Lord Lyons to Mr. Seward..
Washington,
November 2, 1863.
Sir: I deem it to be my duty to call the
attention of the government of the United States to representations
which have been made to me that the British ship Sir William Peel was
captured on the 11th of September last, while atanchor in Mexican waters
near Matamoras, by the United States gunboat Seminole.
In order to put you in possession of the information which has reached me
on the subject, I have the honor to transmit the following documents to
you:
1. Copy of a despatch from the acting British consul at New Orleans,
dated September 30, 1863.
2. Protest of the master, first officer, and second steward of the Sir
William Peel, dated September 29, 1863.
3. Chart stated to show the position of the Seminole at the time she was
captured.
4. Copy of letter from Mr. Mirrilees to the acting consul, dated
September 30, 1863.
5. Extract from a report from Commander Martin, of her Majesty’s ship
Buzzard, to Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne, dated October 2, 1863.
I beg you to be so good as to send the protest and the chart back to
me.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Coppell to Mr. Stuart.
British Consulate,
New Orleans,
September 30, 1863.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith
a protest made before me by the master and two of the crew of the
British steamship Sir William Peel against seizure, &c., by the
United States gunboat Seminole.
From the protest it will be seen that the Sir William Peel at the
time of capture was at anchor in Mexican waters, off the mouth of
the Rio Grande, taking in cargo of cotton from Matamoras, and seized
on suspicion of having an unusually large crew, and of having
11-inch guns on board.
With regard to the crew, it consists of between forty and fifty
officers and men—a proper complement for a steamship the size of the
Sir William Peel. As to the guns, the master of the steamship
informs me, and it is stated in the protest, that he offered to take
out the cotton, then on board, in order to convince the commander of
the Seminole of his mistake, but to no purpose, the vessel being
kept possession of without search having been made.
As to any other probable causes that would tend to the capture of the
steamship Sir William Peel, I beg to state that, from information
derived from the master, I learn that the cargo taken into Matamoras
was shipped by Messrs. A. & T. Henry & Co., of Manchester;
that there was not shipped a package [Page 397] that could be considered contraband, legal
opinion having been taken previous to its shipment on the Peel at
Liverpool, and the master has handed me receipts for the cargo,
being delivered at Matamoras. The cotton that was on board at the
time of seizure had been shipped from Matamoras by Messrs. Milleno
& Co., merchants of that place, and they had taken the
precaution to have certificates from the United States consul there
to the effect that the cotton was shipped from Matamoras.
Some time before the Sir William Peel was seized by the Seminole, the
master having been informed by parties on shore that the commander
of the United States gunboat Princess Royal was making inquiry about
his vessel, and intended taking the bearings of the Sir William Peal
to ascertain if she was in Texas waters, and as his vessel was then
in shallow water he thought it prudent to move the Peel into deeper,
and consequently further into Mexican waters. The position of the
vessel at the time of seizure is shown by the chart which I have the
honor to enclose herewith.
By the first opportunity it is my intention to write to her Majesty’s
vice-consul at Matamoras for the ship’s papers, and to request him
to obtain from the Mexican authorities documents in corroboration of
the statement of the master of the Sir William Peel.
The acting Mexican consul here communicates with the minister in
Washington on this subject, and also of the seizure of another
vessel, The Flying Scud, which was taken under circumstances of a
similar nature.
I have the honor to transmit herewith an original letter written at
my request by Mr. Mirrieles, which gives the purport of a
conversation between him and Captain Woolsey, of the United States
navy, on the subject of the seizure of this vessel.
Commander Martin, of her Majesty’s ship Buzzard, now in this port,
will inform Vice-Admiral Sir A. Milne of the particulars of the
seizure as he learned them at Matamoras and from the master here,
and I transmit another copy of the protest in order that it may
reach Sir A. Milne, with such remarks as you deem proper.
I have the honor, &c.
GEORGE COPPELL, Acting
Consul.
Hon. Mr. Stuart, &c., &c., &c.
[Untitled]
Extract of a
letter, dated
October 2, 1863, from
Commander Martin, her Majesty’s ship Buzzard, to
Vice-Admiral Sir A. Milne, K. C. B.
“At Matamoras Captain Hunt informed me that the Sir William Peel,
English steamship, had been seized by the United States gunboat
Seminole and sent to this port as a prize. At the time of her
capture she was in Mexican waters; her papers in possession of the
English consul at that port, and she was taking in cotton, having
904 bales already on board, expecting to take in 300. No preliminary
investigation was made by the United States officer.
“On my arrival here I found the vessel already in the prize court;
her master gives me her position when captured, as in the enclosed
chart.
“Her Majesty’s consul is forwarding through the embassy a copy of the
protest of the master of the vessel.
“I called onCommodore Bell, the senior officer of the United States
navy at this place, on my arrival, and told him I was surprised that
the Sir William Peel had been placed in a prize court. His answer
was to the effect that his government had particular information
about this vessel, which he supposed I was unaware of. I told him no
preliminary investigation had been made by her captor. He said in
such a position it was impossible to make a proper examination.”
[Page 398]
Mr. Mirrilees to Mr. Coppell.
New Orleans,
September 30, 1863.
Sir: At your request I subjoin the
substance of a conversation which passed between Captain Woolsey, of
the United States gunboat Princess Royal, and myself, on Saturday
evening, the 26th instant, in the St. Charles Hotel, in this
city.
The capture of the British steamship Sir William Peel having been
intro duced, Captain Woolsey said that he regretted it very much, as
he was satisfied that when captured by the Seminole there existed no
just cause for such a proceeding, and that the United States had no
plea for detaining the vessel, and would have to pay heavy damages;
that the captain of the Seminole would or ought to be cashiered, as
he had behaved in a most violent and unjustifiable manner, inasmuch
as he knew that he (Captain Woolsey) had previously over hauled the
Peel and found her all right.
It was further stated by Captain Woolsey that subsequent to the time
that he had overhauled the steamer she had removed her position a
mile or more further into Mexican waters, where she lay when
captured.
I am, &c., &c.,
[Untitled]
British Consulate,
New Orleans,
September 30, 1863.
The above statement, his voluntary act, was signed by the above-named
John D. Mirrilees, a person to me known, and worthy of credit, in my
presence.[l.
s.]
J. COPPELL, Her Britannic Majesty’s Acting
Consul.
