Office of the Historian

Lord Lyons to Mr. Seward.

Washington, December 26, 1863.

Sir: I have the honor to ask your immediate attention to the enclosed extract from a despatch from her Majesty’s consul at New York, respecting the imprisonment of the master and crew of the British steamer Banshee, captured on a charge of breach of blockade.

You will observe that it is stated that the master and crew are detained under direct instructions from the United States government.

It appears, moreover, that they are confined in the New York county jail.

You will see, therefore, that the case as presented to me is a very serious one, and will excuse my pressing for immediate information respecting it.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

LYONS.

Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.

[Untitled]

Extract from Consul Archibald to Lord Lyons, dated New York, December 22, 1863.

“In referring to my despatch of the 27th ultimo, in which I reported the eapture, and arrival at this port, of the steamer Banshee, I now have the honor to report to your lordship that the master and crew of this vessel have been detained here as prisoners since the 23d ultimo.

“Supposing they had been detained, as usual in such cases, for the purpose of taking their testimony, I did not, until after a reasonable time, interfere in their behalf. Having made inquiries of the United States marshal, from whom I received no satisfactory reply, I addressed a note to the United States district attorney, who, in his reply, informs me that the master and crew are detained under direct instructions from the government, and that the master is understood ‘to have been arrested on two or three occasions previous to his present detention, charged with great infractions of the law.’

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“Captain Steele, in reference to this allegation, asserts that he never was in the northern States hut once hefore this time, and that was when he was captured last year in the Tuhal Cain, for an alleged attempt to violate the blockade, and was brought to this port.”