CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 558, 1 October 1863, Page 5

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

THE 1 CONFEDEiLITE; STE^MERsj ALABAMA. ANDGEORGIA.

CAPTURE OF A FEDERAL VESSEL

, OFF THE CAPE,

(From, the .Capj&^^MS,; August .20.) |

T&e steamer 'Hero,, 'arrived in" Hobsoh's on the" IBth inst: v from Liverpool^ after a passage; ofvs6;days. Afi'fixfi ■-v:-i'.'•'"- 0 V ';:*'( - • ;Gr^at:excitement prevailed atthe'eape, |ih c^seattence 'bfthe Sudden appearance of tie' Cohfeder&te steamers Alabama and Georgia. We extract' the, from tfe Gape fiirgusi Of the 20th"An^usV:— fi^.(fii fifi. - : fi fifi- j ■■« > -j^Our^Englisii readers will learn with cop- : siderable astonisHhieht- that the steamers A.labamaandiGceorgia have paid the" Cape \ a visit,. put; into our bays^i repaired,; cleaned^- painted, taken; in a goodl^iipplyjof fuel—that one of them, the^Alabama^ made a splendid capture of a'Federals barque within' sight of-Table Mountain,: and thakthe cG-eorgia': .is^tillin Simon's Bay/ refitting^epairing r •°^i ilV 1g 'As may be 1 supposed^ the^ arriyal;ofthese, ships'■:cause'd"'.';imiiLie'h^:excii;e-: mentr^} Thousands^of colonistsrnsited'them Jit had-been fi predicted.that the 7Commahders r ofithe jConfederate te.^^,n][ igfit ,take4t:into their .heads to pay > theiCape a" visit,i with"ah eye to homeward bound Federal* merchimtmen ii^'lndia'Shd ■Chiha>; but few^^paid much attention^ to the; pre-' idiction; -Two or; three times "a laugh'-Ha^: been raised by the announcement that a stealer:;""like the-;-^labama« sighted*off Algoaßa^. :'The:;laugh over, -ho one thought more .about; if untirohe of our: coasting ;cr^t---ther fi(^er-T-arrived un Table ;;Bay, rtbev commander fi of "which -x to the • port: captain.; that he" h^ bten;* boarded.- fi bf: Captaiii*- Semmes; lof the;:Alabima; who c hadHskedfor information respecting the various, baysI.along^the cba,st, and;such further .particulars relative to the colony^ and the humberJof Federals in Table tyfx WI showed that' the gallant- Confede rate .captain intended; .to pay; usaj visits and make some capture,.;; , Two or. three day 3 after this thedAtlasjiame .from; Saldanh'a Bay' and brought following; letter, from Captain -Semmes to his Excellency:— yA.fi - . ;" .Confederate;: States';:; Steamer Alabama^ Saldanha Bay,,August,l, ISa3; ; : His Excellency r Sir Philips Wodehousc,,.Governor, &c opportunity ds offered ;me ,by the §9^i»S,sc.hb.oner Atlas- to ; communicate with the;Cape^of;vvhich I. prbniptly avaiFmyself: I haverthe;honor to iiiibrm your\ E^cellehcy that 11;', arrived in 'd this ;3b*y.on Wednesday jnorning last, fop the purpose1 of effecting som|;^eces^uy Repairs-; : Ass? sooh ,as these repairs can iie,:(completed , t will; prbceed tb; sea j;;and; in; the; /meantime,'.'your l^cellehcy, may rest assured that J will payi the strictest" attention tQ the -neutrality of your 'Govern-.', D^^r-^ have;;the :honor- to bej &c, jj^. Semmes, Captain'C.,S."Navyi" V'-:'3 ■■ V ;://This letter,.;made:; piihlifl,iii the hipfhin* of ; :W"eadesdayv the - 4th "instant, caused; no little epitenient, - ■ The f- -'of • tte^> Commercial \Exchange was crowdedwit.h'merch^ts r« hinots of citizens isyere .collected .at: :thg corner^ of every street;- business wasalidst: if not altogether suspended,;. ; '-.yfi v p: j , ;: ; ~:- -

