No. 29.
Earl Russell to Lord Lyons.
Foreign Office,
February 24, 1864.
My Lord: With reference to my despatch of
the 20th instant I have to state to your lordship that the seaman
Horace Oarrew will proceed to New York from Liverpool to-morrow
morning by the Inman steam-vessel, and I have furnished him with a
letter to Mr. Consul Archibald, who will report to you his arrival
and take your directions in regard to him.
I enclose a copy of a further statement made by Carrew to the
solicitor of the treasury.
Mr. Archibald is instructed as to the pecuniary allowances to be made
to Carrew.
It seems doubtful whether the mate Aitcheson will be able to return
to New York.
I am, &c.,
[Enclosure in No.
29.]
Statement of Horace Carrew.
Treasury,,
February 23,
1864.
After Mr. Gray was killed (a few minutes) I heard the second mate
(Aitcheson) tell the senior officer (Lieutenant Keith) from the
Vanderbilt that he heard him (Keith) give the order to fire.
Keith said: “I did not.” Aitcheson said, “By God, you did.”
Donaghan did not say one thing or the other.
I think that Aitcheson was mistaken. I didn’t hear Keith give any
such order, and I think I should have heard it if he did. I was
near enough. There were only three of us at hand when Gray was
killed. Murray and Cable were nearer than I. We ran forward when
the man fell. There was nothing like a rush, or a show of
violence, or threats of any sort. It would have been folly,
indeed, for none of us had arms. I have heard that these skins
were from Monte Video, the cargo of the Tuscaloosa, which the
Alabama had captured, and that she had brought the cargo into
this little snug spot, and I suppose that our captain had heard
of it. He told Lieutenant Bell, of the Vanderbilt, (who first
came on board,) that he was bound for Falmouth for orders; (I
heard the captain of our vessel had so said in giving his
evidence at the Cape.)
