Laird Brothers to her Majesty’s Treasury.
Sir: We are in receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, informing us that the lords commissioners of her Majesty’s treasury have issued orders to the commissioners of customs that the two iron-clad steamers now in course of [Page 403] construction by us are not to be permitted to leave the Mersey until satisfactory evidence can be given of their destination.
In reply, we beg to inform you that we have forwarded a copy of your letter to Messrs. A. Bravay & Co., at No. 6 Rue de Londres, Paris, on whose account we are building the vessels, and to whom we beg to refer you for farther information, inasmuch as our engagement with them is to deliver the vessels at the port of Liverpool when they are completed, according to our contract.
It may be useful to the lords commissioners of her Majesty’s treasury to know that the time in which we expect to have the first vessel so completed is not less than one month from this date, and the second vessel not less than six or seven weeks from this date.
We are, sir, your obedient servants,
George A. Hamilton, Esq.