual course of her voyage along the older than they could resist, and Mr. Eustis and Bahama or Nicholas channel; was about two Mr. McFarland united with them in expressing

UNITED STATES STEAMER SAN JACINTO,
At sea, Nov. 9, 1861.

SIR: We desire to communicate to you, by this memorandum, the facts attending our arrest yesterday on board the British mail steamer Trent, by your order, and our transfer to this ship.

We, the undersigned, embarked at Havana, on the 7th instant, as passengers on board the Trent, Capt. Moir, bound to the island of St. Thomas, the Trent being one of the regular mail and passenger lines of the British Royal Mail Steamship Company, running from Vera Cruz, via Havana, to St. Thomas, and thence to Southampton, England. We paid our passage money for the whole route from Havana to Southampton to the British consul at Havana, who acts as the agent or representative of the said steamship company, Mr. Slidell being accompanied by his family, consisting of his wife, four children, and a servant, and Mr. Eustis by his wife and servants.

a like purpose.
That officer stated that he |
hoped he would not be compelled to resort to
the use of force, but if it would become neces-
sary to employ it in order to execute his orders,
he was prepared to do so. He was answered
by the undersigned that they would submit to
such force alone. The lieutenant then went
to the gangway where his boats were, the un-
dersigned going at the same time to their state-
rooms, on the deck next below, followed by
Captain Moir and by the other passengers. The
lieutenant returned with a party of his men, a
portion of whom were armed with side-arms,
and others appearing to be a squad of marines,
having muskets and bayonets. Mr. Slidell was
at this time in his state-room, immediately by,
and in full view. The lieutenant then said to
Mr. Mason that, having his force now present,
he hoped to be relieved from the necessity of
calling it into actual use. That gentleman
again answered that he would only submit to
actual force greater than he could overcome,
when the lieutenant and several of his men, by
his order, took hold of him in a manner and in
numbers sufficient to make resistance fruitless,
and Mr. Slidell joining the group at the same
time, one or more of the armed party took like
hold of him, and those gentlemen at once went
into the boat. During this scene many of the
passengers became highly excited, and gave
vent to the strongest expressions of indigna-
tion, seeming to indicate a purpose of resistance
on their part, when the squad armed with mus-
kets, with bayonets fixed, made sensible ad-
vance of one or two paces, with their arms at
a charge. It must be added here, omitted in
the course of the narration, that before the
party left the upper deck an officer of the
Trent, named Williams, in the naval uniform of
Great Britain, and known to the passengers as
having charge of the mails and accompanying
them to England, said to the lieutenant that, as
the only person present directly representing his
Government, he felt called upon, in language
as strong and as emphatic as he could express,
to denounce the whole proceeding as a pirati-
cal act.

Mr. Slidell and Mr. Mason, together with Mr. Eustis and Mr. McFarland, against whom force in like manner had been used, were taken to the San Jacinto as soon as they entered the boat. When they reached your ship you received them near the gangway, announcing yourself as Captain Wilkes, the commander of the ship, and conducted them to your cabin, which you placed at their disposal. When the undersigned came on board they found the men at their quarters, and the guns bearing on the Trent. After some time occupied in bringing on board our baggage and effects, the San Jacinto proceeded to the northward, through the Santaren channel, the Trent having been detained from three to four hours.

The foregoing is believed to be a correct narrative in substance of the facts and circumstances attending our arrest and transfer from

the British mail steamer to the ship under your command, and which we doubt not will be corroborated by the lieutenant present, as well as by all who witnessed them.

The incidents here given in detail may not have been witnessed by each one of the undersigned individually, but they were by one or more of them. As for the most part they did not pass under your notice, we have deemed it proper to present them in this form before you, expressing the wish that, if considered incorrect in any part, the inaccuracies may be pointed out.

With a respectful request that you will transmit a copy of this paper to the Government of the United States, together with your report of the transaction, to facilitate which a copy is herewith enclosed,

We have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servants,
JOHN SLIDELL.
J. M. MASON.
Captain WILKES,

GEORGE EUSTIS.
J. E. MCFARLAND.

U. S. Navy, Commanding San Jacinto.
REPLY OF CAPTAIN WILKES.

UNITED STATES STEAMER SAN JACINTO,
At sea, November 16, 1861.
GENTLEMEN: Your letter dated the 9th inst.
was handed to me yesterday. I shall transmit
it, agreeably to your request, to the Hon. Sec-
retary of the Navy, with my report of the trans-
action to which it refers.

In reply to your wish to have any inaccuracies it may contain pointed out, I deem it my duty to say the facts differ materially in respect to the time and circumstances.

1st. The facts in my possession are derived from the log-book, (the official record of the ship;) and 2d, from the reports in writing, of all the officers who visited the Trent; all which will form a part of my report.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, CHARLES WILKES. Messrs. JOHN SLIDELL, JAMES M. MASON, GEORGE EUSTIS, and J. E. MCFARLAND.

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CAPTAIN WILKES FINAL REPORT. UNITED STATES STEAMER SAN JACINTO, At sea, November 16, 1861 SIR: In my despatch by Commander Taylor I confined myself to the report of the movements of this ship and the facts connected with the capture of Messrs. Mason, Slidell, Eustis, and McFarland, as I intended to write you particularly relative to the reasons which induced my action in making them prisoners.

When I heard at Cienfuegos, on the south side of Cuba, of these commissioners having landed on the Island of Cuba, and that they were at the Havana, and would depart in the English steamer of the 7th November, I determined to intercept them, and carefully examined all the authorities on international law to which I had access, viz.: Kent, Wheaton, and Vattel, beside various decisions of Sir William

Scott, and other judges of the admiralty court | immunities attached to the character they of Great Britain, which bore upon the rights thought fit to assume. of neutrals and their responsibilities.

As respects the steamer in which they embarked, I ascertained in the Havana that she was a merchant vessel plying between Vera Cruz, the Havana, and St. Thomas, carrying the mail by contract.

The agent of the vessel, the son of the British consul at Havana, was well aware of the character of these persons; that they engaged their passage and did embark in the vessel; his father had visited them and introduced them as ministers of the Confederate States on their way to England and France.

The Governments of Great Britain, France, and Spain, having issued proclamations that the Confederate States were viewed, considered, and treated as belligerents, and knowing that the ports of Great Britain, France, Spain, and Holland in the West Indies, were open to their vessels, and that they were admitted to all the courtesies and protection vessels of the United States received, every aid and attention being given them, proved clearly that they acted upon this view and decision, and brought them within the international law of search and under the responsibilities. I therefore felt no hesitation in boarding and searching all vessels of whatever nation I fell in with, and have done so. The question arose in my mind whether I had the right to capture the persons of these commissioners-whether they were amenable to capture. There was no doubt I had the right to capture vessels with written despatches; they are expressly referred to in all authorities, sub-possession of her, and, as I mentioned in my jecting the vessel to seizure and condemnation if the captain of the vessel had the knowledge of their being on board; but these gentlemen were not despatches in the literal sense, and did not seem to come under that designation, and nowhere could I find a case in point.

That they were commissioners I had ample proof from their own avowal, and bent on mischievous and traitorous errands against our country, to overthrow its institutions, and enter into treaties and alliances with foreign States, expressly forbidden by the Constitution.

They had been presented to the captain-general of Cuba by her Britannic Majesty's consul general, but the captain-general told me that he had not received them in that capacity, but as distinguished gentlemen and strangers.

I then considered them as the embodiment of despatches; and as they had openly declared themselves as charged with all authority from the Confederate Government to form treaties and alliances tending to the establishment of their independence, I became satisfied that their mission was adverse and criminal to the Union, and it therefore became my duty to arrest their progress and capture them if they had no passports or papers from the Federal Government, as provided for under the law of nations, viz.: "That foreign ministers of a belligerent on board of neutral ships are required to possess papers from the other belligerent to permit them to pass free."

Report and assumption gave them the title of ministers to France and England; but inasmuch as they had not been received by either of these powers, I did not conceive that they had any immunity attached to their persons, and were but escaped conspirators, plotting and contriving to overthrow the Government of the United States, and they were therefore not to be considered as having any claim to the

They went in the steamer with the knowledge and by the consent of the captain, who endeavored afterward to conceal them by refusing to exhibit his passenger list, and the papers of the vessel. There can be no doubt he knew they were carrying highly important despatches, and were endowed with instructions inimical to the United States. This rendered his vessel (a neutral) a good prize, and I determined to take

report, send her to Key West for adjudication, where, I am well satisfied, she would have been condemned for carrying these persons, and for resisting to be searched. The cargo was also liable, as all the shippers were knowing to the embarkation of these live despatches, and their traitorous motives and actions to the Union of the United States.

I forbore to seize her, however, in consequence of my being so reduced in officers and crew, and the derangement it would cause innocent persons, there being a large number of passengers who would have been put to great loss and inconvenience, as well as disappointment, from the interruption it would have caused them in not being able to join the steamer from St. Thomas to Europe. I therefore concluded to sacrifice the interests of my officers and crew in the prize, and suffered the steamer to proceed, after the necessary detention to effect the transfer of these commissioners, considering I had obtained the important end I had in view, and which affected the interests of our country and interrupted the action of that of the Confederates.

