By: Editor 2
In order to correct any misstatement that may be made of the circumstances of the English brig of war Express firing into the Prometheus, I beg of you to give the following statement an insertion in your paper:
At 2 P. M., I proceeded to get my ship under weigh to proceed to sea, having but just received the last of our passengers from the Pacific steamer, numbering in all about 500. At this moment the city authorities of Greytown,* constituted, as they stated, by authority of the Muskete King, came on board the ship with a police force, and served a process of attachment on the ship and myself for the amount of $123, claimed by the authorities for present and arrearage port dues charged on the ship, which we supposed to be illegally demanded, and had consequently refused to pay them, as I did in the present instance.
The port dues are made up from the weight of anchorage in the harbor, Captain of the Port's fees and pilotage.
I hove up my anchor and dropped down the harbor with the current, having alongside one of the river steamers, receiving from her the baggage of the passengers. The English brig-of-war laying a short distance from us, immediately got underweigh, made sail for us, and when within a quarter of a mile from us, fired a round shot over our forecastle, not clearing the wheel-house over ten feet. In a few moments another shot was fired, which passed over the stern so near that the force of the ball was distinctly felt by several passengers. I sent a boat on board the brig to inquire the cause of the firing into us.
The Captain stated that it was to protect the authorities at Georgetown in their demands; and if we did not immediately anchor he would fire a bomb-shell into us, and ordered his guns loaded with grape and canister shot; at the same time, our small steamer left us, and I proceeded under steam back to our anchorage, and anchored. The brig stood up the harbor, and anchored very near us; sent a boat on board of us with orders that our fires should be put out, and that an officer would be sent to see that the fires were extinguished. The shore authorities then came on board, and, under the circumstances of the case, the amount demanded was paid, and we were permitted to proceed to sea by the Captain of the brig.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
Henry Churchill,
Captain of Steamship Prometheus
