Mr. Adams to Mr.
Seward.
No. 499.]
Legation of the United States,
London,
September 17, 1863.
Sir: I transmit the copy of a note from Lord
Russell, dated the 11th instant, in reply to mine of the 1st of August,
already forwarded with my despatch No. 480, both in relation to the
subject to which my attention was called by your No. 645, of the 7th of
July.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C
Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.
Foreign Office,
September 11, 1863.
Sir: Your letter of the 1st ultimo,
conveying the thanks of the United States government for certain
regulations, in regard to gunpowder, issued by the lieutenant
governor of British Honduras, was forwarded in due course to the
secretary of state for the colonies, and I have now the honor to
inform you that I have received from his grace, in reply, a letter
stating that it will, no doubt, be satisfactory to Governor Seymour
to learn that any measures of his have a tendency to promote
friendly relations with foreign governments.
The Duke of Newcastle, however, observes that as Governor Seymour’s
measures respecting the export and repacking of gunpowder, and the
limitation of the quantity to be kept in store, may be attributed to
a policy other than neutral, and which it would not be possible to
enforce consistently, his grace thinks it right to state that he has
not received from Governor Seymour any report of the adoption of
measures to prevent the export of gunpowder to the so-styled
Confederate States, though he is aware that it occasionally becomes
necessary to take strong measures for preventing supplies of
gunpowder being obtained by Indian tribes in the neighborhood of the
colony, whose peaceable demeanor cannot always be relied upon.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your
most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
