SEIZURE OF THE ARGENTINE SQUADRON BY THE AMERICAN COMMODORE.

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 29, 9 July 1845, Page 3

SEIZURE OF THE ARGENTINE SQUADRON BY THE AMERICAN COMMODORE.

The following letter was posted in the Liverpool Underwriter's Room, on Thursday :— "Buenos Ayres, Oct. 2, 1844.—Circumstances of an extraordinary nature took place at Monte Video on Sunday, the 29th ult., being nothing less than the seizure by the American Commodore, commanding the United States frigate Congress, of the whole of the Argentine squadron. We recall to your recollection the fact that since the departure of Commodore Purvis, the fishingboats of Monte Video are seized by the Argentines whenever they can catch them. *On Sunday one of these boats was pursued by an armed schooner, having the Buenos Ayrean flag ; and the latter having the best of the race, the boat ran under the lee of an American barque for security, upon which the armed schooner, • without hailing or other usual notice, fired shotted guns into the barque, doing some damage; being at the same time, too, within the range of the Congress's guns. The American commodore immediately sent an armed boat to take possession of the aggressive schooner, and then of the whole Argentine squadron in detail, lowering the flag of each vessel in succession. Commodore Gienfell, commanding the Brazilian force at Monte Video, sent a message to Captain Phippin, stating that he considered tbe blockade to he void, as the blockading naval force had ceased to exist. Her Britannic Majesty's brig Philomel arrived here to day, despatched by Mr. Turner with letters to Mr. Mandeville and there the affair stands at present. —We may add, that the armed schooner did not strictly belong to the squadron, but is one of the small craft fitted out by Oiibe, and manned by the lowest class of foreigners, chiefly Italians, who receive no fixed pay, but remunerate themselves by prize-money. She carried no papers of any kind, aud the* American commodore retains her as a ' piratical craft.!* 1 have detailed this affair to you because the consequences are likely to be serious. On the same day a sortie was made from Monte Video, under the command of Flores, who succeeded in surprising a party of Oribe's men, slew about sixty of them, and carried off a quantity of cattle and horses, which were driven into the town."