Laird Brothers to her Majesty’s Foreign Office, Treasury and Admiralty.
My Lord: We beg to call your attention to the present condition of the two steam vessels, the El Tousson and the El Monnassir, which have been removed by Captain Inglefield from dock into the river Mersey.
On Thursday last it blew a very heavy gale of wind here, and several large vessels, one of them a large steamer, were driven from their moorings within the estuary.
We understand that no steps are as yet taken to bring the rights of the crown before a jury, and in the mean time the vessels are exposed to great risk.
It is a matter of serious importance to us, as, in case the vessels should be lost or burned in the Mersey before we can deliver them to the owners, we shall be thereby prevented from completing our contract.
Our attention is more immediately called to this subject by the fact that one of the fire policies on the El Monnassir expires to-day, and we are in doubt what, under the circumstances, we ought to do.
It is evident that the vessels ought to be insured, both against sea-risk and fire, and we shall be glad to know whether her Majesty’s government have taken these precautions for the security of the property, and if not, whether they intend to do so.
We may further state, that we trust the government have given strict orders that proper precautions are taken for the preservation of the property from the injury and deterioration it is liable to from exposure to the damp and wet at this inclement season.
We are, my lord, your obedient servants,
Copy of above to—
Secretary to Treasury, same date;
Secretary to Admiralty, ditto.
The Right Hon. Earl Russell.