Lord Lyons to Mr.
Seward.
Washington,
March 25, 1863.
Sir: With reference to the note which you did
me the honor to address to me on the 16th of last month, respecting the
reception of the Oreto or Florida at Nassau, and to my answer dated the
19th of the same month, I beg to transmit to you copies of a despatch
and its enclosures which I received the day before yesterday from the
governor of the Bahama islands.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
[Page 528]
[Untitled]
Confederate States Steamer
Florida, Nassau,
January 26,
1863.
Sir: As this vessel is in distress for the
want of coal, I very respectfully request permission to anchor in
the harbor for the purpose of obtaining the same.
I am, &c.,
J. N. MAFFIT, Confederate States Navy,
Commanding.
His Excellency the Governor, New Providence.
[Copy.]
I grant this request under the circumstances, thereby according to a
confederate steamer the same privileges which I have formerly
granted to federal steamers. But the irregularity in delaying to
make this request should be pointed out, and the pilot called on to
explain how he permitted the Florida without my permission.
[Untitled]
Government House, Nassau, Bahamas, March 11, 1863.
My Lord: I have the honor to acknowledge
your lordship’s despatch enclosing a complaint from the United
States consul at this port to Mr. Seward, the Secretary of State,
respecting undue advantages alleged to have been given to the
confederate steamer Florida in this harbor.
In reply I beg to state that no undue advantages were accorded to the
Florida. She arrived in our harbor, having steamed over the bars
without a pilot, early on the morning of the 26th of January. I was
not aware of it till 8 or 9 o’clock a.m. About that hour Captain
Maffit called (I think in company with the port adjutant) to explain
that he was ignorant of my proclamation requiring that permission
should be formally asked before any man-of-war belonging to either
of the two belligerents could enter the harbor. I did not see him,
but in a very short time I received a letter from him, of which I
transmit your lordship a copy, along with the copy of the memorandum
indorsed on it by myself before I sent it to the colonial secretary.
The Florida remained in harbor about twenty-six hours, during which
time I neither spoke to nor saw Captain Maffit.
So far from any advantage having been accorded to the Florida which
was not accorded to United States vessels, she did not receive
privileges equal to those which I granted to the United States
gunboat Stars and Stripes. That vessel entered the harbor without
permission, (which she asked for after she had come in.) Her
commander then asked for an extension of the permission, which I
also accorded, and she remained in harbor, if I remember rightly,
three or four days for the alleged purpose of undergoing
repairs.
I regret that the Secretary of State should have given credence to
the misrepresentations of a person of such infirm judgment and
excitable judgment as Mr. Whiting has proved himself to be.
I have, &c.,
