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Latey, John Lash (editor) : The Illustrated London News. No. 1119. Vol. XXXIX. Saturday, November 30, 1861. AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

(London: George C. Leighton, 1861)

400 x 280 mm; magazine, disbound from volume XXXIX, without wraps (as issued), and contained within a film fronted bag; pp. [535-566]; several woodcuts. Regular light browning; some soiling and fingering throughout; some glue remnants to stitching. News in this issue includes the excavation and construction of London's drainage system (with several illustrations), and the continuing American Civil War, with information up to the 15th of November, as reported in New York. The front page illustration shows "Destruction of the Federal merchantman Harvey Birch by the Confederate war-sloop Nashville." Excerpts: 'Colonel Cochrane, in addressing his regiment in Washington, urged the arming of the Southern slaves against their masters. The Secretary for War was present on the occasion, and is reported to have fully endorsed Colonel Cochrane's speech. … Startling news has been brought by the West Indian mail steamer La Plata, which arrived at Southampton on Wednesday. On the 8th inst. Mr. Slidell, the accredited commissioner to France from the Confederate States, and Mr. Mason, engaged on a similar mission to France, with their respective secretaries, Messrs. Eustis and M'Farland - who had run the blockade at Charleston and arrived at Havannah on the 18th ult., were forcibly taken out of the British mail-steamer Trent by the commander of the American steam-frigate San Jacinto. It appears that on the 7th inst. The Trent sailed in her regular course of service from Havannah for St. Thomas. On the following day, while the Trent was approaching a narrow passage in the Bahama Channel, a large steam-ship of war, which showed no colours, was seen waiting ahead. The Trent hoisted the British ensign, but elicited no reponsive display of colours until she had approached within about 200 yards of the strange ship, which then fired a shot across the Trent's bow, hoisted the United States' flag, and fired a shell to leeward of the Trent. Captain Moir, the commander of the Trent, hailed the United States' steamer's captain, who replied that he wished to send a boat on board. A boat, containing two officers and ten men, boarded the Trent; and the boat's commanding officer, Lieutenant Fairfax, demanded to inspect the passenger-list, but was refused permission. He then declared that his commander, Captain Wilks, of the United States' steam-ship San Jacinto, had received information that Messrs. Slidell, Mason, Eustace, and M'Farland were among the passengers, and required that they should be given up to him. … Mr. Slidell, as he was forced into the boat, requested the Trent's Captain to report exactly what had occurred, and declared that he looked to the British Government for redress for the outrage committed upon him while he was under the protection of the British flag.'

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