[6] *No. 10. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams. Mr. FOREIGN OFFICE, March 27, 1862. SIR: Upon receiving your letter of the 25th instant I immediately directed that the treasury and customs department should Reply to be requested to take such steps as may be necessary to as Adams's representacertain whether the Oreto is equipped for the purpose of making war on the United States, and if that fact can be proved to detain the vessel. tions. The charge that nearly all the assistance now obtained from abroad by the persons still in arms against the Government of the United States, and which enables them to continue the struggle, comes from Great Britain and its dependencies, is somewhat vague. I believe the greater part of the arms and ammunition sent from this country to America during the struggle has gone to the United States. I agree with you in the statement that the duty of nations in amity with each other is not to suffer their good faith to be violated by ill-disposed persons within their borders, merely from the inefficacy of their prohibitory policy. But it is, at the same time, a duty not to punish persons on suspicion without any proof of their evil intent. It is not the custom of this country to deprive any person of liberty or property without evidence of some offense. If such evidence can be obtained the laws are sufficient to prevent the accomplishment of their evil designs against friendly nations. You have not yourself hitherto furnished me with evidence that any vessel has received a hostile or warlike equipment in British waters, which has been afterward used against the United States. The care that was taken to prevent the warlike equipment of the Nashville in British waters must be familiar to your recollection. With regard to co-operation with the policy of the United States in respect to the blockade, I must remind you that Great Britain has abstained, as far as possible, from complaints of the irregularity of the blockade which has been instituted. Her Majesty's government has been mindful of the suddenness of the danger with which the United States were threatened; of the inadequacy of the naval force then at the disposal of the Government, and of the great difficulty of blockading a coast of 3,000 miles. But beyond forbearance, and a liberal interpretation of the law of nations in favor of the United States, Her Majesty's government cannot go. If by co-operation with the policy of the United States is meant, either taking part is the civil war still raging, or imposing restraints on the Queen's subjects, unknown to international law, I cannot undertake that Her Majesty's government will adopt either of those courses. It would be an unheard of measure to prohibit merchants from sending ships to sea destined to the southern ports. Should such ships attempt to violate the blockade, capture and condemnation are the proper penalty of such attempts; no authority can be found for any other. Enlistment of Brit subjects in the United States. But while these attempts are made on the one side, the United States Government have willingly received in the ranks of their Army British subjects who violate the Queen's proclamation 18h in order to serve against the confederates. Nay, the law of the United States, by which parents can prevent the enlistment of their sons, being minors, has been set aside to the prejudice of British subjects, H. Ex. 282-16 the fathers and mothers of thoughtless lads of sixteen or seventeen years of age. These evils are, perhaps, inseparable from the unhappy contest now carried on in America. I can only trust it may have a speedy termination, suitable to the reputation of the United States, and conducive to the future happiness of all the inhabitants of a country so lately prosperous and united. I am, &c., RUSSELL. No. 11. Sir J. Hudson to Earl Russell. TURIN, March 25, 1862. (Received March 29.) MY LORD: M. Ratazzi informs me that, after making every inquiry, he can assure me that the Italian government know nothof ing whatever of the vessel Oreto, said to be fitting out at Liverpool. Italian government nothing know Oreto. I have, &c., (Signed) [7] *No. 12. JAMES HUDSON. Mr. Hammond to the secretary to the treasury. FOREIGN OFFICE, April 7, 1862. SIR: I am directed by Earl Russell to request that you will move the lords commissioners of Her Majesty's treasury to cause his lordship to be informed whether any report has been received from the commissioners of customs respecting the vessel Oreto, which was stated by the United States consul at Liverpool in a letter, of which a copy was inclosed in my letter of the 26th ultimo, to be fitting out at that port