[Enclosure in No.
6.]
Rear-Admiral Sir L. Jones to
the Secretary to the
Admirrlty.
“Hastings,”
Queenstown,
December 7,
1863.
Sir: I have the honor to report, for
their lordships’ information, that the United States
steam-corvette Kearsarge came off the harbor this morning, and
shortly afterward fifteen seamen were landed from her by the
Petrel, a schooner pilot-boat, belonging to Messrs. Scott &
Co., merchants, of Queenstown.
2. It appears from the statements of these men that they were
shipped between the 2d and 5th November last, while the
Kearsarge was windbound at this port, and regularly entered as
part complement of the ship on arriving at Brest.
3. I would beg to observe that Captain Winslow, of the Kearsarge,
was perfectly aware of her Majesty’s proclamation and the
statute law on that point, as he had a copy of the proclamation
in his possession, and I had a conversation with him on the
subject, and he stated to me in the presence of Mr. Eastman, the
United States consul, that he did not want any men—he only
wanted a clerk.
4. The men now landed are in custody, awaiting the decision of
the custom house authorities in London.
5. I have further to add, that Mr. Eastman, the United States
consul, read to me this morning a letter he had received from
Captain Winslow, of the Kearsarge, stating that a number of men
were found secreted on board the Kearsarge after his leaving
Queenstown on the 5th November, and that he would have landed
them at Brest, but that doing so would have put them into the
hands of the confederate war steamer Florida, and he now sends
them on shore at Queenstown.
I have, &c.,
