Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Correspondence With Mr. Mason, Commissioner of the So-Styled Confederate States of America
No. 4. Mr. Mason to Earl Russell. - (received July My Lord, 24, Upper Seymour Street, Portman Square, July 6, 1863.
I have the honour to transmit herewith an original protest made by the master and crew of the Confederate steam-ship Margaret and Jessie, transmitted to me by the commercial agent of the Confederate States at Nassau.
It sets forth that this steamer, laden with cotton and a large number of passengers, whilst on her voyage from Charleston, South Carolina, to Nassau, and near the Island or Eleuthera, a British possession in the Bahamas, was chased by a United States' war steamer, believed to be the Rhode Island that the Margaret and Jessie continued on her course toward the said island thus pursued, and fired at from time to time, until she had approached within '300 yards of the beach; fearing to run nearer, she changed her course, coasting along the island at the distance of from 800 to 500 yards from the shore.
That, notwithstanding the Confederate ship was thus beyond mistake or dispute within British jurisdiction, the United States' war-vessel continued the pursuit, having changed her course to conform to that of the Confederate steamer, continuing to fire shot and shell until the latter was struck, disabled, and sunk; at the time of which occurrence the Rhode Island was so near to the shore that a number of shot from her struck the shore inland, cutting the trees and ploughing up the soil.
I am further informed by our Commercial Agent that measures were to be taken by him to procure the testimony of many residents of the island who witnessed the affair, and which, if received, I shall have the honour to transmit to your Lordship. In the meantime the protest herewith will be sufficient, at least to lay the foundation of proper inquiry on the part of Her Majesty's Government, and if the facts are found correctly stated will establish a claim for adequate compensation to the owners and others who have sustained injury by this outrage.
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