Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Mr. Crawford, Secretary of Treasury.
Collector’s Office, May 3, 1819.
Sir: I beg leave to inclose to you a note received this morning from the attorney of the district, respecting certain vessels therein named of which I can only report that the credible information which he speaks of seems only to be the loose declarations of people who see some things doing on board these vessels, and who neither particularize nor distinguish between the lawful repairs and supplies permitted by our neutral regulations, and the additions and augmentation of force which are prohibited.
The Pucynedon was cleared three days ago and departed, followed by the cutter, with orders to prevent all communication of vessels with her in the bay. At the same time it must *be known that she was closely examined at coming in, when her stores were landed and put under the public keys; her conduct here was attended to and a close examination was made at her departure. She brought in ninety-eight men and went away with seventy, leaving also a gun or two as not wanted, and no change whatever affecting her hostile capacity was otherwise made, as is certified to me by the inspectors. The behavior of the commander and his officers was orderly, nor was complaint heard before. The Nereyda was a Spanish prize, formerly a brig of war, of whose arrival an account was given in my letter of the 16th ultimo; she was in bad condition and heeded much repairs for her safe navigation. The commander applied for leave to put a strip of plank about 3 or 4 inches wide and thick, and about 3 or 4 feet in length, under the sliding carriages of his guns, to replace some that were rotten, and to raise the woodwork out of the wash of the water, and as this was thought to apply to carriages only, &c., he was told that he could do so small a piece of work by his own carpenter anywhere, and need not trouble us with it. But he went further; employed a carpenter here and changed these same strips in several of the carriages. Upon a report to the office, he excused himself by saying that his carpenter went on shore, it being impossible to keep the hands on board while in a harbor, and that therefore he paid for the trifling nature of the work; he offered, however *to take away the new and replace the old pieces, which has been since ordered, after some hesitation. In the meanwhile the vessel was libeled and in the hands of the marshal, which seemed to render our attention not so necessary, and makes the call of the district attorney a little unreasonable, perhaps. [117] [118]
The Alerta has been here, I believe, all winter, dismantled, and as reported to me sold to a citizen, who proposes to send her to the West Indies for sale, with a part of her armament and a small cargo, as a mail-carrier between the islands. He has altered her so as to make her much less fit for a cruiser, and there is no doubt that he intends to sell her; still, he will be obliged to give bonds, as he retains some guns, &c.
It does not appear to me in the circumstances that the collector is required to act as the attorney proposes to him, and that the sections of the law he refers to apply to the cases, but as much is said on these sub*jects, and as something may be cast upon the officers of the customs in relief of the law-officers, this matter is submitted to your direction, which I shall be glad to follow. [119]
To exemplify our manner of proceeding with these vessels, an order and return of examination made at the departure of the last privateer [Page 494] is also inclosed. This, as an official document, if you please, maybe reurned. A hundred others are at your service if desirable.
William H. Crawford, Esq.