Laird Brothers to her Majesty’s Treasury.
Sir: We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, refusing us permission to finish the ships El Tousson and El Monnassir; and also of your letter of the 20th instant, stating that the lords of the treasury will provide in the manner they may consider requisite against the risks of fire and other damage.
If this decision about completing the ships be adhered to, we shall be prevented for an indefinite period from completing Our contract, and, consequently, be kept out of a very large sum of money, which will be due to us, and which the owners are ready to pay to us as soon as the vessels are so completed and delivered to them in the port of Liverpool.
As stated in our former letter, we are perfectly satisfied that the government should retain possession by an armed force, or otherwise, as they may think requisite, until the legal proceedings now pending are terminated, or some other settlement of the question arrived at.
[Page 420]Taking all these circumstances into consideration, we trust that their lordships may see reason to alter their decision, and agree to the proposal contained in our letter of the 12th instant.
In the mean time, we beg to call the attention of the lords of the treasury to the fact that, though it is now several months since the vessels were seized, yet no steps have as yet been taken to bring the matter to a legal decision, although our attorneys have repeatedly pressed this course on the law advisers of the crown.
We are, sir, your obedient servants,
The Secretary to the Treasury.