[472] *Mr. Benavides, minister of foreign affairs, to Mr. Perry, United States chargé d’affaires.
Palace , Madrid , March 21, 1865.
Sir: Reserving the privilege to communicate to you whatever the authorities of the Ferrol may reply hereafter with respect to the fraudulent increase of the crew of the corsair Stonewall, to which your notes of the 7th instant refer, I have the honor now to communicate that the captain-general of that marine department said, in a telegram the day before yesterday to the minister of marine, that the Stonewall had not enlisted any men at all.
I avail myself of this occasion to renew, &c., &c.
The Chargé d’affaires of the United States.