Mr. Batcheller to Mr. Blaine.

No. 79.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that during my recent visit to the Island of Fayal (in conformity with your instruction No. 47, bearing date Washington, December 11, 1891) I received through the agency of a commission of military officers, duly appointed for that purpose by his excellency Sehnor José Ignacio da Silva, military commander of the Western Azores, formal possession of the cannon for many years mounted in the Castle of Santa Cruz (heretofore erroneously mentioned as San Joao), and forming part of the armament of the private armed brig General Armstrong, destroyed by the British fleet in the harbor of Horta (Fayal) in September 1814, and commonly known as Long Tom.

After the formal delivery of the gun it was dismounted and placed upon a sledge prepared by Consul Dexter, at my request, for that purpose, and transported from the esplanade of the castle through the inner sally port to the premises of the United States consulate, where it is now stored awaiting the arrival of a war vessel, as suggested in your dispatch No. 63, dated Washington, April 1, 1892, for its transportation to the United States.

There were urgent causes why the gun should be placed at once in the possession of the United States authorities, and the Portuguese officials were desirous that this should take place during my presence at Fayal, in order that I might witness the act (auto) of transfer, which was duly drawn up, and signed immediately thereafter, to be deposited in the Portuguese military archives at Lisbon, a copy of which, with translation, I herewith inclose marked respectively Nos. 1 and 2.

In a letter received from Lewis Dexter, esq., United States consul at Fayal, written after my departure for Lisbon, I take the liberty of quoting the following: “There is such an evident good feeling existing in regard to the transfer of ‘Long Tom,’ and pleasure so generally expressed that it is going to the United States, that I must congratulate you on the manner in which it was effected. The impression is left upon the minds of the people that they have been honored by your presence, as they have been made happy in the consideration shown them.”

There has been considerable comment in Lisbon, and elsewhere in Portugal, concerning this event, and my visit to the islands (which is the first by any foreign diplomatic representative to this court) that I am convinced the same will be conducive of improved amical and material relations between the two countries.

I have, etc.,

Geo. S. Batcheller.
[Page 361]
[Inclosure in No. 79.—Translation.]

Statement of military authorities, Fayal, May 12, 1892.

Headquarters of the Military Commander of the Western Azores.

[Order No. 34.]

The under-mentioned commission is to assemble this day at noon, at the military secretariate of this district, to draw up a record of the delivery of the 42-pounder gun “Long Tom,” which is now in the Castle of Santa Cruz, in this town, and described by the marks F. L. S. P. 17c, which correspond the most closely with the calibre indicated to his excellency Mr. Batcheller, minister of the United States of North America in Portugal, in accordance with instructions from the War Department dated 12th February and 25th April of the present year.

President: Senhor Francisco d’Alfonso da Costa Chares e Mello, of the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs.

Members of the Commission: Messrs. Barnardo Pereira de Vasconcellos, First Lieutenant of the Second Company of Artillerymen of the Garrison, and José Ignacio da Silva, Ensign in the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs.

Headquarters of the Military Commander of the Western Azore, Horta, 12 May, 1892.

Military Commander, José Estanislau Venture, Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry.

Record of the delivery of the 42-pounder gun “Long Tom,” now existing in the Castle of Santa Cruz, described by the letters F. L. S. P. 17c to his excellency Mr. Batcheller, minister of the United States of North America in Portugal.

On the 12th day of the month of May, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, at twelve o’clock in the day, there assembled at the secretariate of the military commander of the Western Azores a commission composed of the following officers: Francisco Affonso da Costa Chares e Mello, captain of the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs; Bernardo Pereira de Vasconcello, first lieutenant of the Second Company of the Garrison Artillerymen, and José Ignacio da Silva, ensign in the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs, to proceed to deliver the 42-pounder “Long Tom” to his excellency Mr. Batcheller, minister of the United States of North America, in Portugal, who is present at this secretariate.

His excellency having expressed a desire that the delivery should be made immediately, the commission proceeded to the Castle of Santa Cruz, in this town of Horta, and there, in the presence of their excellencies José Estanislau Ventura, lieutenant colonel of infantry and military commander of the Western Azores; Lewis Dexter, Consul of the United States of America in this Island; Francisco da Nazareth Vicira, lieutenant and sheriff, and Alfredo de Lampaio Leite, ensign in the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs, by his excellency the minister referred to, the gun F. L. S. P. 17c was recognized as being the 42-pounder “Long Tom;” wherefore it was delivered to him, and at the same time this record was drawn up, which is signed by his excellency Mr. Batcheller and by the members of the commission:

Geo. S. Batcheller, minister of the United States of America; Francisco Affonso da Costa Chares e Mello, captain of the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs; Bernardo Pareira de Vasconcellos, first lieutenant of the Second Company of Artillerymen of the garrison; José Ignacio da Silva, ensign in the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs.


José Estanislau Ventura,
Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry.