His Excellency Charles Francis Adams,
Envoy Ex., &c., &c., &c. U. S. of
A., London, England.
[From the Diario de
Pernambuco, November 30,
1864.]
[Untitled]
The North American brigantine Kate Prince, which arrived
yesterday (23d) from Cardiff, with a cargo of coal, landed
fourteen persons, two ladies and a servant girl among them, who
were put on board of her by the confederate steamer Shenandoah.
They belonged to the captured vessels Charter Oak, from Boston
to San Francisco, and Susan, from Cardiff for Rio Grande.
We obtained the following particulars from the captain of the
Kate Prince:
“The brig Kate Prince, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 995 tons,
Captain Libbey, left Cardiff the 30th of September. On the 6th
October, latitude 33 N., longitude 21 W., she fell in with the
Dutch bark Zee Nimph, nine days from Amsterdam for Batavia; on
the 28th, latitude 14 N., longitude 27 W., fell in with the
Dutch bark Maria, twenty-one days from Amsterdam for Japan; on
the 12th November, at midnight, latitude 2.30 N., longitude
28.30 W., met a large steamer under sail, one hundred yards to
windward, which fired a gun and hoisted the confederate flag.
She asked the name of our vessel, and as soon as we had
answered, ordered us to lay to, and then sent a boat of armed
men to board us. They informed us we were a prize of the
confederate steam privateer Shenandoah, and ordered our captain
and mate to come on board the steamer with the papers of the
Kate Prince, leaving a prize officer on board the
brigantine.
“The confederate commander finding a document certifying the
vessel’s neutrality, made the captain give bonds in $40,000, and
then let the Kate Prince go, first sending on board Captain
Gillman and lady; Mrs. S. Gage and son of four years; First
Mate, L. Burgess; Second Mate, C. Bearse; Steward, F. Kozias; J.
M. Sampson, J. Munroe and J. Ennis; all belonging to the
schooner Charter Oak, of San Francisco, captured and destroyed
the 5th of November, in latitude 7 N., longitude 27.3 W.; and
also Captain F. W. Hansen; H. Payne, first mate; C. Henshell,
second mate; and S. W. Dunn, steward; all belonging to the brig
Susan, of New York, captured and destroyed the 10th November, in
latitude 4.30 N., longitude 26.40 W.; in all fourteen
persons.
“The Shenandoah is a vessel of 1,100 tons and 250 horse-power,
with four 8-inch smooth-bore guns, two 32-pound rifles and two
12-pounders, also smooth. She was the Sea
King, belonging to the London, Bombay and Calcutta
Steam Navigation Company; built by Stevens and Sons, Glasgow, in
1863; steams 11 miles an hour; carries 43 men and two officers,
most of them English; cleared from London for Bombay in
September, 1863.
“She also captured the bark Helena, Captain Staples, of Maine,
and the bark Godfrey, the crews of which were put on board a
Danish brig bound for Rio Janeiro.
“Captain Wardell and the other officers of the Shenandoah treated
us with all possible civility, under the circumstances.”
