[Untitled]
Sir: It is my duty to apprise you that on the 3d instant the British (two-masted and two-funnel) schooner Mary Collert, of 248 tons, Captain W. G. Green, came from Liverpool, bound to Nassau for coal, and departed with upwards of 200 tons. She had the appearance of being destined for a confederate cruiser; the master said she can steam eighteen miles per hour.
On her arrival I officially applied to the civil governor to have her searched, and, if found with munitions on board, to prohibit the supply. He came personally to tell me that he had no instructions either to search a British vessel, or to prevent the furnishing of what the captain required; notwithstanding which he sent a confidential person privately to see, who reported that he did not observe anything, but thought it probable she had something under the ballast, as she was deep in the water.
I must do justice to the civil governor, who, in every case, has manifested the best feelings for the success of the United States in this unprovoked and devastating war.
No less than five blockade runners have been supplied here with coal. On the 2d of April a Bremen brig laden with upwards of 300 tons of coals and a large assortment of provisions and spirits from England for the West Indies (strongly suspected for some of the pirates) was condemned and sold at auction, [Page 304] being very leaky and otherwise damaged, which could not be repaired here.
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I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
James E. Harvey, United States Minister, Lisbon.