The capture of the Georgia.
We have high authority for stating that the steamer Georgia, reported captured in the Northern papers of the 7th, was not the Confederate cruiser which has been doing such good service among the Yankee shipping. The captured steamer was some time ago dismantled and sold to a British merchant at Liverpool, was loaded with a British cargo, and put upon the line between Liverpool and Lisbon.--The "protest" entered by her captain against her seizure was, therefore, made in good faith, and may lead to trouble between the Yankee and British Governments. The following are extracts from European papers concerning the affair:[from the London shipping Gazette, August 24.]
London, August 24.
--The supposed capture by a Federal war steamer of the Georgia (s), formerly in the Confederate service, but lately publicly disposed of to an English merchant at Liverpool, has produced considerable excitement among the underwriters, who contend that the act was illegal, and demand the immediate attention of the Government to the seizure.
[from the Dublin Freeman's Journal, August 25.]
Private telegrams received at Liverpool announce that the Federal frigate Niagara has seized the ex-Confederate cruiser Georgia, bound to Portugal, landed her crew, and sent the ship to New York. Liverpool, August 24.--The master (Withycombe) and thirty-three of the crew of the steamship Georgia have been landed at Dover by the Federal steamer Niagara. The following has been received by the Secretary of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company in London: Ellora (s. sr.), Gibraltar, August 15, 1864.
To the Managing Directors Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company:
Gentlemen:
On the 15th instant, at 2 P. M., Great Burlings ring N. E. eight to nine miles distant, we passed close to two screw steam vessels, both under steam, but hove to with their heads in shore.
The larger of these was evidently an American-built frigate, and was flying the Federal flag.
The smaller was an English-built vessel, of about seven hundred to eight hundred tons, without any flag flying, and was deeply laden.
On her stern was written in white letters, (apparently quite recently done,) "Georgia, Liverpool." Heavily laden boats were frequently passing from the smaller to the larger vessel.
Preparations also appeared to be going on for hoisting in heavy weights.
On the poop of the smaller vessel were several officers in American naval uniform and a number of men evidently belonging to the frigate, all fully armed.
Boats were passing between the ships as long as we could discern them.
The Georgia, it will be recollected, was, for a length of time, engaged as a Confederate privateer.
She arrived at Liverpool a few months ago, and was publicly sold to Mr. Bates, of that port, for £15,000 or £16,000; was subsequently taken up by the Portuguese Government for the conveyance of mails from Liverpool, Lisbon, to the Azores and back; and it appears she was in transit to those ports when her capture was made, with her cargo.
The affair has caused much excitement in the North.
The Herald says of it: ‘
The Georgia, when seized, was under the British flag, and her captain entered a protest against her seizure.
The event excites much controversy.
It is rumored that the capture was effected under consent of the British Government.
There is much difference of opinion as to the legality of the capture; but general satisfaction is expressed. ’
Some attributed the quick recovery of gold this morning in part to the capture of the privateer Georgia, under the British flag, the impression being that it may possibly lead to entanglements with England. To the Managing Directors Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company:
Gentlemen:
