Mr. Dabney to Mr. Harvey.
Sir: I have to inform you that Mr. Hickling, our consular agent at St. Michael, under date of the 12th instant, informed me that on the 29th ultimo he saw a very long three-masted steamer, close in, standing to the eastward, and four days after the same or another of similar appearance passed to the westward. [Page 302] The apparent object was to see what vessels were at anchor. (I have heard that they showed no flag.) From the same gentleman I received the original letter of Mr. Manuel Barboza da Camara Albuquerque, his deputy at St. Mary’s, in which he announced that, on the night of the 26th to the 27th ultimo, a vessel was seen burning, and in the morning it was supposed that she was about three leagues distant; she continued burning until the following one o’clock a. m., when she disappeared. On the 27th a brig, apparently bound to the westward, approached the vessel on tire, and afterwards stood towards the land, and about an hour after again stood to the westward. The burnt vessel appeared to be a large vessel, high out of water.
With great consideration, I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
His Excellency James E. Harvey, Minister of the United States at the Court of Portugal.
The Sacramento, hence on the 20th ultimo, was the last United States government vessel here.