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

Laird Brothers to her Majesty’s Treasury.

Birkenhead Iron Works, Birkenhead, October 17, 1863.

Sir: In reply to your letter of the 9th instant, informing us that, “in consequence of information which has been received by her Majesty’s government as to the probability of a forcible abduction of one or both the iron-clad vessels in course of completion in the float at Birkenhead, their lordships had felt it their duty to order the seizure of both these vessels, and have issued the necessary directions to the commissioners of customs accordingly,” we have made the fullest inquiry, and have not been able to ascertain any circumstance to induce us to apprehend the probability of a forcible abduction of one or both of the iron-clad vessels in course of completion by us at Birkenhead—one, the El Tousson, in the great float, the public dock, and the other, the El Monnassir, in our own dock, on our own premises.

Both vessels are incomplete, and unfit for sea-going; the second vessel has not even got masts or funnel in, and both are in the sole charge of our own people.

We believe, further, that if any such project as the forcible abduction of these vessels had ever been thought of, it could not successfully have been carried out in the port of Liverpool.

Their lordships have so often assured us that they are convinced that it is our intention, so far as in our power, to fulfil honorably the engagement which we have entered into with her Majesty’s government, that we have deferred making any formal protest against the seizure of these vessels, or the arbitrary and extraordinary measures that have been carried out in placing an armed force in charge.

We can only suppose that their lordships have been induced to act as they have done by some information, which will be found, on further investigation, to have been entirely erroneous, or greatly exaggerated; and that they will, on the termination of the inquiries they have set on foot to investigate the case, feel justified in removing the vexatious restrictions they have placed upon our property, which have already caused and are still causing us an amount of loss and annoyance not easily estimated.

We remain, sir, your obedient servants,

LAIRD BROTHERS.

George A. Hamilton, Esq.