Mr. Seward to Mr. Clay
Sir: I have received your despatch of the 16th of January, No. 69. I shall take great pleasure in communicating to the navy the note of Vice-Admiral Kralbe, the Russian minister of marine, on the subject of the monitors.
Captain Glisson, of the Saintiago dé Cuba, has just left me. He was active in the two terrific and effective bombardments of Fort Fisher. He speaks in terms of unbounded admiration of the monitors which were engaged on those occasions, and declares that while some of them have defects, not by any means irremediable, yet that as a class those vessels are invaluable for purposes of national defence.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Cassius M. Clay, Esq., &c., &c., &c.