Mr. Seward to Mr.
Adams.
No. 340.]
Department of State,
Washington,
September 13, 1862.
Sir: Mr. Morse, our indefatigable consul at
London, has transmitted to this department an intercepted letter written
by S. H. Mallory, who is the pretended secretary of the navy to the
insurrectionary party in the south, and addressed to James H. North, who
is called a commander in that navy. The letter shows that at least two
steamers, the Oreto and the Florida, have been actually built, fitted up
in England for the insurgents, and despatched with armaments and
military stores from British ports to make war upon the United States.
Mr. Morse has informed me that he intended to submit the letter to you,
and it is probable that you will have taken a copy of it. For greater
certainty, however, a copy is sent you with this despatch. It is thought
expedient that you give a copy of it to Earl Russell. Hitherto the
British authorities have failed to prevent such transactions, assigning
as the reason a want of authentic evidence of the illegal character and
purposes of the vessels which you have denounced. It will perhaps be
useful to give the government this unquestionable evidence of the
infraction of the neutrality laws, in the very two cases of which you
have already complained without success. Although these two vessels are
now beyond the reach of British authority, the evidence which shows that
they ought to have been detained may possibly lend some probability to
new complaints in regard to other vessels of a similar character now
being built in England. I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
[Page 192]
S. H. Mallory to James E. North.
Confederate States of
America,
Navy Department,
Richmond,
July 12, 1862.
Sir: Your letter of the 29th of March last
reached me this morning.
The department notified you, on the 11th of January last, that you
would receive orders to command the second vessel then being built
in England, but for reasons satisfactory to the department you were
subsequently assigned to the command of the first vessel, the
Florida, (Oreto,) now at Nassau; and any just ground for “the
surprise and astonishment” in this respect at the department’s
action is not perceived.
A commission as commander for the war was sent you on the 5th of May,
and your failure to follow the Oreto, which left England about the
21st of March, and to take command of her as was contemplated, and
as you were apprised by Captain Bullock, on the 26th of March, is
not understood, and has been productive of some embarrassment.
Captain Bullock was nominated by the executive for his position in
the navy under existing law, and was duly confirmed by the Senate,
and your protest to this department against the action of these
co-ordinate branches of your government is out of place.
Upon the receipt of this letter you will turn over to Lieutenant G.
F. Sinclair the instructions which you may have received, together
with any public funds in your hands, and return to the confederate
States in such manner as your judgment may direct.
Should you not be provided with funds for this purpose, Commander
Bullock will, upon your application, supply them.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. H. MALLORY, Secretary of the
Navy.
Commander James H. North,
C. S. N., London, England.
