Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part I

Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.

No. 633.]

Legation of the United States, London, March 29, 1864.

Sir: I seize the opportunity furnished by the despatch agent in making up an extra bag for to-morrow’s steamer to forward a printed copy of the correspondence of the government with Messrs. Laird touching the detention of the iron-clad rams. This publication is not official, but understood to come from Messrs. Laird.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

Correspondence between her Majesty’s government and Messrs. Laird Brothers; and an appendix, containing the correspondence between officers of her Majesty’s customs and Captain Inglefield, R. N., and Messrs. Laird Brothers, respecting the iron-clad vessels building at Birkenhead.

The following letters form the entire correspondence which has passed between Messrs. Laird Brothers and her Majesty’s government respecting the iron-clad vessels.

The production of these letters, with other papers, was moved for in the House of Commons by Mr. Seymour Fitzgerald, M. P., on the 23d of February last, but was refused by her Majesty’s government.

They are now published with the permission of Messrs. Laird Brothers.

VACHER & SONS, Publishers.

29, Parliament Street, March, 1864.