I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to your lordship the
assurance of my high consideration.
Right Hon. Lord Lyons, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Welles to Mr. Seward.
Navy
Department,
May 18, 1863.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your note of the 15th instant, enclosing a copy of one
from Lord Lyons, asking if the supplementary report which Commander
Collins was called upon to make in reference to the seizure of the
schooner Elias Reed was received; and if so, whether it furnishes
any new evidence as to the exact spot on which the capture took
place.
The report was received some weeks since, but through inadvertence
its contents were not communicated to you.
I now have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of it, and of the
affidavits that accompanied it; the report bearing date of March 29,
1863.
The evidence presented in the affidavits seems to place it beyond a
doubt that the seizure of the Elias Reed was not made within the
territorial waters of Great Britain.
Very respectfully, &c.,
GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the
Navy.
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
Mr. Collins to Mr. Welles.
United States Steamer
Octorara, Key
West,
March 29,
1863.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of the 14th February last, with a
letter from the Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, and
affidavits of two seamen in relation to the “seizure within the
territorial jurisdiction of Great Britain” of the confederate
schooner Elias Reed, requiring from me a supplemental report on
the subject.
In answer, I have to inform the department that the Elias Reed
has been condemned by Judge William Marvin, and has been sold at
this place.
The enclosed original affidavits are, I trust, a sufficient
answer to the depositions of two seamen at Nassau.
[Page 611]
The fact of Stephen Roberts being a skilful seaman, late master
of the British schooner Agnes, and a citizen of Nassau, will, no
doubt, with Lord Lyons, give additional weight to his
testimony.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.
[Untitled]
Southern District of Florida:
Now comes Stephen Roberts, and, being duly sworn, deposes and
says that he is by occupation a Bahama pilot; that on the fifth
day of November, A. D. 1862, he was engaged as pilot on board
the United States commissioned ship of-war the Octorara; that on
said day the said ship-of-war Octorara captured a schooner
called the Elias Reed; that the capture was made on the Bahama
banks, about midway between Little Abaco island on the south and
the range of keys on the north. Deponent believes the channel in
which the Elias Reed was captured to be at least nine and a half
miles wide at the place of capture. The captured vessel was just
about in mid-channel, and cannot have been less than four miles
from the nearest point of land at the time of seizure.
STEPHEN X ROBERTS.
Subscribed and sworn before me this 29th day of November,
1862.
GEORGE D. ALLEN, Clerk United States
District Court.
[Untitled]
Southern District of Florida :
Now comes John A. Johnstone, and, being duly sworn, deposes and
says that he is at present, and has been for the past year, an
officer of the navy of the United States; that on the fifth day
of November, A. D. 1862, he was sailing-master on board the
United States commissioned ship-of-war the Octorara; that on the
said fifth day of November, A. D. 1862, the Octorara captured a
schooner called the Elias Reed, and sent the same to Key West
for adjudication; that deponent was the boarding officer from
the Octorara to the Elias Reed; that at the time of boarding and
capture the said Elias Reed was at anchor on what is called the
Little Bahama banks, to the northward of Little Abaco island,
about five miles to the westward of the island known as
Pensacola key, and about mid-channel between Little Abaco island
on the south and the range of keys on the north. Deponent
believes the capture to have been made at a point four miles or
more distant from any point of land on either side, and is
positive the distance could not have been less than three and a
half miles Further deponent saith not.
JOHN A. JOHNSTONE, Acting Master,
United States Navy.
Subscribed and sworn before me this 29th day of
November, 1862.
GEORGE D. ALLEN, Clerk United States
District Court.
