Charles Tifft, of Key West, Fla., was arrested at that place on the 17th of October, 1861, on the charge of having furnished funds to McKay, the master of the steamer Salvor, for the purchase of arms in Havan; to be run into a rebel port on board the said steamer. The case of Tifft was brought before the grend jury at the November term of the U. S. district court at Key West but he was not indicted. He was retained in custody, however, till the 6th day of December, 1861, when he was released on giving a bond with two sureties in the sum of $5,000 not to leave the island without the written permission of the commanding officer of the port. The Department of State had no information of this arrest till December 26, 1861, when a report from Major B. H. Hill, commanding post at Fort Taylor, dated December 6, 1861, stating the above facts, was received from the War Department.

Don Santos, one of the crew of the bark M. S. Perry or Salvor, was captured by the Keystone State, Captain Scott commanding on the 14th of October, 1861, about twenty miles south of Tortugas. The Perry was attempting to run the blockade with the British flaf flying and with a cargo of contraband goods. Santos was brought with the prize into the port of Philadelphia and forwarded to Fort Lafayette. He was released February 3, 1862, by order of the Secretary of State, having given his evidence before the prize court at Philadelphia. - From Record Book, State Department, "Arrests for Disloyalty. "

U. S. DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,

Key West, October 16, 1861.

[Major WILLIAM H. FRENCH.]

SIR: A note addressed to yourseld by Commander G. H. Scott requesting you to return three men taken from the prize brought into this port by Commander Scott and now in Fort Taylor, by you sent to Honorable William Marvin, has been by him referred to me. * There is no doubt that the men mentioned are guilty of treason against the Government of the United States, the offense having been committed on the [high] seas. They can only be tried in this district after having once been brought here. It is conswquently defeating the ends of justice to take or send them to New York. In addition to this fact the vessel has been libeled and an attachment regularly issued and the vessel, the Salvor or M. S. Perry, is now properly in the custody of the U. S. marshal. If the marshal should cal on you for assistance in keeping or regaining possession of the prize it is my opinion you would be justified in giving it, but violence disproportioned to the nature of the outrage would not of course be justifiable, such for instance as sinking the vessel in the channel to prevent her leaving port.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

THOS. J. BOYNTON,

U. S. District Attorney.

[Indorsement.]

The steamer is leaving without my being able to send any letters of advice or explanation.

WM. H. FRENCH,

Brevet Major, Commanding.

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* Not found.

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