Washington, June 6, 1861. – It having been reported that a large number of arms had been stored in Havana, under the protection of the British flag, for the Confederate States, Consul Schufeldt was directed to inquire into the subject. A letter has just been received from him, is which he says the matter had previously engaged his attention. He had found that all munitions of war brought there as merchandise must be immediately deposited in a government warehouse, and are sold thence only by express permit from the Captain General himself. It would be Impossible to land the number of rifles specified, namely, 200,000, without the knowledge of the government, and the authorities on their own account would be extremely unwilling to permit the illicit importation or such a large amount of arms to the island of Cuba. Besides, he had the assurance of the Captain General that it will not be permitted. A Spanish house had ordered in Belgium 70,000 rifles, with a view to speculation in the present crisis. As this house has failed the consul presumes that the order will not be filled. He is under an impression that a few of the rejected muskets of the Spanish army have been sold there at public auction, say 10,000, and that these are the only arms which have gone from Havana to our Southern ports for the use of the secessionists.
The New York Herald, New York, NY