. About noon, « a steamer from the north west was made known by the signalman on the hill Just after one it was made- known, Confederate steamer Alabama, from the N.W., and Federal barque, from the S.E} » an J a £\ I e-t ca, me rouatl &<"» *c 5.E,., and about five miles fromtfyi bay, the steamer' 22? + T *PT he?' The ***cc wa, evidently taken by surprise. The Alabama fired a gun and'brought her to. She first sailed round the Yankee from stem to stern,. and stern to stem ag^. ' The way that fine, saucy, rakish craft was handled, was worth riding a hundred miles to see. She went round the barque like a toy, making a complete circle, and leaving an eveu margm of

< water between herself and her prize of not -~ m°re than twenty yards. This done, she sent g a^boat with the prize crew off, took possession ; ot the barque in the name of the Confederate - btates, and sent her to sea. The Alabama £ then made for the port." .fifiA .All that, could be gieaned, in addition tothe infor- • matio^m Captain Se.-nmes's letter to the Governor, a ' copy rf which was sent to the United States Consul 3 Tl? ie'i! ate y was received, was, that the schooner t Atlas has just returned from Malagas Island, where . she had beenivith water and vegetables for men collecting guano there. Captain Boyce, the master of _ tne Atlas, reported that he'had himself actually seen the steamer Alabama;^ boat from the steamer had t boarded lus vess 1,, and he had been on board her. His report of Captain Semmes corroborated that ; given by. everyone else. He said the captain was [ most courteous and gentlemanly. * He asked Captain \ -B/>yce; to land thirty prisoners for him in Table Bay, , with; which request Captain Boyce was unable to • comply.; Captain. Semmes said the Florida also was a short distance off the Cape, and that '■ the, Alabami, -when she had completed her ' repairs- and was clc-aned and painted, would ,: would pay -Table-Bay a visit. He expected to be there, hesaid, very nearly as soon as the Atlas. Now it may be well .imagined'- that in a place "like Cape Town,-where '• sensations" are few and far between, and the few: hot of the most thrilling sort, this news created something more than a considerable ' stir. , -v ' . ; Shortly after tbe Atlas arrived, a boat brought up some of the-prisoners from Sildanha Bay, and amongst them one of the crew'pf the Alhabama, who o 1 -I*- ?-a d I?ft tLe slli P- these waited upon the united. States consul, but were unable to give much information beyond what he bad already received. Hire was to be a cipture by the celebrated Confederate crate, close* to the entrance to Table Bay. The inhabitants rushed off to get a sight. Crowds of people ran up to. the Lion'a Hill, and to the Kloofroad- There were about thirty cabs on the stand; every one was chartered instantaneously and oft they sped as last as liorse coull be whippedto go over the Kloof, round to Sea Point, down,to the light-houses, wherever a peep coull be got at the ship. - r --A writer whp.saw the!affair from/Brighton, thus described the . capture of the Sea Bride:—: ; fi - ; .'.There'lay - the; Alabama within fifty yards ofthe , unfortunate Yaukee.- Whan we-first git sight of tHl^li^ ama >. it was difficiitD.o'make out what- she '™*a vi-aS ;-';the';'barque',s'head hadibeen put about, aud th^ Alabama;.lay off quite immovable, as if she : re■taking' a sightyat the^'varmint." -The weather was beautifully calm and clear, and the sea as smooth and transparent as a sheet of glass. Tne barque was .^kmg her way slowly from Ihesteamer with every bit 01-hey canvas-spread. Alabama, with "her ■ steam : offi'appeared to t,- e letting.'the.barque get clear ; w^ X;-x —at could tllss mean ?.- No one understood. VYhat .*lt mea.nt-.was soon seen. .Like; a cat watching ..and playing with a victimised mouse, ..Capt. Semmes* - permitted liis prize Jtoi draw off a,' few yards, and he *b, eiV: u P steam again, and: pounced upon her. This ,toote_plaee : at about, six miles fromihe land. ***. A •'■ The same writer went on to'remark:—" As we came backj we- found the heights overlooking Table Bay^ow^led with people; the road to Green Point lined wiih Jcabs; the.windows of the villa* at the bofc11™ ;°v the -hill were aii thrown up, and ladies waved .their handkerchiefs, and one and all joined in the general enthusiasm.^ Over the: quarries, along the M a _ lay* burial-ground, the gallows hill, and the beach, there wereomasses- of people - nothing but a sea of heads as far-as the; eyecould reach. Along Strandstreet and Adderley-street the roofs of all the houses from which Table Bay is overlooked were made available, as standing; places, for. persons who could not get boatsto go off to.the vessel.", The central, the north, .the. south, and the coaling jetties were all crowded: at the central jetty, it wa3 almost impossible to force ; onesway.throughtogeta boat We went off in our bpat in; the midst of a vast'fleet of dingies, cargo boats, gigs, aad.wherries—all" a-j full as they could hold. ,JMearly; all the'eity was at sea. The rowing clubs in uniform pulled off with favored members of their reßßeetive;. r .clubs on -board.