Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the First Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part I
Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: In consequence of representations made to Mr. Morse and to myself, in which we had confidence, I decided upon addressing to Lord Russell a note of remonstrance against the departure of the steamer Georgiana from Liverpool. A copy of that note and of the consul’s letter on which it was founded is herewith transmitted. At the same time, being conscious of the inability to make use of the evidence actually in possession, I sent to Mr. Dudley, the consul at Liverpool, a request to make an effort to re-enforce it with testimony at that place. He did so, but failed in obtaining any which could corroborate the affirmations beyond the single fact of the cutting of four port-holes. In the mean time Lord Russell notified me that he had ordered an investigation, which did not make out to reach even that point. Copies of all the papers emanating from him are appended. The Georgiana has since sailed. But I remain of opinion that the representation of her character is well founded, and that she is to be fitted out as an armed cruiser at Nassau, or, perhaps, Charleston. Her commander has already escaped once from the supervision of Captain Craven by destroying his confederate commission. It is to be hoped that other officers may be so apprised of the facts as not to let him slip if overhauled a second time.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Enclosures]
1. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell, January 16, 1863.
2. Mr. Morse to Mr. Adams, January 16, 1863.
3. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams, January 17, 1863.
4. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams, January 18, 1863.
5. Telegram from collector at Liverpool, January 18, 1863.
6. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams, January 19, 1863.
7. Collector at Liverpool to Mr. Goulburn, January 18, 1863.
8. Mr. Morgan to collector at Liverpool, January 18, 1863.
9. Mr. Goulburn to Mr. Hamilton, January 18, 1863.
10. Telegram from collector at Liverpool, January 18, 1863.
Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.
My Lord: It has become my painful duty to call your lordship’s attention to one more of the cases in which the neutral territory of Great Britain is [Page 97] abused by evil-disposed persons for the worst of purposes in the present war. I have the honor to transmit a copy of a letter addressed to me by the consul of the United States at London, giving the particulars based upon credible information received by him, the authority for which it is not in his power at present to disclose. As the vessel is known to be on the eve of departure from the port of Liverpool, I fear I have not the time necessary to procure corroborative evidence from that place. Under these circumstances I feel myself compelled to make this representation without further delay. I have reason to believe that the vessel in question is intended to pursue a similar course with that formerly called No. 290, to wit, the destruction of the commerce of the United States. I therefore solicit the interposition of her Majesty’s government, at least so far as to enable me to procure further evidence to establish the proof of the allegations here made, in season for the prevention of this nefarious enterprise.
Praying your lordship to accept the assurances of my highest consideration, I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant,
Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Morse to Mr. Adams.
Sir: I have information, on evidence which secures my belief that the iron screw steamer Georgiana, Captain Davidson, now in London Graving dock, Liverpool, is intended for a confederate privateer, and is now fitting for the business of privateering. She was built in the yard of Mr. Laurie, at Glasgow. Mr. George Wigg, of New Orleans, contracted to have her built. She is now, I presume, but temporarily (for security until she gets off) registered in the name of Neil Mathieson, secretary of the Confederate Aid Association at Glasgow. She is so constructed that armor plating could be put on to her at any time after leaving the port where she was constructed.
She is a well-built, fast vessel, rigged for fore and aft sails, and is over four hundred tons, net measurement. She left Glasgow for Liverpool on the 3d of the present month, and is now at the last-named port preparing for sea. She has port-holes cut for four rifled cannon, and bolts, &c., arranged for them, since she left Glasgow; and also a portion of her armor plating put on, and small arms enough for a crew of privateers men. She will take some forty or fifty men, all told, from Liverpool, and make up a crew after leaving. Among those now engaged is a gunner, once a sergeant in the royal artillery. She is advertised for Nassau, and will pretend to go out as a regular trader.
I regret that I am unable to sustain the above statement by the affidavits of my informants; but I am bound in honor not to use their names. My information concerning this steamer, for the last five or six weeks, confirms the accuracy of the statement, and I have full confidence in its truth.
The Georgiana will call at Queenstown for coal.
Your obedient servant,
Hon. Charles F. Adams, United States Minister.
Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt this day of your letter of the 16th instant, enclosing a letter from the United States consul in London, giving the particulars based upon credible information received by him, the authority for which it is not in his power at present to disclose, respecting an iron screw steamer named the Georgiana, Captain Davidson, now lying in the London Graving dock at Liverpool, which he believes to be intended for a confederate privateer, and to be now fitting out for the business of privateering.
