Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Mr. Monroe, Secretary of State.
Collector’s Office , July 23, 1816.
Sir: I should have answered your letter of the 19th instant yesterday, when received, but an influx of business having occurred at the moment, it was buried inadvertently under accumulated papers not read by me before this morning.
With respect to one of the vessels mentioned in the list, as stated by the Spanish minister, to have been illegally armed here, there exists some reason for complaint. The rest are all rumors, or suggestions, of apprehension without reality.
[Page 455]The schooner Romp was purchased here on the 14th of March, and on the 18th of April last, by bills of sale of those dates from the owners separately as appears. She was cleared on the 10th of April, under temporary register, as owned by Thomas Taylor, who made the usual oath of his being a citizen of Wilmington, Delaware, for *a voyage to Buenos Ayres, and no cause of suspicion appeared nor was any armament known to be added to her at this port. On the 24th ultimo, the collector of Havre de Grace came purposely from that place to exhibit certain papers accidentally thrown into his hands, which discovered that the destination of this vessel had been altered, and her character changed after her departure from Baltimore; that foreign colors had been hoisted and depredations committed upon Spanish vessels by her commander and crew; and that the crew had mutinied, displaced the captain, and sent him with others on board vessels they had spoken. The schooner was then brought back to the Chesapeake, and the crew abandoned her and separated, having first divided the property found on board. Immediate measures were taken to procure a vessel, and to seize the schooner wherever she could be found, and as we were entirely destitute of any force here that could be commanded by the officers of the customs, application was made to the commander on the naval station here for an armed vessel that might be dispatched on the business. He was absent in the country, and no answer was received until the next day. In the interim, the officer who had charge of the navy-yard applied himself to prepare the United States schooner Asp, which was here as a receiving-vessel, with a very few men, and wholly disarmed, and by the exertions of sailing-master Dorsey, the vessel took in stores and guns during the night and was ready as soon *as the order came from Captain Spence to proceed next day. I had also applied to Colonel Armistiad for a detachment of troops to strengthen the expedition, which was readily granted under a commissioned officer and the Asp sailed immediately with instructions from this office t seize and bring to this port for examination the schooner Romp, a any vessels found carrying men, stores, &c., or appearing as attached to and consorted with her, unless found to be already in the hands of Government, in which case they would afford every assistance to secure, defend, and transport her to a place of safety. This was done under an apprehension that a number of men had been engaged to replace her former crew, &c. Before the Asp could arrive, the Romp had been seized by the collector of York, and thus it appears that three officers of the United States, from different situations, have exerted themselves to suppress the attempt upon the first information, as a violation of the laws and in opposition to the will of Government. [25] [26]
The schooner Terry is unknown to us, unless a vessel belonging to the eastward is intended, which entered and cleared here coastwise, being a licensed vessel formerly. (Upon search made in our papers no such vessel appears for a long time to have been here, though when writing the first lines I thought I had a recollection of her, but it must have been from reports of other places, and, as conjectured above, to the eastward.)
[27] *The Orb, Almida, captain, cleared from this port for Havana, on the 16th May last, and we have no knowledge of anything amiss in her case. Captain Almida had been taken and imprisoned at Carthagena, where he lost his vessel and suffered otherwise in a manner which, as I am told to-day, had drawn from him some threatening expressions since his return, but which seem to be more declarative of feeling than intention.
[Page 456]The Comet and Chasseur have both been sold at the Havana, where they had gone on trading-voyages and were, as we understand, bought for the purpose of attacking the vessels cruising against the Spaniards in that quarter.
Thus, sir, of the five vessels stated to be fitted here for hostility against Spain, one appears never to have been here one is yet uncharged with any offense, and perhaps never will be, under the present owner; one has been seized, and every measure taken to vindicate the justice of the country, and two have been sold to the very government which complains of them in anticipation.
I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,
Jas. Monroe, Esq.