- We. passed the . rederal barq;ue Urania at her- anchorage, and that ship regardless, of the enemy, sported all her bunting with;becoming;pluck.;, The stars and stripes floated defaantly from her mizenpeak- and her name from,nj?r warn: On getting alongside the Alabama we found about a dozen boats before us, and we had not been on board, fiveminutes before she was surrounded by nearly eyery boat in Table Bay, and, as: boat after boat arrived; three hearty cheers were given for Capt. Semfties and the Alabama • ..-'■. fifi Visitors, were.received by the officers of the ship most courteously and, without distinction, and the officers conversed freely and unreservedly of their explwt?. ..There was nothing like; brag about their maniisr- in answering the questions put to them. They are a fine and gentlemanly set of fellows. Most of them are young -men- ; The guns alone are wor.th going off; to see,: and every thing about the ship- -speakes highly; for; the ■■ seamanship - and discipline of the commander and his officers; Until e..^^?*.P«-h'o^4>e-did'ri6t'-know- the name of the s, hlP^pthred: Thesecond offlcer told us that it was ,-tb?. Sea'Bride> and; pointed out" her' supercargo, who stood aft conversing with aiiumber of people who had gathered around him." 'This, sir,' said the officer r 2? °™\ «fty : sixth capture^ We have sent her off ;MW;about ten 'of our mea as a" prize crew, and we lefta fejw* of'their* .own-men>on board of her We ••■wal.kel across* to ' get a little chat with the prisoner so .recentlycapered. -He is-'a superior man, and spoke ,ot thj bss.pf his cargo in the spirit of a philosopher. .Inanswer to otu--remark, that an hour more would have saved him- hesaidp YeSj it would. I had not the^retnotest idea D'of-r a: ca"ptiire'at this end of the ,|T° rW'- J T J Sever supposed that* she was in this direc;iW?v + 'J^?W" ! l°;.,S^;:eabiii .washing," said he, 'and *l?e : ,^te;came: i down and-;1 said there was a steamer -^.."ghc.;.^ Capital, I answered, it is: the English !.f^ftWn: * s!mll*he; jusfr in time for my letter^ ;,He,went^ up agaiiii and shortly returning:'\£hP* w:fahS,to; : luiil = "na*. ' HaU xxs/l answered .What can she wanW,'haU us • for ? and I went on SfiJi^^^^^-to the Confederate flag) and I soon saw who' we were falling into * the K Si, of' fil^ &fi}-b'e, mate,weshlll not be long here.' 'This, sir,' he went onto sa Y , Ms the SfW tT£ IhH b>^'; eaptured coming to lit Cape. I left New York in the M. J. Colhoun, and <vas".ciptured by the Florida in 33« west, and be- *"??£% aa4 29 ° nortL X went home all LS, ? a ntr6f^r 7° rb irect tor!the CaPe" His nlme is Mr H. Spaling The next we had an opportunrty of conversing with was the chief officer. This seZ tleman, who, by the way, stands about six feet four out of his shoes, showed us round his ship with iust pride,. He pomted out to us the peculiar qualities of the.magmacent guns. One of Blakely's rifle pieces is a terriblei looking weapon. It throws conica? shell? of a hundred weight j aud he remarked, ' When wa fought the Hatteras these conical shells stmpk w one after the other in a capital style They ?,sodl mth m 3 gaificent effect, aud lit up" her w?ole Cv Many ofthe captured crews (there were about 3ft prisoners on board) were in irons. CAPTAIN SEMJIES, AND THE EXPLOITS OF THE ALABAMA. We vere now introduced t 3 Captain Semmes who X "J> *° t^t"** h** engaged "in the Sin'S Mr W. J. Anderson, upon the subject of supS We received a very cord al ereetin? cr- ; *pp j us that he had tain flftieSSrineePhe ffin* Bahh. We-told him that Ca£in BlrtJ % l? ft bark Fortuna stated that on tffSd $fs?&i*Z ■ ship on fire, and supped that it was the work X witSe riS^ST^rt BaSt was quite right, bhe was the Annie F. Schmidffrom New York to San Franckco, with a geS car|o on board «We set her on fire in the S^ sa.H captain Semmes, "and shortly after we h » i done so, we heard a couple of sun* w^Vu u7 d Dido, We . did not Uke M^ S s J*&> captain, with ,a .laugh • «in fo^V ' ' the attempt to" take any of' wV- I ,^ c, neve»" The V Dido p fo pley" he „! 3je3ty S ■ friSat«- ------" asked us if we ha?d set £^2 fir ° p n *» T "V. swered we had, and hadovJTki and-I an«AH rights ASefl^lZSZ °sh^ rda vessel of about 1000-tons." We I ked ft^ get them oondemned, g«K T, am oblST?^ a court of myself, try every case 3 g a v here ships I take. The SropeYn ?owe« I C^ demQ the, them-complain of mv 6mmins«^i.- seersomeof me out of their ,norts am T +n a! -A?^ to keeP when I take themfbuuSm them?? He th^m his record-hook,'and we S He then fetched down ;-^« The shins Jp w the followmg Weather^age; w^buSed h£* Th'ewhawT^ Altahama; we burned her Tho Ji ?• wha ™S" bn S amin Tucker; ™SZn^t^n^K*?schooner Courser- we hnrruwi m.c whal"»g barque Vireinia •Jp '\^ , SR The baling hurned lier ThTpJi S D °f gram on board-; w

