Mr. Seward to Mr. Seys
Sir: I have received your despatch of the 24th of last January, No. 8, speaking of the importance to the republic of Liberia that the Navy Department should comply at an early hour with the law authorizing the transfer of a gunboat to Liberia. This matter has already been the subject of correspondence between the department and the minister of Liberia to this country.
The law to which you refer enacts that the President is authorized to transfer to the government of Liberia any one of the gunboats now or hereafter included in the navy of the United States, which may be acceptable to that government, and can, in the judgment of the Secretary of the Navy, be conveniently spared for that purpose. In view of these provisions, the Secretary of [Page 329] the Navy some time ago offered to the minister of Liberia the choice of several of the vessels which in his opinion could be spared from our navy. None, however, were found by the latter of a character suitable to the necessities of the Liberian government. This circumstance is to be regretted; it does not, however, in the opinion of the department, preclude the possibility of the desired purchase, since the mutations which are constantly taking place in our navy may at some future period render a more suitable vessel available.
In connection with this, I have also to inform you that in January last the minister of Liberia addressed some communications to this department on the above subject, in which he referred to the danger apprehended to his country from the incursions of the native tribes of Africa, and requested from this government the assistance of one of the cruisers of the United States on the African coast. Orders were accordingly issued to Rear-Admiral Goldsborough, commanding the European squadron, to direct the next cruiser sent by him to the coast of Africa to visit Liberia.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
John Seys, Esq., &c., &c., &c.