Lord Lyons to Mr. Seward.
Washington,
March 5, 1864.
Sir: I deem it to be my duty to ask you to give
serious and immediate attention to the enclosed copies of despatches
from her Majesty’s consul at New York.
If the statements made to her Majesty’s consul be correct, the British
schooner Sylvanus, of Nassau, was fired at and sunk by the United States
blockading vessel Huron, on the 2d of January last, at Doby’s inlet, in
Georgia; the master and crew, nine men in all, were taken on aboard the
Huron, and sixteen days afterwards were transferred to the United States
ship Massachusetts, and conveyed to Philadelphia; they were kept on
board the guardship for nine days, and they were finally sent to Fort
Lafayette, where they now are, neither the master nor any of the men
having been examined since their capture.
It is stated, moreover, that while on board the Huron, the whole of the
men, the master excepted, were placed in irons every night, and that,
with the exception of the mate, who was suffering from a sore arm, they
were sent in irons to Fort Lafayette.
It appears, that the master and seven of the crew are British subjects,
and that the remaining seaman is a Belgian. It has so often been my duty
to call your attention to the positive declarations made by her
Majesty’s government, that British subjects belonging to neutral vessels
captured for breach of blockade ought not to be detained indefinitely as
prisoners, nor treated with indignity, that I now make no apology for
pressing for immediate information as to the grounds on which the master
and crew of the Sylvanus are imprisoned, or for urging that, unless
there be some valid reasons justifying their detention, they may at once
be set at liberty.
I consider it right, also, to ask for information respecting the
destruction or the Sylvanus and the legal proceedings, if any, which
have been taken in the case. Nor can I conclude without drawing your
attention to the representations made by her Majesty’s consul with
regard to the detention or suppression of letters addressed to him by
British subjects confined in Fort Lafayette.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward
&c., &c., &c.
Mr. Archibald to Lord Lyons.
British Consulate, New
York,
February 26, 1864.
My Lord: I have the honor to transmit to
your lordship herewith a copy of a letter received by me several
days after its date, from one of the men lately
[Page 543]
belonging to the crew of the Banshee,
reporting that several British subjects who were captured on board
the schooner Sylvanus, of Nassau, on the 2d of January last, are
detained as prisoners at Fort Lafayette. This morning, Captain
Steele, of the Banshee, informed me that the late master of the
Sylvanus, Captain Haggin, and eight of his crew, all British
subjects, are still imprisoned at Fort Lafayette; that Captain
Haggin since he was sent to Fort Lafayette, has twice or thrice
written letters to me, calling my attention to his case and that of
his crew. Captain Steele confirms the statement of the men having
arrived at the fort manacled, in which condition they were brought
from Philadelphia; Captain Haggin’s wrists being injured by the
handcuffs, which were too small for him.
I beg leave to report to your lordship that I have received no letter
whatever from Captain Haggin, or any of his crew; and take the
opportunity to call your lordship’s attention to the delay in the
transmission of letters addressed to me by prisoners at Fort
Lafayette, which I have often had occasion to notice.
The Sylvanus, which was laden with salt, was captured and destroyed
by the United States blockading force on 2d of January last, at
Doboy’s inlet, in Georgia. Neither the master nor any of the crew,
as it is reported to me, have been examined before a prize
commissioner; nor has any investigation whatever, so far as I can
learn, taken place with regard to the capture of the vessel or the
imprisonment of the crew.
Mr. Vice-Consul Edwards will to-morrow visit the master and crew at
Fort Lafayette, and ascertain more satisfactorily their nationality.
In the mean time I deem it right to lose no further time in bringing
their case to your lordship’s notice. I have, &c, &c,
&c,
Lord Lyons, G. C. B., &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Rover to Mr. Archibald.
New York,
February 12, 1864.
Sir: I am instructed by Captain A. Haggin,
of the schooner Sylvanus, of Nassau, that they were captured at
Doboy sound, on the coast of Georgia, on the 2d of January, by the
United States gunboat Huron. They were detained for sixteen days on
board of her, and then sent to Philadelphia, and from thence to Fort
Lafayette. They kept the crew on board of her in irons every night,
and from Philadelphia to New York they sent them all in irons. They
have not had any hearing yet of any sort up to last Sunday, and the
captain is begging of you to intercede for them, for they are all
British subjects.
I am, &c, &c, &c.
H, C. D. ROVER,One of the Banshee’s
Crew.
E. M. Arcbibald, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Archibald to Lord Lyons.
British Consulate, New York,
February 29, 1864.
My Lord: Referring to my despatch of the
26th instant, I have the honor to report to your lordship, that Mr.
Vice-Consul Edwards proceeded to Fort Lafayette on Saturday last.
and there examined, on oath, Alexander Haggin, late master
[Page 544]
of the schooner Sylvanus,
of Nassau. Mr. Haggin states that he is a native of Belfast,
Ireland, and a British subject; that he has never been naturalized
in the United States, or elsewhere; that he has followed the sea for
the last fifteen years, chiefly in the East India trade. The last
time he was in the United States was at Darien, in Georgia, in the
year 1861, before the war begun; he was then a seaman of the St.
Helena, and remained there for about five weeks. He had been but
once before in the United States, when he was an apprentice. He
sailed from Nassau about the end of December last, in command of the
schooner Sylvanus, of Nassau, with a cargo of salt, six barrels of
spirits, and some manilla cord. On the 2d of January last, being
then off Darien, the Sylvanus was fired at by the United States
blockading vessel Huron, and was thereby sunk. The crew and himself,
nine in all, were taken on board the Huron, and sixteen days
afterwards were transported to the United States ship Massachusetts,
and conveyed in her to Philadelphia. While on board the Huron the
whole of the crew, the master excepted, were placed in irons every
night. On arriving at Philadelphia they were placed on board the
guard ship for nine days, and were then sent to Fort Lafayette, all
in irons, with the exception of the mate, who was suffering from a
sore arm. They have been at Fort Lafayette for more than three
weeks; and that since their capture on the 2d of January, neither
the master nor any of the men had been examined. That the master had
addressed two letters to me, one on the 4th and one on the 20th
instant, to neither of which had he received any reply. The crew
consists of the following persons, who are British subjects, viz.,
Samuel N. Williams, a native of Wales, mate; Robert James Rawlins,
native of Belfast, Ireland; William Riley, native of Dublin; George
Watson, native of Windsor, Nova Scotia; William Jackson, native of
Tipperary, Ireland; William Johnson, native of Nassau, New
Providence, and James Wade, native of Dublin. The remaining seaman
is a Belgian, named Paul Clark.
In reference to the letters stated by the master to have been
addressed by him to me, I beg to observe that I have not received
any letter whatever from him.
I have, &c., &c., &c.,
Lord Lyons, G. C. B., &c., &c., &c.