we put some of them on board her, and sent them off. The Wave Cre.-t. wilh a general cargo on board for Europe, we set on fir<. The Dunkirk, ■■'hi-igj' with a general; ca> gj on board, we burned. The ship Tonawnnda we captured with, a valuable. Ireight on board, and i eleas d . her, after taking a bond for 10,000dol. The ship Mauchester, with a <!3r<ro of grain, we burned. The barque Lamplighter, with nn assorted cargo for Europe, we burned. The barque, Laiayatts, with an assorted cargo, we burned. The schooner Crenshaw, witb an assorted cargo on board for the West Indie 3, we burned. The barrue Lauretta, for Europe.-wifch ah' assorted cargo on board, we burne-1. The brig Baron de Castine we took a bond from and released. The whaling ship Levi Starbuck we burned. The v. 13. Wales, lrom Calcutta to Boston with a valuable cargo on board we burned. The barque Martha, from Calcutta to the West Indies-, with an assorted cargo, we burned, rhe schooner Union, we, after boarding, iound had some English property on board, and released on bond. The mail steamer Ariel, running between New 1 ork and Aspinwall, we captured. Unfortunately, she was eoing not r turning, or wo should bave had a good lot of gold*; we released her on bond. The United gunTw'afc Hatterras, who came out tofigktus, had the same number of guns and crew; our guns were a a little heavier than hers, but- we equalised that by. permitting her to .fight us at three hundred yards; we sunk her in thirteen minutes by .the watch. The barque Golden Kule, with aa assorted cargo, we burned: she belonged to the same company as the Ariel. The brig Chastelaire we burned. The schooner Palmetto we burned. The barque Olive Jane we burned. The Golden E'igle, laden with guano, we burned. The Washington, from the Pacific, with'guano, we. released on bond. The Bethia Thagerl from East India, with a valuable cargo on board, we released onbond. The John A. Parker, with flour and lumber, from Boston to Buenos Ayres, weburned. The Punjaub, from East India we iound to have some English cargo on board, and we released her on bond. The ship .Morning Star wa released on".bond. The whaling schooner King -Fisher we burned. The ship Nora, from Liverpool to the West Indies, with salt, we burned. The Charles Hill, also from Liverpool, with coal, wg burned.' The ship Louisa Hatch? from Cardiff to the West Indies, ; we burned.' i he barque Lafayette, whaler, we burned. ' The whaling brig Kate Cory wo burned.. The whaling barque Nye; we burn. d. The ship Dorcas Price, with a general cargo, we burned. The ship Lelah, with a general cni-KO for the East Indies,. we burned. The barque Union Jack,: from Boston to Shanghai, we burned. We captured a Yankee consul on board of her. He was on his wav to Foo-Chow. We landed him at the. Brazils. The" ship Gildersleeve, from New York to the East Indies, we burned. The barque Justiana we released on bond, to take home prisoners. The ship Jabez Snow, from New York to Ihe East Indies, we burned. The barque Amazonian, from Boston to BueDos Ayres; we burned. The Bbip Talisman, from New York to ,the East Indies, we burned. The barque Conrad we fitted up as a Confederate crusier— a tender to the Alabama. We caliber the Tuscaloosa. •HUier there came the Anna F. Schmidt, the Express, and; the Sea Bride you saw us take to-day, The estimated value of these captures is 4,200,000 dol." Amongst the supplies the Alabama required was ''bread, but the gea Bird being half loaded with that article of daily food, saved Captain Semmes the necessity of purchasing. Captain Semmes is abont forty-eight years of age. He wears a moustache a la Napoleon, is rather grey, and has sharp, intelligent features. He wears a military frock coat, of grey color, with very little ornament. There were about seventy chronometers,.all prizes, ranged'round the cabin; and when the Astronomer Soyat (Sir T. Maclean) went on board, Captain Semmes asked him if he would take these to nurse, and deliver them, up when the war was over, Sir 'I horn as, however, preserved his neutrality by declining to take charge of Confederate prizes. Immediately the Alabama had drooped her anchor, Capt. Semmes forwarded his letter to his Excellency the Governor, announcing hi 3 arrival. The American consul, Mr Graham, sent his Excellency the Governor a protest against the capture of the Sea Bird, on tiie: ground that the vessel, was within British waters at .the time of her being stopped by the Alabama. His Excellency and the Executive heard the evidence on both sides with strict iapartiulity; but it was clear that the capture wa3 legal, arid that there was no ground for His ; Excellency's'interference. ;_, The E. Company's steamer, the Lady Jocelyn, came imd the bay at the some time, and in passing the Confederate steamer she manned her yards, and gave three cheers for the Alabama, a compliment that was cheerfully responded to by the Confederate -■crew.