Office of the Historian
[Extract.]

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

No. 142.]
Legation of the United States, London, April 11, 1862.

SIR: ** * * * * * * *

I transmit herewith the copy of a note of Lord Russell, dated the 8th of April, enclosing a second report on the outfit of the Oreto. In spite of the admission that troops and guns are on board, her Majesty’s officers still insist upon being blind to the destination of the vessel, and the government tolerates the abuse.

Since the date of my last I have taken advantage of the absence of any important business here to avail myself of the permission granted me a short time since to visit Paris for the purpose of conferring with Mr. Dayton. I have derived great benefit from the communications made to me, and they will lead to a corresponding change of policy on my part. I can only say now that I shall, as soon as possible, request a conference with Lord Russell in order to re-enforce the arguments that have been presented from the other side of the channel. The effort will be to concentrate the responsibility for any further protraction of the struggle as much as possible on the government here. I shall defer all further discussion of the subject until I can report the result of the conference.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.

Foreign Office, April 8, 1862.

Lord Russell presents his compliments to Mr. Adams, and, with reference to his letter of the 27th ultimo, has the honor to transmit to him the accompanying copies of a report and its enclosures which have been received from the board of customs respecting the vessel Oreto.

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Board of Customs, Custom-house, April 6, 1862.

To the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty’s treasury:

Your lordships having referred to us the annexed letter from Mr. Hammond, transmitting, by desire of Earl Russell, copy of a further letter addressed by the United States consul at Liverpool to Mr. Adams, the United States minister at this court, in which it is again affirmed that the Oreto is being fitted out as a vessel of war for the southern confederacy, and various statements are reported in support of that assertion, and requesting that your lordships would instruct this board to give directions that the Oreto might be vigilantly watched, and that if any armament prohibited by the foreign enlistment act should be discovered the vessel might be at once detained, we report: That on the receipt of your lordships’ reference we directed our collector at Liverpool immediately to inquire into the further allegations made in regard to the Oreto, and to govern himself in accordance with the instructions contained in Mr. Hammond’s letter; and having received the report of the collector, we find that the vessel in question was registered on the 3d ultimo in the name of John Henry Thomas, of Liverpool, as sole owner; that she cleared on the following day for Palermo and Jamaica in ballast, but did not sail until the 22d, the day on which the American consul’s letter is dated, having a crew of fifty-two men, all British with the exception of three or four, one of whom only was an American. She had no gunpowder, nor even a signal gun, and no colors saving Marryatt’s code of signals and a British ensign, nor any goods on board excepting the stores enumerated on the accompanying copy of her victualling bill.

With regard to the statements in the letter of the consul, the collector further reports that it is clear the passengers brought by the Annie Childs, the vessel therein mentioned, which has recently arrived from one of the southern States, were not intended to form any portion of the crew of the Oreto, inasmuch as they were still in Liverpool, and that the dipping of the ensign on board the latter vessel on the arrival of the Annie Childs, as far as the collector had been enabled to ascertain, was intended as a compliment to one of the Cunard steamers and another vessel which saluted the Annie Childs on her arrival, the masters of the several vessels being known to one another.

THOS. F. FREEMANTLE.
GRENVILLE C. BERKELEY.

VICTUALLING BILL.

Pilot, ————, granted number, (662.)

Port of Liverpool, “Oreto.”

Bonded and drawback stores in the —, James A. Dugud, master, for Palermo and Jamaica.

Men, 52; passengers or troops, — ; guns, —; 178 tons.

Net quantities taken on board.

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Spirits, foreign.
Rum, per gallon 2 cases—54 gallons.
Brandy, per gallon 10 cases—20 gallons.
Geneva.
Other spirits not sweetened.
Spirits, British or plantation.
Rum
Gin 8 cases—16 gallons.
Whiskey 12 cases—23 13/32 gallons.
Other spirits not sweetened.
Wine 20 cases—40 gallons.
Wine for drawback.
Beer for drawback.
Vinegar.
Tea, per pound 3 chests, 5 canisters—240 pounds.
Coffee 4 bags—646 pounds.
Coffee, roasted, (for drawback.)
Cocoa.
Cocoa paste.
Sugar, refined, per cwt 1 barrel—1 cwt. 9 lbs.
Sugar for drawback
5 bags } 13 cwt. 2 qrs. 12 lbs.
3 barrels
Sugar, unrefined
Molasses.
Tobacco for drawback, per pound—
negrohead
roll.
3 boxes—63 lbs.
Cigars 2 boxes—10 pounds.
Pepper.
Raisins, per cwt 12 boxes—2 cwt. 1 qr. 26 lbs.
Currants 11 jars—2 cwt. 1 qr. 18 lbs.
Figs.
Prunes.
Plums.
Sundries.
Surplus stores.

Examined.

J. MUDIE SEARCHER, Collector.

Cleared March 4, 1862.

SAMUEL WAKEHUM, Broker.
Residence, No. 17 Park Lane.