THE LAST OF THE FLORIDA.

FROM THE INGHAM PAPERS.


[The Florida, Anglo-Rebel pirate, after inflicting horrible injuries on
the commerce of America and the good name of England, was cut out by
Captain Collins, from the bay of Bahia, by one of those fortunate
mistakes in international law which endear brave men to the nations in
whose interest they are committed. When she arrived here the government
was obliged to disavow the act. The question then was, as we had her by
mistake, what we should do with her. At that moment the National
Sailors' Fair was in full blast at Boston, and I offered my suggestion
in answer in the following article, which was published November 19,
1864, in the "Boatswain's Whistle," a little paper issued at the fair.

The government did not take the suggestion. Very unfortunately, before
the Florida was got ready for sea, she was accidentally sunk in a
collision with a tug off Fort Monroe, and the heirs of the Confederate
government or the English bond-holders must look there for her, if the
Brazilian government will give them permission.

For the benefit of the New York Observer I will state that a despatch
sent round the world in a spiral direction westward 1,200 times, would
not really arrive at its destination four years before it started. It is
only a joke which suggests it.]

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