You will be pleased to make known the contents of this paper to her
Majesty’s government,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c.,&c.,&c., London.
[Untitled]
No. 139.]
Consulate General of the United
States of America, Havana,
September 23, 1865.
Sir: Your despatch No. 67 was duly
received. In reply to that part of it directing me to procure some
probable evidence to sustain the representations made in my despatch
No. 127, in reference to the reported landing of an expedition of
negroes at Ensenada de Cochinos, I have the honor to say, that the
report in question having been communicated by me to her Britannic
Majesty’s consul general, he called the attention of the captain
general to the same, by whom a thorough investigation was ordered,
the result of which was that the said landing never took place. I
have endeavored to obtain from the parties who gave me the
information the proof of their assertions, but they merely answer me
that they obtained it from others, whom they supposed to know the
facts. In the absence of evidence, and after the investigation made
by order of. the captain general, we must, at least for the present,
believe that the report was unfounded.
A small expedition of African negroes was landed a few days since at
a place called Gato, adjacent to the districts of San Cristobal and
Rinar del Rio, (south side of Cuba,) from a small sloop. It is
believed it did not exceed 160 in number, of whom 103 have been
captured; the rest must have been run into the woods; but the
captain general, whose unceasing efforts to put an end to the
nefarious traffic are truly worthy of all praise, is confident that,
notwithstanding the difficulty to be met with, owing to the
character of that part of the country, (the Cuzco mountains,) they
will be found and taken. The associate justice of the superior court
(Rellijero de Lama) has proceeded to the spot, for the purpose of
initiating the necessary legal proceedings. It is understood that
these negroes are tall and strong; of a tribe that has never been
brought to the island, as the authorities cannot find any negroes
that understand their language. One person has been arrested who is
believed to be concerned in the expedition, and orders have issued
for the arrest of two others for the same reason.
The captain general has information of other expeditions being under
way from Africa, and taken his measures for their capture.
The orders from the supreme government for the suppression of the
slave trade, lately received, are very stringent, and General Dulce
will carry them out to the letter.
I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,
THOMAS SAVAGE, Vice-Consul
General.
Hon. H. N. Congar,
Acting Assistant Secretary of State,
Washington.
