Mr. Yeaman to Mr. Seward.
Sir: The late visit of the monitor Miantonomoh has been an event of so much interest here that I cannot doubt it will be agreeable to the Department of State to be informed of it. The Miantonomoh stopped here somewhat unexpectedly, to coal, while Mr. Fox was on his way from Paris to meet her at Stettin; when, owing to the prevalence of the cholera at that port, he telegraphed me to detain the ship until he could reach here, and, having arrived at this place, he learned that that malady was epidemic at St. Petersburg, and deemed that a proper care of the crews of the Augusta and the Miantonomoh required he should here await further information. The stay of the ship being thus unexpectedly protracted, an opportunity was afforded for the public curiosity about this great naval wonder to be amply gratified.
The day the vessels anchored here, after saluting and being saluted, the commanders, Murray and Beaumont, came on shore and called upon the minister of marine and several naval officers of superior grade, and during the interview with the minister it was arranged that he and a party of naval officers, to be made up by him, should go with me from the legation to the ship the next day at twelve. The visit of these gentlemen, among whom were the most prominent in the Danish navy, as the minister, Captain Grove, Admirals Irminger, Swensen, Mickelsen, and others, seemed to be the source to them of pleasure, surprise and admiration. They were extremely impressed with everything about the ship, more especially her invulnerability, the size of the guns, the working of the turrets, and her sea-going capacity. I think there was no division of opinion upon the point that a complete revolution has been effected in naval architecture and warfare.
Next morning I had an application from the minister of marine to open the way for the visit of a government official commission, which being soon effected, they went on board and remained some time in examining the ship, and when I can be made acquainted with the substance or character of their report, I will communicate it to Mr. Fox in response to an official letter which he has addressed to me.
In the meanwhile a member of the editorial corps having applied to me for information how to have access to the ship, an editorial visit was soon arranged and made by a party of gentlemen, from the principal papers of the city, and next morning the several leading journals described in glowing terms the wonderful naval machine. Public curiosity was now fairly aroused, and a little steamer plied hourly from one of the quays of the city to the Miantonomoh, with crowds of curious and informal visitors, who went everywhere through the ship at their pleasure; and this interest of the people, so far from subsiding, seemed to increase so long as she remained. These visitors would have to be numbered by the thousand.
On the third day Mr. Fox arrived, and having called on the minister of foreign affairs, the minister of marine, and the gentlemen to whom he had letters [Page 167] from Mr. Raasloff, the Danish minister at Washington, on the same day, on behalf of Mr. Fox, I asked, through Count Frys, for an audience of the King, to present him and Commanders Murray and Beaumont, which was readily granted, and at the interview two days afterwards the King made many inquiries about the monitor, her structure, comforts and safety, her cost, fighting power and seagoing capacity; and upon his suggestion to Mr. Fox that he would be pleased to visit the ship, it was immediately arranged that the entire royal family would be received on board the same evening. The party were conducted by Admiral Irminger, and consisted of the King and Queen, Prince John, the King’s brother, Prince Frederic, heir apparent, Princess Dagmar, lately betrothed to the Grand Duke hereditary of Russia, the two younger children, Princess Thyra and Prince Waldemar, and several officers of the King’s household, and ladies of honor to the Queen. They were received with a royal salute, and the same token of respect was tendered upon their departure. They entered upon the examination of the ship with manifest earnestness and interest, going into every part from the boiler-room to the pilot-house, Princess Dagmar remarking she had come to see and wanted to see every part of the vessel. The effect of the visit and all of its incidents were satisfactory and pleasing in the highest degree, and nothing could have been more affable and cordial than the conduct of the royal party. While on board, Prince John, in commenting upon our progress, expressed the opinion that the United States and Russia were now the two leading and most powerful nations of the earth; and to my suggestion that we would surely rank so in another generation, he insisted we were so now, and added that he hoped “two such great and friendly nations will always have a friendly care of little Denmark.” I took the occasion to assure him that there were no two nations to which my government felt a more cordial attachment than to Denmark and Russia.
On taking leave, the King caused Mr. Fox, myself, Commanders Murray and Beaumont, and Messrs, Lubat and Greene (who had been received at the same audience granted to Mr. Fox) to dine with him at one of the country palaces the day after the morrow of the visit. At dinner all the royal family were present, and besides the American company there were no invited guests but Count Frys and Admiral Swensen. A fine band performed under the trees, just outside the windows of the dining-saloon, and in the midst of the festivities the “Star Spangled Banner” was performed with great taste and skill. The effect of this upon his American guests was so marked and pleasing that the King had the air repeated twice after dinner. The Queen, observing how very gratifying this was, asked me if it was a hymn, and having explained to her its origin, and the passionate love the American people have for it, I asked that I might be allowed to present her with a copy, when one deemed suitable could be obtained, to which she most readily and obligingly assented. Having no means of procuring it here, the State Department will no doubt deem it proper to enable me to redeem the promise.
By invitation of Mr. Fox, the Russian envoy, Baron Nicolay, family and suite were received on board the monitor, properly saluted, and shown through the ship. On the day following the royal entertainment, Count Frys, the Danish minister of foreign affairs, with a few attendants, visited the ship. He was received on board by Mr. Fox, properly saluted, and shown through the ship.
On the same day, having previously invited the gentlemen of the diplomatic corps to visit the ship, I accompanied them, and after the salute with which the commander of the squadron received them, they were attentively shown through the vessel, constantly giving expression to that surprise and admiration which it must excite in the minds of all who have not before seen it. The same evening I had an opportunity to present the gentlemen of the diplomatic corps to Mr. Fox, at my house, and they evidently were interested and solicitous to [Page 168] have his views about naval and American affairs, and, I must add, were favorably impressed with the interview.
The very great interest felt here in the Miantonomoh as a specimen of naval architecture and machinery, and the increased and favorable attention which the ship and her successful passage over the Atlantic have evidently drawn to our own country, must excuse the details and length at which I have related the facts connected with her sojourn in the harbor of Copenhagen.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.