I beg to recommed this case strongly to your consideration, in the hope
that restrictions of this kind will be removed, and a legitimate
commerce not hampered or interfered with.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient, humble servant.
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Darrell to Mr. Archibald.
New York,
September 3, 1864.
Sir: I beg to thank you for the persual of
the correspondence between the Secretary of the Treasury and Lord
Lyons, in reference to the refusal of the collector of this port to
clear the cargo shipped by my firm (Darrell & Nash) on the
British schooner Electric, for Nassau, New Providence.
The deputy collector says, in his letter of 3d August, “These
gentlemen have been for some time engaged, as I have reason to
believe, in shipping goods to blockade runners at Nassau, to be sent
to the States in rebellion.”
For my late and present firm, I have no hesitation in pronouncing the
conclusion of the deputy collector as hasty and altogether unfounded
in fact. If the collector knows this statement to be correct, it is
somewhat singular that he has taken no action against us on the
bonds we have given for those shipments. Our business with Nassau
has been purely as commission merchants, and we have had no interest
whatever in any of our shipments to that port. The number of our
correspondents has not increased, and all were doing business there
prior to the secession of the southern States. We have been most
particular, in the execution of orders for that port, not to send
any articles that we thought unlikely to be wanted for consumption
in the Bahamas, and’ have declined, repeatedly, business that we did
not think came within the limits of our custom-house regulations;
further, we have every reason to believe that our constituents in
Nassau have dealt in good faith and fairly by us, in the observance
of their pledge to us that they would sell our shipments in that
market for consumption.
In explanation of the case that the deputy collector cites in his
third paragraph, we refer you to a copy of a protest herewith,
signed by the captain and navigator of the schooner Teviot, showing
the cause of the deviation. The cargo was shipped by my late firm in
good faith to be landed at Bermuda, as you will perceive by
reference to bills of lading herewith.
[Page 736]
The deputy collector has been grossly misinformed with regard to the
ultimate destination of the cargo intended to be shipped by us on
the Electric. We offered the deputy collector of the bond
department, and are still prepared to show our orders for all the
articles of that cargo, and do not think that the collector can show
an authenticated case of any of the gentlemen who sent those orders
ever having been engaged in the blockade business.
I am, &c,
E. M. Archibald, Esq., &c, &c., &c.
Protest.
Bahama Islands :
Be it known, that on this day, being Monday, the 19th day of July, in
the year of our Lord 1863, personally appeared before me Thomas
William Henry Dillet, notary public by lawful authority appointed,
duly admitted and sworn, re-residing in the city of Nassau, in the
island of New Providence, William Wil son, master of the British
schnooner Teviot, of, and belonging to, the port of Nassau, and
Albert Orlando Stone, of Charleston, South Carolina, a passenger on
board the said schooner, who, of their own free will and voluntary
accord, did allege, affirm, protest, and say, as follows :
That they sailed in and on board of the said schooner Teviot, from
the port of New York, in the United States of America, on the 27th
day of June last past, for St. George’s, in the island of Bermuda,
with a cargo consisting of 80 barrels of flour, 100 barrels of
alcohol, 100 kegs of soda, 200 firkins of butter, mackerel, and
other articles; that on the 29th it blew a fresh gale from the
southeast, and on the 30th it continued so to blow with a heavy sea,
which caused the vessel to make much water. At 1 p. m. they carried
away the jibstay; took in the jib, and put a preventer on the stay,
and set the jib without bonnet; at 7 a. m. the wind blew stronger
from southeast by east, wherefore the sails were close reefed fore
and aft; on the 1st of July, being by observation in latitude 34°
2′, and longitude 73° 57′, the gale continued, and the vessel
labored hard, making water freely, the weather continuing boisterous
throughout the day; on the 2d it became more moderate, the wind
blowing from southeast by east, but the vessel being in a crippled
condition, and continuing to leak badly, it was deemed unsafe to
proceed to Bermuda, and, upon consultation, it was determined to run
to Nassau for repairs; on the 3d there were fresh gales from the
southeast, they being, by observation, in latitude 33° 56′, and
longitude 73° 48′. The next day they had pleasant weather, with the
wind to the east; that on Sunday, the 5th, they had fresh gales from
the south; the vessel still continued to leak badly. The 6th came in
with strong gales from the southeast by east; at 1 p. m. they hove
to; but as the wind became more moderate, at 8 a. m. they filled
away, their course being south by west, and they being by
observation in latitude 28° 2′ and longitude 73° 59′; that the 7th
and 8th they had moderate winds and pleasant weather; on the 9th day
they had strong breezes for the first part of the day; at 8 a. m.
they made Abaco, the light-house being and bearing west by south,
distant about 19 miles, and arrived at Nassau on Friday evening, the
10th day of July, instant; that they commenced to discharge the
cargo on this 13th day of July, and that 6 casks of alcohol, 5
barrels of flour, and 4 nests of empty trunks were found to be
damaged by sea-water; that they are now still discharging the said
cargo.
Wherefore the said master hath requested me, the said notary, to
protest, as I do, by these. presents, most solemnly protest, against
all winds, waves, and
[Page 737]
seas, and against all and every person or persons whom it may or
shall concern, and declare that all damages, losses, and detriments
that have happened to the said ship and her cargo are and ought to
be borne by the merchants and freighters interested, or whomsoever
else it may concern, (by way of average or otherwise,) the same
having occurred as before mentioned, and not by or through the
insufficiency of the said ship, or neglect of the said appearer, or
of the officers or mariners.
WILLIAM WILSON.
A. O. STONE.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal notarial, at
Nassau, this 19th day of July, 1863.
[l.s]
WILLIAM HENRY DILLET, Notary Public,
Bahamas.
On the 16th July, the said William Wilson further declared,
protested, and said, that the said schooner Teviot being discharged
of her cargo aforesaid, he found 6 barrels of mackerel and 4 barrels
of pork damaged; in addition to those mentioned above, and to serve
and avail as occasion may require.
WILLIAM WILSON.
In testimonium veritatis.
WILLIAM HENRY DILLET, Notary Public,
Bahamas.
Bahama Islands :
I, Thomas W. Henry Dillet, of Nassau, a notary by lawful authority
appointed, duly admitted and sworn, do hereby certify and attest
unto all to whom it may concern, that the above and before written
is a duplicate or true copy of a certain instrument of protest made
before me, taken and extracted from my register of all notarial acts
by and before me, granted and passed, marked A, folio —.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Nassau,
this 16th day of July, A. D. 1863.
WILLIAM HENRY DILLET, Notary Public,
Bahamas.
