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CASE OF THE GOLDEN RULE.

No certificate of the neutral ownership of any portion of the cargo.  The only bills of lading found on board are the following:—­

Marcial and Co. to Gregorio Miro and Co., 2069.28 dollars; insured against war risk.

Keeler and Vonhiss to John Wilson, 724.20 dollars.  Consigned to order, and for account and risk of “whom it may concern.”

Woolsey, consigned to order.  Amount not stated, and no letter of advice.

Berner to Field.  Amount not stated, and no letter of advice.

Herques and Maseras to Juan Melendez, 41.58 dollars.

F. Hernias to Gillas.  Amount not stated, and no letter.

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The Golden Rule furnished a supply of papers containing an abundance of welcome news.  From them the Alabama learned of the safe escape of her sister cruiser, the Florida, from Mobile, as well as of the foundering of the United States gunboat Monitor in a gale, during her passage down the coast.  The good news was also received of the entire failure of an attack on Vicksburg.

The time was now pretty much taken up in reinstating the discipline which had been somewhat shaken by the brief stay at Port Royal, and in awarding due punishment for the various offences there committed.  On the whole, however, considering the hard service the men had undergone, and the length of the confinement they had sustained without a single “spell” on shore, the offences could not be considered very numerous.  A few of the petty officers were disrated, and various minor penalties inflicted, and on the 31st of January the court-martial, which had been employed on this unpleasant but necessary service, terminated its sittings and was dissolved.

Meanwhile another prize had fallen into the Alabama’s hands, in the shape of the United States brig Chastelain, of Boston, from Martinique and Guadaloupe for Cienfuegos; and the following day, after duly committing her prize to the flames, the Alabama arrived at San Domingo, dropping anchor off the town at 6 P.M.

In the harbour were two other vessels:  one a New York brig, under English colours.  The anchor had not been long down when a visit was received from the Captain of the Port, who proved to be an old acquaintance of Captain Semmes, he having piloted the brig Porpoise about the island at the time when the latter officer was First Lieutenant of that vessel.  He seemed much pleased to renew the acquaintance, and volunteered to take on shore, to the Governor, Captain Semmes’ request for permission to land his prisoners.

Soon he returned, bringing with him a commander of the Spanish navy with the required permission.  The prisoners were accordingly sent on shore, from whence they shortly returned, somewhat crestfallen, with the intelligence that no one was allowed to land after dark.  The Captain, however, being anxious to depart, application was made to the authorities, who courteously permitted the prisoners to be sent for the night to the government vessel, undertaking to send them on shore in the morning.