Lord Lyons to Mr. Seward.
Sir: Her Majesty’s government have had under their consideration the note which you did me the honor to address to me on February 11, last, as well as the correspondence which I had had with you before the date of that note, on the subject of the seizure of the British schooner Mont Blanc, at Sand cay, Bahama bank.
This seizure is admitted to have been made in British waters, and while the Mont Blanc was at anchor; and her Majesty’s government have, accordingly, desired me not only to express to you their expectation that the government of the United States will make some compensation to the owners, for the plain wrong done to them, but also to address to the government of the United States a remonstrance against the violation of British territory committed in this case, and to request that orders may be given to the United States navy to abstain from committing the like grave offence against international law and the dignity of the British crown.
Her Majesty’s government have further directed me to point out that the necessity for such orders is shown by the fact that Commander Collins, the captain of the Mont Blanc, would appear, from his letter to the Secretary of the United States Navy, of the 26th of December last, either to be entirely ignorant of the law, or entirely to disregard it.
In the opinion of her Majesty’s government, the circumstance that the Mont Blanc was at anchor at the time of the capture, renders the wrong inflicted on the owners, and the contempt for British rights exhibited by the captain, very flagrant. Her Majesty’s government are the more surprised at the occurrence, as the letter which you addressed to the Secretary of the Navy on the 8th of August last, and of which you did Mr. Stuart the honor to communicate a copy to him on the following day, expressly forbids captures in neutral waters.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.