Office of the Historian

[730]
*Mr Edgecombe, consul, to Mr. Fish, Secretary of State.

Consulate of the United States of America,
Cape Town, November 4, 1871.

Sir: In accordance with instructions received from the Department of State, dated August 4, 1871, No. 102, I have the honor to report that I have made a thorough investigation of the transactions of the Alabama at this and other ports of the colony during the years 1863, 1864.

I find it very difficult to obtain any reliable information on the subject, for those that furnished her with aid and comfort during that period are not willing to acknowledge it; such as I have been able to obtain, I transmit herewith for the information of the United States Government.

1.
That I have examined the records of this office thoroughly, and find no remonstrance from Mr. Graham to Governor Wodehouse, after August 4, 1863, a copy of which is attached to this dispatch.
2.
The amount of coal received on board the Alabama in March, 1864, at this port, was 208½ tons, as per deposition No. 5; no repairs were made at this time; the coal was shipped on board by William Anderson & Co., who acted as her agent at this port and Simon’s Bay.
3.
[731] She did not ship any crew at this time, but during her stay in Simon’s Bay, in September, 1863, she *shipped eleven men; the-party who shipped them has gone to the diamond-fields.
4.
The crew of the Tuscaloosa were paid off at Simon’s Town, by Messrs. W. Anderson & Co., as per affidavit No. 2; the officers went from here to Southampton, in the mail-steamer, of which Messrs. W. Anderson & Co. are the agents.
5.
The Florida did not visit this colony. Finding it difficult to obtain information from outside parties, I applied to the governor, and received an answer from him regretting his inability to furnish me any, as the vessels in question were viewed as men-of-war, and treated as such. I then sent a man to the custom-house, and they refused to allow him to examine the records. I addressed the governor again, asking permission to copy the manifest of steamer Kadie, of September 17, 1863. On receiving permission, I had copies taken here and at Simon’s Town, as per depositions three and four. The supplies received by the Alabama in 1863 were shipped from this port to Simon’s Bay, as per manifest of steamer Kadie, the repairs as per deposition No. 1.

I have the honor, sir, to be your obedient servant,

[seal.]
W. W. EDGECOMB,
United States Consul.

Number of inclosures, 10; 6 depositions; 4 letters.