No. 542.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I transmit a copy of a memorial addressed to the President of the United States by the president and secretary of the Panama Railroad Company, complaining of the destruction of the bark Golden Rule, belonging to that company, by the steamer Alabama, built and armed, and perhaps manned, in England. You will present the case to Earl Russell, with a note setting forth that this government regards that of her Britannic Majesty accountable in this as in other similar cases. SIR: I have received despatches from the department, numbered from 519 to 523, inclusive. In my brief despatch No. 366, written two days ago, and sent out of the ordinary course, I referred to certain notes which had passed between Lord Russell and myself, and to the detention of the Alexandra, for an investigation. I now transmit a copy of my note of the 4th instant, conveying a copy of Mr. Yonge's deposition, the same that was forwarded by me with my No. 364, sent last week; also a copy of his lordship's reply, on the 5th instant, announcing the detention of the Alexandra on Sunday, and requesting me to instruct Mr. Dudley to aid in the investigation of the facts; a copy of my reply on the 6th instant; and, lastly, a copy of my note to Mr. Dudley of the same date, giving him the desired instructions. Since that time nothing has been heard of the result of the investigations. A rumor was current yesterday that the law officers of the crown had reported that no case was made out. If such be really the fact, it is probable that I shall be informed of it in season to let you know by the present opportunity. In the meanwhile, Mr. Dudley has written to me that his legal advisers are prepared to proceed, if necessary, by information on the part of the government in the courts, and has urged me to call upon Lord Russell to know whether such a course would, in any way, come in conflict with that proposed by the British government. Unwilling to leave any stone unturned in this business, I have this morning addressed a note to his lordship on this subject, a copy of which is likewise forwarded. This brings down the history of the Alexandra to the present moment. The next subject of correspondence between us has been the case of the Sumter. It should be noticed in this connexion that no answer has been made to my note of the 16th of February, a copy of which was sent to you with my No. 333. But his lordship chose to begin as if de novo by a spontaneous assurance that that vessel had been closely watched, and that there seemed no reason to believe in any preparation for her early departure. A copy of his note of the 4th instant is subjoined to this despatch, together with a copy of my reply on the Cth instant. I still remain of the opinion that Mr. Dudley's information is more accurate than his lordship's, and that that vessel is ready to go as soon as she can slip away. Lastly comes the case of the Japan, alias the Virginia. I have been long in the possession of information about the construction and outfit of that vessel on the Clyde, but nothing has ever been furnished me of a nature to base proceedings upon. Learning, however, that she had gone to the island of Alderney to take her armament there, I made up my mind to send notice of it to the British government, and leave it to them to act in the case as they might think fit. Copies of my note of yesterday, and of Mr. Hammond's private note, promptly acknowledging it, have been sent to you, out of course, already, with my No. 367. I now transmit a copy of Lord Russell's more formal acknowledgment received last evening. I have reason to believe that for some cause or other the steamer Allar did not go so soon as I had supposed. This will create a delay at the place of rendezvous which may enable us to do something more effective. I am glad to learn that the Georgiana was driven ashore, and I hope the statement that she was destroyed is true. The accounts received from Ñassau of her condition, both on arrival and departure, prove the correctness of the representations of her character made by me to this government. I mention this the more that Lord Russell has, upon one occasion since, alluded to the subject in a manner to show that he thought I had been for that time deceived. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. [Enclosures.] 1. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, with Mr. Yonge's deposition, dated April 4, 1863. 2. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams, announcing the arrest of the Alexandra, April 5, 1863. 3. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, April 6, 1863. 4. Mr. Adams to Mr. Dudley, April 6, 1863. 5. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, April 9, 1863. 6. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams about the Sumter, April 4, 1863. 7. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, in reply. April 6, 1863. 8. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams on the Japan at Alderney, April 8, 1863. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: I have the honor to submit to your consideration the copy of an affidavit, voluntarily made by Clarence R. Yonge, being, in the nature of cumulative evidence, to show the execution of a deliberate plan to establish within the limits of this kingdom a system of action in direct hostility to the government of the United States. This appears to corroborate in all essential particulars the evidence heretofore adduced from other quarters. I append the copy of a paper, marked A, showing the extent to which her Majesty's subjects, many of them alleged to belong to the naval reserve, have been enlisted in a single example of illegal enterprise. pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., sx. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, April 5, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, enclosing a deposition made by a person named Yonge, respecting the Alabama and her proceedings. I have, at the same time, the honor to acquaint you, with reference to your letter of the 30th ultimo, and to mine of the following day, that orders have been sent to Liverpool for the seizure of the Alexandra, the vessel to which you called my attention, as intended to be employed in the naval service of the so-called Confederate States. I have, accordingly, to request that you will have the goodness forthwith to instruct the United States consul at Liverpool to place at the disposal of the persons who may be employed in collecting evidence on the part of the crown all such information as he may now possess, or may hereafter acquire, leading to establish the guilt of the parties concerned in the Alexandra, against whom proceedings may be taken under the foreign enlistment act. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: I have the honor to acknowledge the reception of your lordship's note of the 5th instant, in answer to mine of the 30th ultimo, making certain representations in regard to the character of a vessel in Liverpool known as the Alexandra. It is with the most lively satisfaction that I learn the decision of her Majesty's government to detain that vessel. Believing that such an act, at the present moment, is calculated to defeat the sanguine hopes of the common enemies of both nations, to sow the seeds of dissension among them, I shall remit no effort to procure all the information possible to support it. To that end I have, agreeably to your lordship's suggestion, sent the necessary instructions to the consul of the United States at Liverpool to put himself in communication with the authorities designated at that place to pursue the subject. I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. Mr. Adams to Mr. Dudley. LEGATION OF the United States, SIR: I yesterday received a note from Lord Russell, in answer to my representation concerning the Alexandra, of the 30th ultimo, announcing that orders had been sent to Liverpool for the seizure of that vessel. It ends with the following paragraph, to which I ask your immediate attention. I do not doubt that you will remit no exertion to obtain evidence in aid of this first effort of her Majesty's government to obtain the condemnation of one of these vessels. The moral effect of such a result could not fail to be great on both sides of the ocean: "I have, accordingly, to request that you will have the goodness forthwith to instruct the United States consul at Liverpool to place at the disposal of the persons who may be employed in collecting evidence on the part of the crown all such information as he may now possess, or may hereafter acquire, tending to establish the guilt of parties concerned in the Alexandra, against whom proceedings may be taken under the foreign enlistment act." I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, THOS. H. DUDLEY, Esq., United States Consul, Liverpool. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: Having received an opinion from eminent counsel that the evidence in the case of the Alexandra is sufficient to sustain proceedings for condemnation, under the 6th section of the enlistment law, I pray your lordship to have the kindness to inform me whether the measures thus far adopted, or intended on the part of her Majesty's government in that case, would be, in any way, deranged by simultaneous action on the part of the United States in a different form. Should no inconvenience be apprehended, I am informed by the lawyers that they are ready to proceed. I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, April 4, 1863. SIR: My attention having been drawn to a paragraph which appeared in the "Daily News," of the 17th ultimo, in which, under the head of "confederate war vessels," is included the Sumter, now called the Gibraltar, as having been thoroughly repaired at Birkenhead, and being ready for sea, I deemed it advisable at once to request the proper authorities to cause particular attention to be paid to this vessel. I have now the honor to acquaint you that it appears from a report which has been received from the collector of customs at Liverpool, and which has been communicated to me, the lords commissioners of her Majesty's treasury, that, since the arrival of the Sumter at that port on the 13th of February last, she has been carefully watched by the custom-house officer, and that, although the vessel has received some repairs, nothing has taken place regarding her of a suspicions character. The Sumter appears to be laid up in the upper part of the great float at Birkenhead, and there seems to be no sign of her being at present intended for sea. I have the honor to add that the authorities at Liverpool are instructed to continue to observe this vessel, and to report, without delay, any circumstances of an unusual character which may happen to take place with regard to her. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, RUSSELL. CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: I have had the honor to receive your note of the 4th instant, in reference to a paragraph which appeared in the Daily News of the 17th ultimo, respecting the immediate preparation of the Sumter for departure from the port of Liverpool. I must confess that the information received by me from Liver pool from wholly independent sources had led me to believe the newspaper statement to be true. It is, however, with very great satisfaction I receive the contradiction of it from your lordship, as well as the assurance that the movements of that vessel are under the observation of her Majesty's government. I am the more led to indulge this that the notice appears to have been spontaneously furnished to me, with a degree of courtesy which I should be wanting in my duty if I were to fail properly to appreciate. I pray your lordship to accept the assurances of the highest consideration with which I have the honor to be, my lord, your most obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, April 8, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day's date, acquainting me that you had reason to suppose that a steam-vessel, named the Japan, or the Virginia, has just left the Clyde for Alderney, where she is expected to receive on board an armament brought to the island for her by a small steamer, the Allar, and a considerable number of British subjects who have been enlisted to serve on board of her; and having done this, to proceed and depredate on the commerce of the United States. I have to state to you, in reply, that copies of your letter were sent, without loss of time, to the home department and to the board of treasury, with a request that an immediate inquiry might be made into the circumstances stated in it, and that if the result should prove your suspicions to be well founded the most effectual measures might be taken which the law admits of for defeating any such attempts to fit out a belligerent vessel from a British port. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., Sr., &c., &c. RUSSELL. |