SLIDELL AND MASON.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE SPECTATOR...1 Sin,—In reading the Life of Lord Lyons by Lord Newton, I find on page 74, regarding the embarkation of Slidell and Mason, that he says : " They were accordingly conveyed in an American ship from Port Warren to Provincetown, and there embarked on a British warship for Halifax, it having been expressly stipulated that the transfer should not take place at night. From Halifax they proceeded subsequently to Europe." What happened was this. In December, 1861, the `Rinaldo,' Commander William Hewett, left Staten Island, New York, under sealed orders, directing him to proceed to Provincetown, Cape Cod, to embark Messrs. Slidell and Mason and their secretaries. On the afternoon of January 1st, 1862, a small tug-steamer flying American colours went along- side H.M.S. 'Rinaldo' with the four gentlemen on board; they were transferred to Commander Hewett's charge on board the Rinaldo,' and the ship immediately proceeded to sea, en route for Halifax. Such severe weather, however, was encountered outside that on the 5th Commander Hewett was obliged to bear up for Bermuda, which was reached on the 9th. He left again on the 10th, arriving at St. Thomas on the 14th, when Messrs. Slidell and Mason and the secretaries embarked for England in the R.M. steamer ' Las Plates.' For these details I am indebted to Admiral Alington, who was then first lieutenant of the 'Rinaldo.' I was in the *St. George,' on the same station, at the time, and spent many years afterwards with Sir William Hewett, from whom I often heard the story. I must apologize to Lord Newton for correcting this very slight error.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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