Office of the Historian
  1. Home
  2. Historical Documents
  3. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, For the Year 1887, Transmitted to Congress, With a Message of the President, June 26, 1888
  4. Document 576

No. 570.
Mr. Bayard to Mr. Lothrop.

Department of State,
Washington, December 4, 1886.
No. 65.]

Sir: I transmit a copy of a dispatch from the United States consul at Nagasaki, relating indirectly to the seizure and confiscation of the American schooner Henrietta by the Russian corvette Kreysser, [Page 943] in Behring Strait, off East Cape, August 29 last, for fishing and trading in Russian waters. You will please apply with due urgency to the Emperor’s Government for the facts and an explanation of its claim. Opinion as to the merits of the question is for the time reserved.

I am, etc.,

T. F. Bayard.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 65]

Mr. Birch to Mr. Porter.

United States Consulate,
Nagasaki, Japan, October 18, 1886.
No. 44.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that five destitute seamen, named Charles Blois, Charles Giles, Thomas Greenfell, James Hurley, and Frederick Nelson, came upon this consulate to-day from Vladivostock, having been sent to Nagasaki by the Russian authorities at Vladivostock.

These men were part of the crew of the schooner Henrietta, of San Francisco, Benjamin Dexter, master, and James Sennett, owner, which was seized and confiscated by the Russian corvette Kreysser, in Behring Strait, off East Cape, August 29, 1886, for fishing and trading in Russian waters.

I learn that the vessel and cargo confiscated amounted in value to about $25,000.

I inclose a copy of the letter sent by the captain of the corvette Kreysser to this consulate. I have forwarded the seamen to Yokahama, where they may find employment on board an American vessel or a passage to the United States more likely than at this port.

I have, etc.,

John M. Birch.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 65.]

I hereby certify that the undermentioned five men are American citizens, taken from the schooner Henrietta confiscated by the Russian corvette Kreysser, in the Bebring Strait. They are not guilty of any violation of the Russian law, and are therefore sent to the disposition of the American consul at Nagasaki.

Chas. Blois.

Chas. Giles.

Thos. Greenfell.

Jas. Hurley.

Frederick Nelson,
Captain of H. I. B. M’s Corvette Craysser.

[l. s.]
A. Ostolopoff,

Vladivostock, October 1—13, 1886.