I have communicated copies of your letter and of its enclosure to the board of the treasury and to the secretary of state for the home department without delay; and I have requested that orders might be sent to telegraph to the proper authorities at Liverpool enjoining them to take such steps in the matter as may legally betaken.
I think it right, however, to observe that her Majesty’s government cannot be answerable for any difficulty which may be experienced in carrying out those orders, in consequence of the evidence on which the statement of the United States consul is made being withheld from them.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.
Sir: With reference to my letters of the 17th and 18th instant, I have now the honor to transmit to you copies of reports received at the treasury from the commissioners of customs respecting the steamer Georgiana, assumed in your letter of the 16th instant to be fitting out at Liverpool as a confederate privateer.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Copy of a telegram from the collector of customs at Liverpool to F. Goulburn, esq.
Georgiana, British, 407 tons register; brig rig; cargo, merchandise, provisions, and drugs; no guns on deck; no fitting for guns on board; 1 cwt. powder; iron bulwarks; no port-holes for guns; no fittings for guns on board; a fast vessel; 40 crew; not fitted as a privateer; better adapted for running the blockade; cleared out for Nassau; now in the Mersey, and is intended to leave to-day, say 4 p.m.
Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit to you herewith, with reference to my letter to you of yesterday, a copy of a telegram received to-day from the collector of customs at Liverpool, reporting the result of the inquiry which he was instructed to make respecting the vessel Georgiana, referred to in your letter of the 16th instant as being in course of fitting out at Liverpool as a confederate privateer.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
C. F. Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Edwards to Mr. Goulburn.
Sir: With reference to the telegram received from you between eight and nine o’clock last night, as also to your letter received this morning, the accompanying statement from Mr. Morgan, the surveyor, will show the steps that were taken in regard to the screw steamer Georgiana, Captain Davidson, which left the London dock yesterday morning with a general cargo for Nassau.
A reply was sent to your private address at half past eleven to-day, which I hoped would reach you as soon as you would get home from church.
The exact details of the cargo cannot be given you until to-morrow, as I have no means of getting at the papers, there being no one here save myself. I will send you at the same time every detail regarding the vessel that I can learn, but can now assert that the ship is not intended for being used as a privateer, but, no doubt, for running the blockade, although of this there is no proof save that deduced from the nature of the cargo.
You will perceive by Mr. Morgan’s observations that there are no port-holes cut for guns. In short, I see nothing whatever that would warrant her being detained.
I am, &c., &c.,
F. Goulburn, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Morgan to the Collector.
Sir: Last night, about 10 o’clock, I received the telegram sent to you relative to the Georgiana, but, being too late, I had no alternative but to wait till this morning early, when I went in search of the vessel, and found that she had hauled into the river on Saturday.
I gave directions to the acting assistant surveyor, Mr. Webb, to accompany me to her, but, as we were going, I met the master of her, (Davidson,) who informed me that all the ship’s papers were ashore.
I then accompanied the master, whilst Webb went to the vessel. On my inspecting the papers, I found nothing to induce the suspicion that she was intended for privateering. She had a great many bills of lading, in which the goods (cargo) were consigned to parties at Nassau.
[Page 100]Amongst other things, there were a great many packages of drugs, which convinced me that they were intended to run through the blockade.
I also saw the ship’s articles, upon which the names of all the crew stood. The amounts set against their respective names, forty in number, were not higher rates of wages than usual; and his charter-party was in the usual style, and destined him to Nassau, Havana, or New Orleans.
On the return of the officer from the ship, he stated that she had no portholes, no guns, and no fittings for guns on deck, and nothing to denote that she was intended for a privateer.
Under these circumstances I am respectfully of opinion that she is in no way subject to detention.
Very respectfully,
The Collector.
Mr. Goulburn to Mr. Hamilton.
My Dear Mr. Hamilton: After the communication you made to me last evening, and in accordance with your desire, I telegraphed to Liverpool, desiring the answer to be sent as soon as possible to-day (as it was Sunday) to my house. I have just received it, and you will find an exact copy on the other side. You will see the description of the vessel, Georgiana, sent, and on the correctness of which I am sure you may confidently rely, does not, in any way, bear out the facts stated in the information forwarded to the United States minister. Under these circumstances, without further directions from you, I shall not issue any orders to detain the vessel.
I have written this as a record of what has passed between us, but shall bring this letter myself to you at once and take your directions.
I am, &c.,