Specie sent Abroad.
The Wilmington Journal states that the steamer Lynx, which left that port a few nights since for Bermuda, was attacked by the blockading squadron, and, being struck by their shot, was beached to save her from sinking. The Journal gives much credit to the captain, Gordon, for saving fifty thousand dollars of Government specie and a large amount of bonds, both on Government and private account, all of which he saved by his individual exertions, sacrificing his own interest to do so.What may be the necessity of transmitting specie from this country to foreign ports by our Government, we do not know. But Mr. Memminger was much censured for shipping gold by the blockade-runners when sterling exchange was freely offered him. Three ships, having each twenty-five thousand dollars in gold, were captured by the enemy, and the sums with which they were freighted passed into his hands. The loss was considered heavy; and as it could have been easily avoided, the Secretary of the Treasury was thought to have acted most unwisely. The fifty thousand dollars on board the Lynx seems to have had a very narrow escape. We do not know, we repeat, what necessity may prompt the Government to ship coin, and can hardly suppose that Mr. Trenholm is so impractical as to send it out of the country if an equivalent is within his reach. Gold certainly ought not to be sent away if a substitute can be found to be remitted in its stead. It is quite scarce enough in the country, and will be greatly needed as the basis of our circulating medium when the war is over. It is, moreover, so unsafe in running the blockade that is enough of itself to induce Government and individuals to send anything else in preference that will answer as a medium of exchange. When the enemy get hold of the gold, it is gone from us forever. Not so the bills of exchange, which are payable to order.