- .. •. ■ ~ SECOND DAT.—GREATER EXCITEMENT. ; " .Boats which had continued to put off with visitors to the steamer up to ten o'clock on the previous evenine, commenced again as soon as the sun rose on * the next morning, and by the time the decks of the steamer were scrubbed and holy stoned, men and women and children swarmed •: about : her ;; sides like bees about a hive ; ; they ran up the rigging, pushed their way through the port-holes, sat about upon the gun-car-Never before was there such a swarm of. people about any ship in Table Bay. H.M. steamer Valarous had come round from Simon's Bay during;the night, arid had taken np her position alongside the Alabama, to see that she observed the laws of neutrality—about which, however, there was" no fear. Captain Foray th, of the Valorous," paid Captain Semmes a visit in. the morning, and was exceedingly: well received. He' remained on board upwards ot i. half-an-hour ; after which Captain Semmes paid the Valorous a visit, and were equally welcomed. The prisoners on board the Alabama were landed, and sent by Mr W. Graham, the United States Consul, to the Sailors' Home. ,'.:'.'■-'•■' fi .THIRD'DAY. . On Friday, tbe steamer, which everyone said on Wednesday must leave,in twenty-four hours, was still lyi&g as quietly at anchor within a mile of the breakwater as the north-wester—which blew great guns—permitted her to; do. Her enormous guns, piercing her sides, kept a sharp look out over tli9town and the breakwater works, and, indeed, everything along the base of the Lion's Hill. The inhabitants, rich and poor, halt, maimed, lame, and blindnot only "old men and maidens, young men and children," but old women, '-dragons and all deep," went off to . see the Alabama, her captain, and Ler officer. Captain Semmes and his officers were perfectly good-natured throughout; they attempted r,o .restraint, were courteous to everybody, and not one who put a question to them was permitted to go away unanswered. Some wanted;the autograph pf the brave commander—it was written instantly; others asked for '' remembrances." regardless of value, and they got them. None of this arose from greed. On the contrary, valuable presents were sent off from the shore, and Captain" Semmes and his officers received as good as they gave, ; ~; What strikes one most ph. board the Alabama is to see so small a vessel carrying such large metal. She is not much larger, if she is at all larger than her Majesty's yacht the Victoria and Albert, and yet she has guns of the. largest size. She is the smallest vessel, with the largest guns, and the greatest speed afloat. She Is a perfect yacht, i 3 said to sail like a witch, find to steam without sail fiftern' knots. From time to time we heard from tbe lips of the officers on board further, descriptions of the engagement with the Hatteras. Jt "must have been sharp wb>k while it lasted. The crew behuved admirably. They cracked jokes over their guns whilst preparations for action were going . on, and set to work as coolly and carried out the orders of Captain Semmes, who gave them from the bridge, as if they were showing off at a naval review. Thefiuht commenced at 300 yards- sometimes the ships were within thirty yards of each other, and then the rifle shots flew over the Alabama like hail, but not one of them hit a man on board. A splinter wounded one of the seamen, but not dangerously. The first shot which hit the Alabama wont through the "stack," —the hole yet remains wilh a patch over it; another came under the after [gun, ripping up the deck for some distance, but it was so spent when it passed through that it did no further injury ; there was one ugly shot aft and one forward, and one shell lodged in the hawse hole unexploded. When it was taken out and opened it waa found to be full of. sand, supplied by a Yankee contractor to his own Government! "We have had," remarked one of the officers, " between fifty and sixty captains on board, and it is disgusting to hear how they speakto each other. Whenever oiie of them is taken, he expresses a hope that all the rest will fall into their hands, and is. quite ready to • teli us where to pounce upon them. ' Now you have taken me,' they say, 'I hope you will tske all the rest of us that are about.' Off Cuba, we had just taken one captain, and he told us where we could go and take six others. •We did go, and got them them all. It is difgnsting to hear how little nationality these fellows have.' On one occasion they took a ship (we suppose an emigrant ship) with 700 women aud children on board. The idea ot the poor women was, thafc they would all have their throats cut upon the spot, and they were considerably astonished to receive nothing but kindness atihe hands of their captors.

