Tuesday, February 18th.—­* * * * The Southampton mail steamer arrived, bringing news from London to the 12th.  The news of the defeat and death of General Zollicoffer is confirmed.

Wednesday, February 19th.—­Called on Captain Warden, and had a conversation with him on the subject of our blockade by the Tuscarora.  Called his attention to the prevention of signals, the Tuscarora communicating with Gibraltar by boats.  Gave notice if the Tuscarora came in I should claim precedence of departure, &c.  The Warrior went to sea.  Judging from the tone of the English journals there is no prospect of our immediate recognition.  Sent to Cadiz-for coal.

Thursday, February 21st.—­* * * * The newspapers state that there are seven Yankee ships in pursuit of us—­four steamers and three sail-ships.  Three of the steamers were at Teneriffe on the 11th of January.  A report has reached us that our Paymaster and ex-Consul Tunstall are prisoners in Tangier!  Received a letter from Captain Warden, informing me that the Governor had prohibited all vessels in the harbour from making signals, and had prohibited the Tuscarora from communicating with the harbour by boats so long as she remained in Spanish waters, &c.

Saturday, February 22nd.—­The report is confirmed of the illegal imprisonment in Tangier of Paymaster Myers and Mr. Tunstall.

CHAPTER X.

The Tangier difficulty—­Loyalty of United States Consuls—­A daring act—­Imprisonment of the two Confederates—­Captain Semmes’ appeal—­No results—­An armed force from the Ino—­Threatened rescue—­Neutrality again—­Foreign Office intelligence—­The Harvest Home—­Garnered.

The imprisonment of the two gentlemen alluded to at the conclusion of the last chapter, is an episode in the history of the Sumter which demands something more than mere passing notice.  When the news of the occurrence reached England it excited a considerable amount of attention, as not only did the case exhibit some curious phases of the working of the law of “strict neutrality,” but it also afforded a very excellent idea of the marvellous loyalty of one of the United States Consuls.  Reference has been previously made to the zealous conduct of the consular officials of the North.

It has been shown that at Maranham, Cayenne, Paramaribo, Cadiz, and Gibraltar, the respective Yankee Consuls acted upon the broad principle that every Confederate was the natural enemy of the United States, and a rebel to boot.  Not content with simply holding this opinion, the task these gentlemen set themselves was, to indoctrinate the Governments of the several countries in which they were located with the same views of the case.  In some cases they succeeded so far as to cause considerable vexation to Captain Semmes; and if they failed to convince the authorities, that the Sumter was a piratical craft, they at least succeeded in occasionally entailing needless delays in obtaining those necessary supplies, which as an officer in the service of a country recognised as a belligerent, the commander of the Sumter had a right to demand.