SAN DOMINGO.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 12, 17 March 1866, Page 3

SAN DOMINGO.

The following is an extract from a private letter from Port-au-Prince, dated November 8 : — " Political affairs bear a very bad aspect since the last two or three days, especially as the English have now got their fingers in the pie. I will try and give you an account hy what means they have become implicated in this business. It appears that Mr. Dutton, English consul at the Cape, had taken to his house a few Haitien refugees, and that M. Salvare, the rebel chief, had desired Mr. Dutton to give up those people, which he refused, whereupon his house was entered by force, and the poor fellows who were under his protection taken out and shot by Salvare on the seashore. The rebels then commenced to wreak their vengence on the Consul's house ; they smashed up his furniture, took everything they could lay their hands on, and to wind up their fun, they pulled down the English flag, stamped and spat ur>..n it, they at the time not being aware of the consequences arising from this insult. Mr. Button immediately went on board her Majesty's ship Bulldog (which vessel was lying off the Cape at the time), and laid the question before the captain, who went to work at once and asked Salvare what he meant. The reply was that what he (Salvare) had already done Avas well done, and 'auxblancs.' The captain wont on board, and wrote him a letter, stating that if he did not give him full and ample satisfaction, he would take it upon himself to do so, and si tisfy all parties concerned ; he gave him four and twenty hours to think over it, and then left the Cape. "Next morning the 'Bulldog' was seen steaming into the harbor, and on passing Fort Picoli was fired into by Salvare. The 'Bulldog' at once answered the fire with a withering broadside, dismantled all the guns on that fort, sent a shell into the arsenal, blowing it up. The ' Voldrogne,' a vessel you must remember that was taken by the rebels, had the impudence to fire at the ' Bulldog.' One shot in return was quite enough to settle her ; after receiving it she reared on her hind legs, and went down stern foremost to the bottom, in about fifteen fathoms. A schooner, armed by Salvare, came to the rescue of I the ' Voldrogne.' It is needless to say that she met ! with the same fate. The worst, however. I have yet to tell. The poor 'Bulldog I ,' after having * .night up- | wards of ten hours, and. after doing ali sue cuuici, got on shore on one of the numerous reefs about Cape Haitien. Immediately the miserable rebels on j shore took advantage of her position, and brought all j their batteries to bear. The captain fought to the last pound of gunpowder : that finished, he thought it necessary to set fire to and abandon his vessel. The 'Bulldog' was a small gunboat of six guns ; the officers and crew have gone to Jamaica in the ' Union' screw steamer. All the English are in high glee at the gallant conduct of the ' Bulldog.' "