CAPTURE OF THE SAXON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1241, 26 May 1864, Page 3

CAPTURE OF THE SAXON.

Among the many cases of seizure or detention of British vessels by Federal cruisers, on suspicion of being engaged in the contraband trade to the ports of the Southern Confederacy, the capture of the Saxon has excited an unusual degree of feeling, in consequence of the murder of the mate of that ship by one of the American officers. The correspondence relating to this case has, therefore, been published separately and laid before Parliament. It extends from the 22nd of December last to the 25th of February, and from the official letters and depositions of witnesses a full account of a very melancholy accident of the blockade may be collected. The Saxon was a colonial vessel owned by Messrs. Anderson and Co., of Cape Town. She had been employed in conveying cattle from the West Coast of Africa to Ascension, and on the 30th of October was at AgraPequina taking in a cargo of wool. On that day the Federal war steamer Vanderbilt arrived at Fequina, and immediately sent a boats crew on board the Saxon and took possession of her, alleging that the wool she had been shipping had been previously part of the freight of the Tuscaloosa, one of the prizes made by the Southern cruiser, the Alabama. The crew of the Saxon were sent to Cape Town, and the vessel itself forwarded to New York. It appears from the deposition of the master of the Saxon, Captain Sheppard, that he had finished loading his cargo of skins and wool on the 30th of October, and was getting ready to put to sea when the Vanderbilt rounded Agra Point, and having anchored offPengum Island, sent an aimed boat's crew and two officers on board the Saxon. The master, after a few questions had been asked him, was ordered to produce his papers, which with some reluctauee he gave up. The om6er said he must take the papers to Captain Baldwin, the Commander of the Vanderbilt, and would leave orders for a signal to be made to the steamer in case the Saxon should attempt to put to sea. Captain Sheppard told him that, " papers or no papers, he would sail, and carry with him any one left on board. The officer replied " he had better try it, Ae steamer could go faster than he could. attempt of the kind was made, and at the moment the Yanderbilt's boat pushed o£E, a second boat from the steamer was approaching the Saxon, with another officer and crew. They boarded the vessel, stationed armed men all round her, and drove the Saxon's crew below. Some altercation took place between Captain Sheppard and tlie officer in charge, terminating in a threat to shoot the master of the Saxon if he did not go down quietly. He was finally taken below, and a sentry placed over him. In about ten minutes afterwards he heard the report of a pistol, and rushing on deck again saw the mate, James Gray, lyiug dead. He raised the body in his arms, and asked-the officer in charge why he had shot the man? He replied," Poor fellow, lam sorry for him, but I must obey orders. Other witnesses state that the officer said, " He must, not " I must" On this point the evidence is connictuig. The name of the officer is also differently given in different depositions, as Donoghoe, and Doneghaii. After the fatal occurrence the Saxon was anchored, abreast of Penguin Island, and Captain Baldwin, of the Vanderbilt, informed the master that his papers were not satisfactory ; he was sure that his cargo had been landed by the Confederates and was American property. He therefore made a prize of the Saxon, put a crew on board her, and sent her to New York. The deposition of Horace Carrew, a sailor, who saw the shot fired, will be repeated viva voce at the trial of the case in Boston, the witness having been dispatched to America to give his evidence He states that when the mate, Gray, heard that the master had been ordered below, he went aft to speak to him. As Gray was going up a short ladder of three steps, leading from the deck to the poop, the officer, Doneghan, was standing on the poop above him, and ordered him to "go down." Gray looked up as if not understanding what was meant, and the order was repeated, *' Go down, or I'll shoot you. But, the witness states, "he didn't give the mate time to go down or do anything; he spoke soquicJc it was all done in a moment; there was no attempt

backwhe2?ngroJnd to save himself as he fell; and S?£T&&2CS ° nte f e ? a K;a he lay right on his back » The of the deposition does not bear directly 011 the death of Gray! but Earl Russell, in. transmitting it to T /1 T rnns observes that. Carrew's statement, Jib the opinion of the law officers of the Crown, has thfi of it evident signs of truthfulness, and throws more light on this unhappy transaction than an? of the statements previously in the possession of her Majesty's Government." Lord Lyons has been instructed to express to the Government of United States the opinion of her Majesty s Go J e ™* ment, <f that, if the facts deposed_to are .true, the officer "who killed the m&te of .the Saxon has been. Sof iSaTmntder, »nd .l.ould be b ro u s M «o trial without"delay." Lord Lyons, has been further instructed to apply to the Federal Government for a pecuniary compensation to the widow of Mr. and to express the confidence of her Majesty s Government that full compensation will alsa be made for the loss the owners have sustained by the seizure of the vessel.—Tines, Feb. 29.