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: Since the date of my despatch No. 301, I have had some further correspondence with Lord Russell on the subject of the steamer Georgiana Copies of the papers are herewith transmitted. It will be perceived that the later materially contradicts the earlier testimony. In the mean time the vessel departed. It is now boldly stated in the Liverpool newspapers that she is to act as a tender to No. 290.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Enclosures.]
1. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams, January 24, 1863.
2. Mr. Waddington to Mayor of Liverpool, January 17, 1863.
3. Mayor of Liverpool to Home Department, January 20, 1863.
4. Report of Detectives Laycock and Patrick, January 20, 1863.
5. Telegram from Liverpool town clerk.
6. Mayor of Liverpool to Mr. Waddington, January 21, 1863.
7. Deposition of Mr. Webb, January 19, 1863.
8. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell, January 26, 1863.
9. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams, January 27, 1863.
10. Further reports from Detectives Laycock and Patrick, January 22, 1863.
Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.
Sir: With reference to my letter of the 19th instant, I have the honor to enclose for your information the following papers respecting the case of the screw-steamer Georgiana, viz:
1. A copy of the instructions addressed by the secretary of state for the home department to the mayor of Liverpool.
2. Copies of reports received from the mayor of Liverpool, in reply.
3. A copy, received through the treasury, of a report respecting the Georgiana, addressed to the commissioner of customs by Mr. Webb, the acting assistant surveyor of customs at Liverpool.
4. The manifest, and a copy of the victualling bill of that vessel.
These last-named papers I have to request that you will be good enough to return to me after perusal.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Waddington to the Mayor of Liverpool.
Sir: I am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to acquaint you that he has received a letter from the foreign office enclosing a communication, which has been made by the American minister in this country, respecting a vessel named the Georgiana, supposed to be fitting out at Liverpool for the use of the Confederate States. It is said that this vessel was built in Mr. Laurie’s yard, at Glasgow, to the order of Mr. George Wigg, of New Orleans, and is now registered in the name of Neil Mattheson, secretary of the Confederate Aid Association of Glasgow.
She is at present in the London Graving dock at Liverpool. I am to request that you will cause immediate inquiry to be made by the police respecting this vessel, in order that, if it shall appear that the parties concerned in the business are acting in contravention of the law, information on oath may be taken, [Page 109] (59 Geo. III, c. 69,) as required by the statute, to enable the magistrates to act in the case.
I am, &c.,
The Mayor of Liverpool.
The Mayor of Liverpool to the Secretary of State.
Just received the following report on your letter of the 17th. Ship in the river, but a very heavy gale blowing; it is very probable she cannot get out to-day. I wait your instructions.
[Untitled]
Detective Officers Laycock and Patrick have the honor to report, for the information of Major Greig, head constable, relative to a communication from Sir George Grey, home secretary, to his worship the mayor of Liverpool, touching the Georgiana, supposed to be fitting out at Liverpool for the use of the Confederate States—
That they made strict and private inquiry, and found that the above-named vessel was built at Glasgow, and came direct from that port to Liverpool. She left the London Graving dock on Thursday last, and removed to the Bramley Moore dock, when she took in cargo, consisting of six hundred cases of brandy, about fifty chests and half chests of tea, six bales of woollen goods, a quantity of miscellaneous goods, and medicine. During the time she was taking in cargo it was in the usual way inspected by officers of her Majesty’s customs. The customs authorities assert that no guns or ammunition were put on board, and she does not appear in any way fitted out for warlike purposes. She is only a screw steamer of 407 tons register. Her crew consists of the captain and forty hands, who were shipped by Messrs. J. & F. Johnson, merchants, Walmer Buildings, Water street. They have shipped from Liverpool to Nassau; afterwards to any port in the United States, or British America, the voyage not to exceed two years. She went into the river Mersey on Saturday last, and had she not lost one of her anchors she would, before now, have proceeded to sea.
The agents are Messrs. A. E. Byrne & Co., Tower Buildings, Liverpool.
[Telegram]
The Town Clerk of Liverpool to the Secretary of State, Home Department.
Since the mayor’s message sent, I have seen the American consul at this port, who says he has information that small arms are on board, and perhaps rifled cannon; that the ship has two port-holes on each side, and there are rings in the deck for the gun-ropes; that the crew consists of nearly fifty men, and more officers than usual, and double crew of engineers and their assistants.
The Mayor of Liverpool to Mr. Waddington.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday’s date, and to inform you that I caused further inquiries to be made as to reliable evidence of any intention to fit out the Georgiana as a vessel-of-war for the use of the Confederate States of America, or to be used otherwise contrary to the provision of the “Act 59, George III, chapter 69.”
