sea, but accompanied by an intimation that the six prizes would be
detained until instructions could be received from headquarters
concerning them.

Lieutenant Chapman was now sent on shore with the following despatch for
the Governor, and also to make arrangements for coaling and for the
safety and ultimate disposition of the prizes:

C.S. Sumter. Cienfuegos, Island of Cuba,
July 6th, 1861.

Sir,--I have the honour to inform your Excellency of my arrival at the
Port of Cienfuegos with seven prizes of war. These vessels are the
brigantines Cuba, Machias, Ben Dunning, Albert Adams and Naiad; and
barques West Wind and Louisa Kilham, property of citizens of the United
States, which States, as your Excellency is aware, are waging an unjust
and aggressive war upon the Confederate States, which I have the honour,
with this ship under my command, to represent. I have sought a port of
Cuba with these prizes, with the expectation that Spain will extend to
cruisers of the Confederate States the same friendly reception that in
similar circumstances she would extend to the cruisers of the enemy; in
other words, that she will permit me to leave the captured vessels
within her jurisdiction until they can be adjudicated by a Court of
Admiralty of the Confederate States. As a people maintaining a
Government _de facto_, and not only holding the enemy in check, but
gaining advantages over him, we are entitled to all the rights of
belligerents, and I confidently rely upon the friendly disposition of
Spain, who is our near neighbour in the most important of her colonial
possessions, to receive us with equal and even-handed justice, if not
with the sympathy which our unity of interest and policy, with regard to