The motto upon the steairier's wheel is, '-Aide toi et Dieii Vaidera"—" Help yoursslf and Ond-will help you," - a new form of expression for the old Cromwellian "motto, " Trust in God and keep your powder dry."

LUOK.Y TOE THE FEDERALS—THE ALABAMA. LEAVES TABLE BAT. On Sunday morning the steamer, having taken her supplies on board, took her departure from Table Bay. _ She left at about ha'f past five o'clock in the morning. On leaving the bay, the Alabama steered a south-west course, and scarcely had she pot out of sight when the signalman on the Lion's Rump made down a sail to ths north-west, and subsequently another coming: from the same direction. Both turned out to be Federal merchantmen; one, the barque Kedron, from Baltimore to this port, with a general cargo, and- the other the whaling schooner Charles Colgate, from New London to Desolation, which put in for repair?. The Alabama passed within a few miles of both; the signal-man on the Lion's Hill had all the ships under his view at the' same time ; but a fog bunk between the steamer and the Federals I prevented Cap lain Semmes from getting a sight !of his enemies. On her passage to Simon's Bay the Alabama fell "in with the American ship Martha Winzell, bound from Akyab to Falmouth, but she not being three miles off the land at the time was allowed to proceed „on her voyage. The Alabama j then steamed into Simon's Bay;" ARRIVAL OE THE "TUSCALOOSA IN'SIMON'S BAY. The Confederate crusier Tuscaloosa, Lieutenant Low'commander, formerly the Conrad, of Philadelphia, captured by the Alabama, and couverted by "Captain Semmes into a tender to his ship, put into Simon's Bay two days before the Alabama arrive; there, forthe purpose of refitting. She carries two guns and ten men before the mast.. About four^ teen days before she fell in with the American ship Sautee, bound from Rangoon,to Falmouth, and cap-, tured her; but as the vessel was laden with cargo belonging to British owners, she was allowed to proceed on giving a band for 150,000d015. A few days afterwards the Tuscaloosa fell in with the American China clipper ship Snow Squall, 1000 tons, homeward bound. It was blowing hard at the time ; and the Tuscaloosa having fired at the Snow Squall without bringing her to, made chase ; bufc the latter, being the fastest sailer, escaped. DEPARTURE OF THE ALABAMA FROM SIMON'S BAY. ARRIVAL OF THE GEORGIA. The Alabama sailed from Simon's Bay on Saturday last. The barque Saxon, from Algoa Bay, reports having been boarded by the Confederate steamer Alabama off the Cape. . |After inspection of the ship's papers, she was allowed to proceed on her voyage, with an apology for the detention. The Saxon arrived in Table Bay on Monday. On Sunday afternoon, the Confederate steamer Georgia, Captain Maury, entered Simon's Bay for coals and repairs. She appears to be an iron built packet boat, certainly not intended for a fighting craft; but, having" a good crew, and being armed, with two Whitworth rifled guns aft,.one large fifty-six gun forward, and two thirty-twos, on her quarter-deck, and being a fast sailer, is well-suited to capture merchant-ships, and run from war vessels of superior armament but inferior speed. We are indebted to one of her officers fpr a history of the vessel and her exploits. The Georgia was built by Messrs Denny and Co, of Dunbarton. Her officers joined her off Ushant Islands oh the 9th of April, on which day she finished getting her armament on board, hauled down the English and ran up the Confederate flag. She then put to sea. On April 25, she captured the ship Dictator, of New York, bound to Shanghai, with coal. After burning the Dictator, she proceeded to the Cape Verde Islands to land her prisoners. As she got into the entrance of the harbor of St. Vincent, she. discovered a man-of-war, with the American colors flying; put about, and went to the north side of the island, where she lay until dark; and then stosd out for ses. On May 13, she arrived in Bahia, where the Alabama was lying at the time. From Bahia she proceeded down the South American coast. Off Gape Frio, in sight of land, she captured the George Griswold, which vessel had a British cargo on board, and was therefore; bonded. The Georgia' then proceeded to the Island of Trinidad; on her way capturing the barque Good Hope, of Boston, bound to Agulhas, with a general cargo. Her captain had died some days before, and his body beiDg preserved in salt, Captain Maury had it brought on board the Georgi, read the funeral service over it, and committed it to the deep. During tbe service the barque J. W. Sever hove in sight, and was chased by the Georgia.. She was from Boston, bound to the Amqor B-iver. with machinery for the Russian Government, The prisoners of the Good Hope were put on board, and she was bonded. On the 18ih June the Georgia' arrived at thei island of Trinidad. On the 25th June she captured the ship Constitution, of New York, loaded with, coal for Shanghai, made a prize of her, and took her into the island. On the 28th July the Georgia captured the ship City of Bath, of Bath, from Callao to Antwerp. The cargo being neutral, she was bonded, and the prisoners of the Constitution were put on beard her. On the 16th July the Georgia captured the ship Prince of Wales, of Bath, from Valparaiso, bound* to Antwerp, with guano. The cargo being neutral, the ship was bonded. The following is a list of the Georgia's officers :— W. L. Murray, commander; Chapman, first lieutenant; Evans, second Lieutenant; Smith, third lieutenant; Ingrabam, fourth". lieutenant; . "Walker, passed midshipman; Morgan/ midshipman; .