Office of the Historian

Laird Brothers to her Majesty’s Treasury.

Birkenhead Iron Works, Birkenhead, October 9, 1863.

Sir: In further reply to your letter of the 7th instant, (acknowledged yesterday,) informing us that the lords commissioners of her Majesty’s treasury have given instructions that a custom-house officer shall be placed on board the ironclad vessel, now nearly completed at Birkenhead, with full authority to seize her on behalf of the crown, in the event of any attempt being made to remove her from the float or dock where she is at present, unless under further directions from their lordships, and likewise to obtain from the officer in command of her Majesty’s steamer Majestic any protection which may become necessary to support him in the execution of this duty. We beg to inform you that we have received this day a letter from Mr. Morgan, the surveyor of customs, giving us notice that, by direction of the honorable commissioners of customs, he has this day seized the iron-clad vessel now lying in the great float at Birkenhead.

Since the receipt of your letter of the 7th instant no attempt has been made to remove the vessel from her moorings at the quay in the great float, and we are therefore at a loss to understand this apparent deviation from the decision of their lordships, as expressed in their letter of the 7th, above referred to. But we consider this has been done, not with any distrust of our intentions to fulfil our engagement, of giving a week’s notice of our intention to remove the vessel, nor with the view of interfering in any way with the workmen in the completion of her, but exclusively for the purposes of preventing an attempt which may be made by other parties to nullify our engagement.

[Page 407]

Although we are not aware of any circumstances to induce us to entertain any apprehension of any attempt being made to deprive us of our property by force, we gladly avail ourselves of any protection her Majesty’s government may think necessary for its security.

The vessel is still far from being ready for sea, and the work has been so much retarded by the excessively wet weather that it will be some weeks before she is finally completed.

We are, respectfully, your obedient servants,

LAIRD BROTHERS.

Geo. A. Hamilton, Esq.