The town clerk having informed me of the statements made to him by the American consul yesterday, which were communicated to you by his telegram after I had despatched mine, I directed the chief superintendent of the detective department, with another officer of great intelligence, previously employed in this case, to wait upon the consul this morning, and to inform him that the authorities here were prepared to give every possible assistance to prevent any infringement of the act above quoted, but that the magistrates could not act unless upon precise evidence sufficient to satisfy them that an offence had been committed against the law. He stated to the superintendent that he had obtained certain information, which, however, he could not disclose, the same having been given to him in confidence; but he suggested that an examination of the ship should be made, for the purpose of ascertaining whether she was in any way fitted for a vessel-of-war, and especially in relation to ports for guns having been made here, and rings placed in the deck for the gun-ropes. I directed that the officers should visit the ship, but she this day proceeded to sea. Our police have made every inquiry, especially in reference to the points mentioned by the consul. They verbally report to me that they found the ship was built in great haste in Glasgow; that she came here in a very unfinished state; that ports were made here, inasmuch as it was found that in a heavy sea, from her great speed, much water would be shipped, and that these ports were intended for the escape of such water; and that she is very slightly built, and is not calculated to carry any armament, or to be used as a fighting ship; and they are of opinion that she is built for speed only, and very probably intended to run the blockade, if possible.
I have directed the officers to communicate to the American consul the information they have obtained.
I have, &c.
H. Waddington, Esq., &c., &c.,&c.
The examination of Mr. James Webb, acting assistant surveyor for rummaging clearing vessels, and seeing that the outdoor officers who perform the water-guard duty correctly and faithfully discharge the same.
I have been in the service of the customs nearly twenty-seven years. I entered the service as a tide-waiter. Yesterday morning (Sunday) the surveyor, Mr. Morgan, called at my house (for it was my turn off duty) about 7.30, and asked me if I knew where the Georgiana was lying. I told him she had gone into the river on Saturday, and was then lying in the Mersey, opposite the watch-house. I then accompanied him towards the boarding station at the Princes’ Dock pier-head. As we were going down we met the captain, Davidson. He said he was going to the ship. Mr. Morgan then desired me to go to the ship in the river, while he turned back with the captain to see his papers. I went on board the Georgiana at about 9.30 a.m. She was about half a mile [Page 111] off the great landing stage. I went on board, and had the hatches removed in order to examine the cargo. She was not above half full. She appeared to have a quantity of tea and bale goods on board; also, oil, tallow, and provisions, which I saw. There was no objection made to my going into any part of the vessel. I have seen the vessel several times before, both while she lay in the Sandon docks and in the Graving dock. She is an ordinary iron screw steamer, i. e., not built stronger than the ordinary merchant vessel. She is brig-rigged, and not fore and aft. She has no port-holes, and no places fitted for mounting guns. It is impossible that she could have port-holes without a total change in the bulwarks, there being no support to sustain the recoil of the guns. There were eighteen or nineteen iron plates on board, lying on the top of the cargo; they were of the same thickness as the hull of the vessel—that is, the ordinary thickness for merchant vessels.
I am satisfied, from the construction, general fittings, and adaptation of the ship, that she is in no way fitted for a privateer. I specially noticed the vessel after she came to the port, and have seen her almost daily since; and on her arrival made several inquiries about her, and so satisfied was I then, and still am, that she was not intended for warlike purposes, that I did not consider myself called upon to make any report concerning her.
T. WEBB.
Report of Major Greig, head constable.
Detective Officers Laycock and Patrick have the honor to report, for the information of Major Greig, head constable, relative to a communication from Sir George Grey, home secretary, to his worship the mayor of Liverpool, respecting the screw steamer Georgiana, said to have been fitted out for the service of the Confederate States of America—
That from further inquiries made, officers found that she sailed yesterday from the river Mersey, between 11 o’clock a.m. and 12 noon.
Officers afterwards went to Messrs. Grayson’s ship-building yard, Regent road, they having executed the repairs of the above vessel whilst in the Sandon Graving dock. Saw Mr. Brough, their foreman, who superintended the work, who stated that he had pierced two port-holes on each side of the vessel, which would answer when she shipped much water, or for guns for her own protection.
He also stated that she is so slightly built that, if a gun was fired on board of her, it would shake her from stem to stern.
She was built at a very light expense, for the purpose of running the blockade. She has neither gun swivels nor ring-bolts on deck for firing cannon.
Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.
My Lord: I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your notes of the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 24th of this month, together with certain papers relating to the case of the Georgiana. I return the manifest and copy of the victualling bill, as requested.
The Georgiana has departed on her voyage, and therefore I deem it unnecessary to pursue the subject further. But I regret to say that I am not entirely convinced of the incorrectness of the information upon which my representation of the 16th instant was based. After the experience had in the instances of the Oreto and of No. 290, I hope I may be pardoned for distrusting the result of any investigation arrived at in similar cases at Liverpool when conducted by the same parties. On the other hand, the further evidence which I have obtained since writing my note tends to confirm me in the impression first received, that the vessel was pierced for four port-holes at Liverpool, and she sailed carrying both cannon and small arms, as well as iron plates in her hold, to be hereafter put on to protect her sides. Time will show which view of the subject is the true one. In any event I feel safe in asking of your lordship the favor to take such measures as may at least prevent the possibility of completing the outfit and armament of this vessel at Nassau, if such a proceeding should prove to have been contemplated.
I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant,
Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c., &c., &c.
Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.
Sir: With reference to my letter of the 24th instant, I have the honor to transmit to you, for your information, a copy of a further report which has been received through the mayor of Liverpool from the head constable of that borough, relative to the screw steamer Georgiana.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.