Mr. Hale to Mr. Seward
Sir : I have the honor to report that, on the 20th instant, the United States screw sloop-of-war Swatara, Commander William N. Jeffers, arrived at this port. The next day I delivered the prisoner Surratt into the custody of Commander Jeffers, on board the steamer. On the 22d, in the evening, a telegram was received from Mr. Winthrop, United States consul at Malta, conveying the orders of Rear-Admiral Goldsborough that the Swatara should proceed with the prisoner to Port Mahon; and accordingly, as soon as she had finished coaling, that is, yesterday, 26th, she left this for the port.
Meanwhile, I presented Commander Jeffers here to Zulfikar Pacha, governor of Alexandria, and at Cairo to his Highness the Pacha, who granted a special audience for the purpose at his palace of Ghazereh, and exhibited the most cordial courtesy in the reception.
No hint or objection to the arrest, detention, or delivery of Surratt was at any time made here, although I was careful to proceed in such manner as to prevent on the one hand any pretence that the Egyptian government was taken unawares, and on the other hand to avoid any embarrassment in my proceedings from unexpected objections.
Although the extradition was thus accepted here as a matter of course, I respectfully suggest that it may be well that I should be instructed to express to his Highness the acknowledgments of the President. Every assistance required was cordially afforded by the Egyptian government.
I ought to add that the course of the British authorities here was straight-forward and loyal. Expecting a claim from Surratt to British protection, I took care to inform Mr. Francis, her Britannic Majesty’s legal vice-consul and [Page 83] judge, that the man was in the custody of this consulate general, which would not admit his right to any other jurisdiction, but that meanwhile he might be freely visited by her Britannic Majesty’s authorities to hear any claims or pretensions he might choose to put forward. Mr. Francis, however, found no occasion for any proceedings, and, in point of fact, Surratt never claimed British protection here.
I am glad to find by the newspapers received by this week’s mails that my telegram announcing the arrest of Surratt reached you promptly and without mistake.
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I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.