No. 6.
From Mr. R. S. Atwell’s book, bread and biscuit baker, Cape Town:
[738] *March 24, 1864.—To 13,000 pounds biscuit
supplied to steamer Alabama, for account of Messrs. William Anderson,
Saxon & Co.
Raphael Daniel Norden, of Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, maketh oath and
saith, that the aforegoing is a true and faithful extract made by this
deponent from the books of Mr. R. L. Attwell, bread and biscuit baker,
Cape Town.
Sworn at Cape Town, Cape of Good
Hope, this 3d day of November, 1871, before me.
B. LESURE,
Justice of the Peace for Cape
Town.
[Page 195]
United
States Consulate, Cape Town
,
October, 1871.
[739]
Sir: I have the honor to bring to your
notice that the Department of State, Washington, has called upon me
to collect information relative to the proceedings of the
confederate vessels which touched at the Cape during the years 1863
and 1864, more especially those of the Alabama. I find I cannot
obtain particulars of the stores and coals supplied to the latter
vessel except from the custom-house records. I therefore request
that you will be so good as to direct a return to be made of all
supplies which have been shipped on board the Alabama or other
confederate vessels, specifying the quantity entered to *each, and
by whom supplied. I shall feel much obliged by your early compliance
with this request.
I have the honor to be, sir, &c.,
W. W. EDGECOMB,
United States
Consul.
His Excellency Sir Henry
Barkly,
Governor, &c., Cape
of Good Hope.
Colonial Office
,
October 17, 1871.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, wherein you request that
instructions may be issued for preparation from the custom-house
records of a return, showing all supplies shipped on board the
Shenandoah and other confederate vessels which touched at the Cape
in the year 1863 and 1864, and specifying the quantities entered to
each and by whom supplied. In reply, I am directed by his excellency
the governor to acquaint you, that upon reference to the honorable
the collector of customs, it appears that, as the vessels in
question were viewed as “men-of-war” and treated as such, no account
was taken by that officer’s department of the coals, &c.,
supplied thereto. His excellency therefore regrets his inability to
furnish the information which you desire.
I have the honor to be, sir, &c.,
CHARLES MILLS,
(Signed for the) Colonial Secretary.
[740]
W. W. Edgecomb, Esq.,
Consul for the United States of America, Cape
Town.
A true copy from the original exhibited to me this day by W. W.
Edgecomb, United States consul, Cape Town.
[
seal.]
G. J. DE
KOSTE,
Notary
Public.
Cape Town, November 2, 1871.
United
States Consulate, Cape Town
,
October 21, 1871.
[741]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 17th instant, in answer to mine of the
9th. I regret that you can give me no information concerning the
transactions of the Alabama, and other confederate vessels at this
and other ports of the colony, during the years 1863 and 1864. By
referring to the Cape Argus of September 22, 1863, I find that the
Alabama was in Simons Bay, and that Captain Semmes reports that he
is expecting the steamer Kadie from Table Bay with 200 tons of
coals. I also learn that the Kadie did clear from [Page 196] this port on the 17th of September,
*1863, with 180 tons of coals and other stores for Simons Bay, and
that the coals and stores were put on board the Alabama at the
latter port. On application being made at the custom-house (by a
person employed by me) to examine the manifest of steamer Kadie, it
was refused unless he could show an order from you. Will you please
to order a copy of manifest from this port and Simons Town, for my
use.
I have the honor, sir, &c.,
W. W. EDGECOMB,
United States
Consul.
His Excellency Sir Henry
Barkly,
Governor, &c., of the
Cape of Good Hope.
