Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Arrival of the Hibernian

The steamship Hibernian, from Liverpool on Thursday, the 13th, via Londonderry 14th, arrive here this afternoon.

American affairs had been debated in the House of Lords, and papers relative to the blockade of the Southern ports were promised shortly by Earl Russell.

The European political news is generally unimportant.

GREAT BRITAIN. – Parliament was discussing American affairs.  In the House of Lords, on the 10th inst., Earl Carnarvon said he had received information that no less than three British subjects were confined in the prisons of the Federal Government, and had lain there for several months, denied a trial or their release, unless they took an oath of allegiance to the United States.

Earl Russell said that Lord Carnarvon could hardly have read the papers which had been laid on the table, for if he had, he would have seen that these cases had been brought under the notice of the Government.

Earl Maimsbury, in asking for the papers connected with the blockade, complained that the Times had deliberately represented that Earl Derby advocated its being forcibly raised.

Earl Russell said in reply to Maimsbury that on the first night he was glad to find that the noble Earl opposite had approved of the conduct of the Government, and the country must have full confidence when all its leading men agreed.  The papers were now being printed.  They would be in their lordships hands before long.  He hoped they would reserve their opinions till then, considering the importance of the question.

The London Daily News received the engagement at Mill Springs, Ky., as a genuine and important Federal success, and it thinks it may reasonably hope that the Federal troops engaged in it may be taken as a representative specimen of the Union army as it has become under McClellan.  The result of the rapid and decisive nation cannot be doubted.

FRANCE. – Paris letters say that Mr. Slidell had been received by Mr. Thouvenel in a private capacity, his diplomatic assumption of the character being entirely ignored.

LIVERPOOL, 13th, P. M. – It is intended to dispatch the steamer Great Eastern for New York in April.

The London Times, of the 13th, publishes further correspondence from Dr. Russell, dated from New York.  In it the writer says that the army of the Potomac is not likely to move till the winter is over, and that a mutinous spirit prevailed among the men, many of whom are better off than ever they were; and that the various expeditions by sea had so far accomplished nothing of moment.  The “affair” in Kentucky he regards as the greatest success yet achieved by the Federals.

Letters from Vienna are filled with most lamentable accounts of the [inundation].  The district submerged in Vienna alone comprises a population of 80,000 persons to be provided for.  Rain fell for four days almost without intermission.  Bridges and viaducts were destroyed, and the railroad services were nearly all suspended.

The Times in an editorial on Burnside’s expedition says the force engaged is plainly inadequate to the service expected, and if Burnside wishes success he will entrench himself, establish a good base of operations, and await reinforcements before renewing the risk of penetrating the enemy’s country.

The great exhibition building, in London, has been delivered up to the commissioners by the contractors.  It was virtually completed at noon on the 12th inst., as stipulated in the contract.

The Sumter is still at Gibraltar.  Several of her crew who had landed wouldn’t re-embark.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 1, 1862, p. 1

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