Mr. Tassara to Mr. Seward.
The undersigned, minister plenipotentiary of her Catholic Majesty, has the honor to address himself to the honorable Secretary of State of the United States, to make known to him that through a channel that deserves confidence he is assured that the monitor Idaho, belonging to the government of the United States, is getting ready, and is soon to go out, armed for Peru or Chili, under pretext of having been sold to Japan.
The undersigned hopes that the honorable Secretary of State of the United States will fix his attention on this news, not doubting that, in case it should be true, even the departure of said monitor, or any other vessel, on the conditions mentioned, may be avoided.
The undersigned avails of this occasion to repeat to the honorable Secretary of State the assurances of his highest consideration,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.