* Curtis, paymaster; Wheedon, dostor; Pearson, chief engineer. The Georgia will take in from 200 to 300 tons of coals, besides general supplies. . 'THE FLORIDA. Tne Florida is expected to put into Saldanak Bay. The Valorous was last; night signalled, to proceed at once to that port. - OFFICERS OF THE ALABAMA. '■-■ The following is a list ofthe officers of tbe Alabama: —Captain Semmes; Lieutenant Kell (who was at this port in 1852, in the: United States steamer Sus quehanna); Lieutenants Armstrong, Wilson, and Sinclair; Surgeon and Paymaster Gait; Master J. S. Bullock; Lieutenant Howell, marines (brother-in-law of President Davis); Assistant Surgeon,Llewelellyn ; . Chief, Engineer Freeman ; Assistant Engineers Brooks, O'Brien, and Pundfc; Mid-ship-jien E, A. Mofitt "(son of the commander of .the Florida), "and E. M. Anderson; Master's Assistants Fulham and Evans ; Boatswain M'Caskie; Gunner Cuddy; Carpenter Itobinson; and Captain JSemmes's secretary, Mr Smith. A young officer as-sistant-engineer. ;;;' •CO RRESPONDEN OB BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AKD THE UNITED STATES CONSUL. As soon as it was known that the Alabama was in Saldanha Bay, Mr Graham, the United States consul at C<ipeTown, addressed a letter to the Governor, requesting that the vessel might be ': at once seized and sent to England, from wlience she clandestinely escaped," on ; the ground.that the British Government, which had a treaty pf amity and commerce with .the United States, had not recognised "the persons in rebellion against the United States as a Government at all." His Excellency replied that he had no instructions or authority, to seize or detain the ;vessel, and that the course taken by Captain Semmes wa«, in his' opinion, in conformity with the instructions he had received relative to ships of war and privateers belonging to tbe Government of the United States, and the states calling themselves the Confederated States, visiting British ports.. Against the capture of the Sea Bride, Mr Graham pretested, on the ground that the cap'ure was made withiii British waters, contending that - neutral waters were limited to the fighting distance from land, which, since the invention of Armstrong guns, must be held to be six miles. He also subsequently claimed her forfeiture on the ground that, on the day succeeding her capture, the prize crew on board of her brought her within a mile and a 'half :;of Green Point Lighthonse, which, he maintained was "\vasa violation of neutrality as much as if the capture had taken place at a distance from land." But on both points the decision of the Governor was adverse to his views. - Mr Graham also claimed the delivery to him, as the official agent of the former owners ofthe Conrad, of the Tuscaloosa, on the gound that, being a prize, and "nofc having been condemned by any Admiralty Court bf any recognised Government," she was debarred from entering any British port, and ought, therefore, " to revert to her real owners" the moment she violated the Queen's proclamation. His Excellency replied that he was-not aware of any provision ot international law by which captured ships, as soon, astuey enteral neutral ports, reverted to their real owners; he believed that the claim of ? P rmS n?nP^ tiel vessels could be determined n the first instance only hythe courts of the captor's country, and was satisfied that the Tuscaloosa was entitled to be regarded as a veSel of war. Against the decision of His Excellent in each case MONTJHENT TO A DECEASED OPFKJER. The following inscription.is beino- or, m . n ,^j tombstone to be erecte/at nam of one oi the officers of the Alabama, whSe methis death:-' Sacred to tbe memory of Simeon W. Cummings, assistant eng neer of the Confederate Stutes steamer Alabama, who died August 3 ws from the accidental discharge of a cun hv i^L fifi ' hands. Aged thirty-six." The deceased hid gone on shore to have some sport, and accidentally shot himself. . . ... (From the Cape Argus, Aug. 20.) Parliament —Eemoval to GRiH.iM's Tow? The fifth and last session ofthe second Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope was formally prorogued on i the 88th July until tjie 16th September. In his

