Mr. Seward to Lord Lyons.
My Lord: In reply to the letter of this department, which was accompanied by a copy of your communication of the 29th ultimo, relative to the capture of the British steamship Dolphin by the United States steamer Wachusett, the Secretary of the Navy states that the only information the Navy Department has, relative to the seizure of the Dolphin, is contained in a brief report from Lieutenant Commander Charles E. Fleming, dated at sea, latitude 19° 28’ north, longitude 65° 30’ west, in which he says, that on the morning of the 25th of March, while cruising in the passage between the islands of Porto Rico and St. Thomas, he saw a steamer directly astern, which, after chasing for an hour and a half, he overhauled, and found to be the English steamer Dolphin, from St. Thomas, bound to Nassau, and that, suspicion being strongly against her, he seized her and sent her, in charge of Acting Master A. W. Mulldaur, to Key West, with all the papers found on board. Mr Welles further states that he will forward a copy of the protest which accompanied your note to Acting [Page 591] Admiral Wilkes, with instructions to him to examine into the charges of improper treatment of the crew of the Dolphin, and report thereon, as well as upon other statements in the protest.
In view of the importance which you assigned to the complaints involved in this case, in your note of the 29th March, as well as in a conversation which occurred between us at this department, on the 4th instant, and earnestly agreeing with you in your desire to avert, so far as possible, all occasions of unnecessary irritation between the countries we represent, I have thought it proper to lay the subject before the President.
It gives me sincere pleasure now to inform you that, while this government cannot prejudge the transaction specially complained of, upon ex parte evidence and without an investigation, the Secretary of the Navy will at once call the attention of the officers of the navy to the duty of obeying and conforming to his instructions heretofore given to them, as announced in my note of the 8th of August, 1862. Every complaint of departure from them will be promptly investigated, and in all cases where wrong shall be done, the justice and good faith of the government will be vindicated.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to your lordship the assurances of my high consideration.
Right Hon. Lord Lyons &c., &c., &c.