Mr. Seward to Mr. Burnley
Sir: I have the honor to state, for the information of her Britannic Majesty’s authorities, that by a despatch of the 13th instant from the United States consul at Halifax, I have been apprised of the existence of a piratical organization, consisting of about three hundred persons, which has been formed for the purpose of seizing, plundering, or destroying, or, where it may be practicable, of appropriating steamers and other vessels belonging to citizens of the United States at different points along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and on lakes situated between the United States and Canada. The consul states that this body of desperadoes will separate into smaller parties and operate at different points; that a portion of the band will remain at Nassau; that several persons belonging to the organization have pretended commissions from the so-called secretary of the navy of the insurgents in arms against this government; that some of the parties connected with this organization left Halifax recently in the steamer Acadie, which sailed for Nassau and Havana; that Braine, one of the piratical leaders engaged in the seizure of the steamers Chesapeake and Roanoke, was at Halifax two or three days before the consular despatch referred to was written; and that he left under an assumed name in a schooner for Nassau;. that McDonald, who was associated with Braine in the seizure of the Chesapeake, is said to be in Canada, in the vicinity of Detroit.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your obedient servant,
J. Hume Burnley, Esq., &c., &c., &c.