I would add that the conduct of her Britannic Majesty's subjects, both official and others, showed but little regard or obedience to her proclamation, by aiding and abetting the views and endeavoring to conceal the persons of these commissioners.

I have pointed out sufficient reasons to show you that my action in this case was derived from a firm conviction that it became my duty to make these parties prisoners, and to bring them to the United States.

Although in my giving up this valuable prize I have deprived the officers and crew of a wellearned reward, I am assured they are quite content to forego any advantages which might have accrued to them under the circumstances.

I may add that, having assumed the respon- | molestation, and therefore made no attempt sibility, I am willing to abide the result.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
CHARLES WILKES,
Captain.

Hon. GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy.

UNITED STATES STEAMER SAN JACINTO,

15,

SIR: Before leaving your ship, we think it proper that we should state that since we have been on board of her, we have uniformly been treated with great courtesy and attention. Very respectfully, your obedient servants, JOHN SLIDELL, J. M. MASON, J. E. MOFARLAND, GEORGE EUSTIS. Captain WILKES,

Commanding United States Steamer San Jacinto.

The following congratulatory letter was sent to Captain Charles Wilkes, of the San Jacinto, by the Secretary of the Navy :

NAVY DEPARTMENT, Nov. 30, 1861.

Capt. Charles Wilkes, Commanding U. S. S. San Jacinto, Boston: DEAR SIR: I congratulate you on your safe arrival, and especially do I congratulate you on the great public service you have rendered in the capture of the rebel commissioners, Messrs. Mason and Slidell, who have been conspicuous in the conspiracy to dissolve the Union, and it is well known that, when seized by you, they were on a mission hostile to the Government and the country.

Your conduct in seizing these public enemies was marked by intelligence, ability, decision, and firmness, and has the emphatic approval of this Department. It is not necessary that I should in this communication-which is intended to be one of congratulation to yourself, officers, and crew-express an opinion on the course pursued in omitting to capture the vessel which had these public enemies on board, further than to say that the forbearance exercised in this instance must not be permitted to constitute a precedent hereafter for infractions of neutral obligations.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, GIDEON WELLES.

STATEMENT OF THE PURSER OF THE TRENT.

ROYAL MAIL STEAMSHIP TRENT,
At sea, NOVEMBER 8, 1861.

To the Editor of the London Times:

SIR: I hasten to forward you some particulars of the grievous outrage committed to-day against the English flag by the United States steam sloop San Jacinto, Captain Wilkes.

You have probably heard how, some three weeks ago, the little steamer Theodora, having on board the commissioners sent by the Confederate States of America to London and Paris, ran the blockade at Charleston, arriving safely in Havana. Once arrived there, they of course imagined that on neutral territory they were perfectly free and safe from all

to conceal their names, position, and intended movements. Mr. Slidell, the commissioner for Paris, was accompanied by his wife, son, and three daughters, and also by his secretary, Mr. G. Eustis, with his wife; Mr. Mason, the commissioner for England, being accompanied by his secretary, Mr. McFarland. It is well known in Havana that berths were booked for the whole party to proceed by this steamer to St. Thomas, there to join the homeward West India mail steamship for Southampton. They accordingly embarked yesterday morning, trusting to receive the same protection under the English flag which they had already received from that of Spain.

We left Havana yesterday morning at eight. This morning, about half-past eleven, we observed a large steamship ahead, and on a nearer approach found she was hove-to, evidently awaiting us. We were then in the narrowest part of the Bahama Channel, abreast of Paredon Grande lighthouse. As soon as we were well within range we had the first intimation of her nationality and intentions by a round shot being fired across our bows, and at the same moment by her showing American colors. We were now sufficiently near to observe that all her ports were open, guns run out, and crew at their stations. On a still nearer approach she fired a shell from a swivel gun of large calibre on her forecastle, which passed within a few yards of the ship, bursting about a hundred yards to leeward.

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We were now within hail, when Capt. Moir, commanding this ship, asked the American what he meant by stopping his ship, and why he did so by firing shotted guns, contrary to usual custom. The reply was that he wished to send a boat on board of us. This was immediately followed by a boat pushing off from the side of the San Jacinto, containing between twenty and thirty men heavily armed, under the command of the first lieutenant, who came up on the quarter-deck, and after asking for Capt. Moir, demanded a list of passengers. As his "right of search was denied, the information required was, of course, peremptorily refused. He then stated that he had information that Messrs. Slidell, Mason, Eustis, and McFarland were on board, and demanded that they should be given up. This also being indignantly refused, Mr. Slidell himself came forward and said that the four gentlemen named were then before him, but appealed to the British flag under which they were sailing for protection. The lieutenant said that his orders were to take them on board the San Jacinto by force if they would not surrender. He then walked to the side of the ship and waved his hand; immediately three more heavily armed boats pushed off and surrounded the ship, and the party of marines who came in the first boat came up and took possession of the quarter-deck; these, however, he ordered down on the main deck, to take charge of

act.

"In this ship I am the representative of her Majesty's Government, and I call upon the officers of the ship and passengers generally to mark my words, when, in the name of the British Government, and in distinct language, I denounce this as an illegal act, an act in violation of international law; an act indeed of wanton piracy, which, had we the means of defence, you would not dare to attempt."

SPEECH OF COMMANDER WILLIAMS.

the gangway ports. Capt. Williams, R. N., the | of the English mails on board the steamer Trent, naval agent in charge of the mails, who was against the arrest of Messrs. Mason and Slidell: of course present during this interview, then, in the name of her Majesty, he being the only person on board directly representing her, made a vehement protestation against this piratical During the whole of this time the San Jacinto was about two hundred yards distant from us on the port beam, her broadside guns, which were all manned, directly bearing upon us. Any open resistance to such a force was of course hopeless, although from the loud and repeated plaudits which followed Capt. Williams' protestation, and which were joined in by every one, without exception, of the passengers congregated on the quarter-deck, men of all nations, and from the manifested desire of some to resist to the last, I have no doubt but that every person would have joined heart and soul in the struggle had our commander but given the order. Such an order he could not, under such adverse circumstances, conscientiously give, and it was therefore considered sufficient that a party of marines with bayonets fixed should forcibly lay hands on the gentlemen named. This was done, and the gentlemen retired to their cabins to arrange some few changes of clothing.

A most heart-rending scene now took place between Mr. Slidell, his eldest daughter, a noble girl devoted to her father, and the lieutenant. It would require a far more able pen than mine to describe how, with flashing eyes and quivering lips, she threw herself in the doorway of the cabin where her father was, resolved to defend him with her life, till, on the order being given to the marines to advance, which they did with bayonets pointed at this poor defenceless girl, her father ended the painful scene by escaping from the cabin by a window, when he was immediately seized by the marines and hurried to the boat, calling out to Capt. Moir as he left that he held him and his Government responsible for this outrage.

If further proof were required of the meanness and cowardly bullying in the line of conduct pursued by the captain of the San Jacinto, I may remark, first, that on being asked if they would have committed this outrage if we had been a man-of-war, they replied, "certainly not; " and, secondly, that Capt. Wilkes sent an order for Capt. Moir to go on board his ship, and a second for Capt. Moir to move the Trent closer to the San Jacinto. Of course not the slightest notice was taken of either order, nor did they attempt to enforce them.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

THE PURSER OF THE TRENT.

PROTEST OF COMMANDER WILLIAMS.

The following is a copy of the protest, as given in the London Star, of Commander Williams, of the British Navy, who was in charge

At a public dinner given by the Royal Western Yacht Club of England, at Millbay, Plymouth, on December 12th, Commander Williams, mail agent on board the royal steamer Trent, in response to the toast of "The health of our gallant and worthy guest, Commander Williams," made the following remarks:

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice-Chairman, gentlemen, and brother members of this the Royal Western Yacht Club, it is not with the feelings of arrogance and presumption which Mr. Fairfax has thought proper to impute to me that I will now endeavor, as well as severe illness will permit me, to convey to your minds the deeplyseated gratitude that I feel, not only to the chairman for the complimentary language and too partial language used by him, whom I have ever found for the last four or five years my kind and considerate friend, but also from the manner in which the mention of my name has been received by you-you, many of whom are old and tried friends of mine, and many whose faces I have never met before. Therefore I take it to be not so much a personal matter, but a national matter-(hear, hear)—that you have taken this opportunity of throwing around my shoulders the mantle of your approbation. (Renewed applause.) Gentlemen, if I fail to convey to you-if I fail to convey to you from the poverty of my language the throbbings that swell up from the well of my heart, I beg you to believe that I am sincere in all that I shall say. (Bravo, and hear, hear.) This compliment was never looked for by me. ("We believe it, Williams.") I will endeavor to be as little egotistical as possible, but in the present instance it may be necessary that I should speak, in some measure of myself, in consequence of what has been said about me in the New York papers, and which has been referred to by Punch. The New York papers have thought proper to allude to me in unwarranted language, and which I fear has been countenanced by Mr. Fairfax. Before I say one word about Mr. Fairfax, or the proceedings which took place on board the Trent, and which, perhaps, you would like to hear from my own lips("We should," and applause)--and the manner in which the Trent was boarded, I crave your indulgence to allow me to refer to notes.

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