The Pall Mall Gazette has received a long special telegram
from Cologne, which appears to explain the curious incident about the German frigate. It appears that Captain Werner, commanding the Frederick Charles, was about to proceed to Carthagena to protect German residents, when he encountered the Vigilante carrying a Red flag. In concert with the commander of the British advice-boat Pigeon, he attacked the Vigilante, took her, manned her, and with the three vessels menaced Carthagena in case German or British subjects were attacked. General Contreras, commanding in Carthagena, demanded an explanation, and was informed by Captain Werner that he had no inten- tion of interfering in the internal politics of Spain ; that he had a clear right to take any vessel he suspected of piracy, that the Red flag was full ground of suspicion, and that he could only restore the vessel on these conditions,—that the Red flag should be acknowledged to be irregular, that the insurgent Govern- ment should guarantee the safety of all foreigners, and that the fleet should remain at anchor till he could receive instructions. As Captain Werner was acting, in concert with the only Govern- ment in Spain, and was within Spanish waters, we cannot see wherein he or the captain of the Pigeon erred, though we can see that the German fleet, once organised, will be strong. It is, we suppose, old-fashioned to think that a war fleet not belonging to any government, with a red flag at the masthead, wan- dering vaguely about the world, is a nuisance which should be sunk. How is a fleet of that kind, without supplies, to be provided unless by plunder,—that is, by piracy ?
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