No. 629.
General Sickles to Mr. Fish.
United States Legation in Spain,
Madrid, November 19, 1873. (Received December
15.)
No. 847.]Sir: I have the honor to forward herewith, for
the completion of the series of communications passed between Mr.
Carvajal and myself in the affair of the Virginias, a copy of the
private note to the minister, written at the foreign office on the
afternoon of the 6th instant, and referred to in my dispatch No.
804.
I am, &c,
[Inclosure in No.
847.]
General Sickles to Mr. José de
Carvajal.
Madrid, November 6,
1873.
Private.]Dear Mr. Carvajal: Having read in the
Gazette of this morning the announcement of the capture of the
Virginius some six miles off the coast of Jamaica, I have
thought it proper to inform you that a question recently
occurred in regard to a vessel of that name lying in the harbor
of Aspinwall, and upon consideration it was held by my
Government that she was a regularly documented American ship. In
view of the fact that this capture seems to have been made on
the high seas, and of the probability that the vessel may belong
to the mercantile marine of the United States., I beg to
suggest, in advance of any information or orders from my
Government on the subject, that it might be well to direct the
authorities in Cuba to abstain from any further proceedings
respecting the ship or any persons captured with her until the
orders of this government may be communicated to the
captain-general. I make this suggestion in the interest of the
friendly relations between the two countries, and in order to
avoid any possible complications in the disposition of the case,
should it prove to be one in which my Government may have
occasion to send me instructions.
Regretting that I have not the pleasure to meet you in your
office, and especially that you are detained from the ministry
by indisposition,
I remain, &c,