speech upon the occasion his Excel-ency the Governor announced that it was his intention to summon the next Parliament to assemble in Graham's Town. The announcement took all parties by surprise, no hint of his Excellency's intention having been previously given.

Fearful Storm.—One Hundred and Forty Sheep Killed by Lightning.—Mrs Joshua Prior, of Scbraal Fontein, writes to tlie GrahavUs Town Journal, under date 14th July :—" A very heavy storm, accompanied by thunder and lightning, passed over Sehraal Fontein on Friday night last (10th inst. ). When the storm was at its height, the lightning struck the kraal at one of the outposts, totally demolishing one corner of the kraall, and killing iv an instant 140 wether sheep, and injuring as many more, several of which have since died. The sheep presented an extraordinary appearance, lying piled up one above the other, as though they nad heen placed by hands. Fortunately the shepherds' huts, though only a few yards ofl, were not touched."

British Kaffraria.—Refc'irm of the Customs of East London, for the quarter ended 30th June last, have been published in. the Government Gazette, The total value of articles imported in the qdfirtei' was L 51,195, against L 28,051 in the corresponding period of last year. The entries for consumption to L 49,900, against L 29,557 in 1802.. The principal increase was in breadstufls, ' Of Cape flour the imports during the quarter amounted to 974,6801b, against 158,9201b in 1562. In manufactured goods of all descriptions there is a serious failing off. Ihe value of' goods warehoused is stated to be L 6,392. The exports during the half year amounted to L 16,077, beir-g an increase of L 3.324 upon those of the corresponding period of 1862. In wool there was an increase of nearly L3.0C0, and an increase in horns of LIBOO. AU other articles of export show a falling off". Twenty-four vessels—total tonnage 3748—were entered inward during; the half year, and tl c same number outward.-' tbe tonnage outward bain-^ stated to bo 3705. In the first half of the year 1862 twelve vessels were entered, inward, and ten outward; their tonnage bting 2093 and 1890 respectively.

The Border. —On the frontier all is,quiet, and there is no apprehension of any outbreak of hostility o.u the part of the native tribes to this Government.