for the service of the so-styled Confederate States. I am, &c., E. HAMMOND. No. 13. Further report from customs. Vessel sailed on 22d of Mr. Hamilton to Mr. Hammond. TREASURY CHAMBERS, April 8, 1862. (Received April 8.) SIR: I am directed by the lords commissioners of Her Majesty's treasury to transmit herewith, for the information of Earl Russell, with reference to your letters of the 26th ultimo and 7th instant, copy of a report from the commissioners of customs, dated 4th instant, relative to the ship Oreto, stated by the United States consul to be fitting out at Liv. erpool as a ship of war for the so-called Confederate States. I am, &c., (Signed) March, 1862, having and Jamaica in bal cleared for Palermo. last. GEO. A. HAMILTON. [Inclosure 1 in No. 13.] The commissioners of customs to the lords commissioners of the treasury. CUSTOM-HOUSE, April 4, 1862. Your lordships having referred to us the annexed letter from Mr. Hammond, transmitting, by desire of Earl Russell, copy of a further letter, addressed by the United States consul at Liverpool to Mr. Adams, the United States minister at this court, in which it is again affirmed that the Oreto is being fitted out as a vessel of war for the Southern Confederacy, and various statements are reported in support of that assertion, and requesting that your lordships would instruct this board to give directions that the Oreto might be vigilantly watched, and that, if any armament prohibited by the foreign-enlistment act should be discovered, the vessel might be at once detained, We report That, on the receipt of your lordship's reference, we directed our collector at Liverpool immediately to inquire into the further allegations made in regard to the Oreto, and to govern himself in accordance with the instructions contained in Mr. Hammond's letter, and, having received the report of the collector, we find that the vessel in question was registered on the 3d ultimo, in the name of John Henry Thomas, of Liverpool, as sole owner; that she cleared on the following day for Palermo and Jamaica in ballast, but did not sail until the 22d, the day on which the American consul's letter is dated, having a crew of fifty-two men, all British, with the exception of three or four, one of whom only was an American. She had no gun- No armament powder, nor even a signal-gun, and no colors, saving Maryatt's code of goods on board. signals and a British ensign, nor any goods on board except the stores enumerated on the accompanying copy of her victualing bill. or With regard to the statements in the letter of the consul, the collector further reports that it is clear the passengers brought by the Annie Childs, the vessel therein mentioned, which has recently arrived from one of the Southern States, were not intended to form any portion of the crew of the Oreto, inasmuch as they were still in Liverpool, and that the dipping of the ensign on board the latter vessel on the arrival of the Annie Childs, as far as the collector had been enabled to ascertain, was intended as a compliment to one of the Cunard steamers and another vessel which saluted the Annie Childs on her arrival, the masters of the several vessels being known to one another. Copy of customs No. 14. Earl Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, April 8, 1862. Lord Russell presents his compliments to Mr. Adams, and, with ref erence to his letter of the 27th ultimo, has the honor to report forwarded to transmit to him the accompanying copies of a report and Mr. Adams. its inclosure, which have been received from the board of customs respecting the vessel Oreto.1 Mr. Hamilton to Mr. Hammond. TREASURY CHAMBERS, May 9, 1862. (Received May 10.) SIR: I am directed by the lords commissioners of Her Majesty's treasury to transmit herewith, for the information of Earl Russell, with reference to your letter of the 12th ultimo, the inclosed copy of a report of the commissioners of customs, dated 1st instant, further relative to the fitting out of the Oreto at Liverpool. I am, &c., GEO. A. HAMILTON. 1 No. 13. [Inclosure in No. 15.J The commissioners of customs to the lords commissioners of the treasury. CUSTOM-HOUSE, May 1, 1862. Mr. Hamilton having, by his letter dated 21st ultimo, transmitted to us, with reference to our reports of 22d February last, and 4th ultimo, copy of a letter from the Foreign Office, stating that Her Majesty's minister at Turin reports that he has been informed by M. Ratazzi that, after making every inquiry, the Italian government have no knowledge whatever of the vessel Oreto, which, it has been alleged, was fitting out at Liverpool for the Southern States of America, but which vessel our collector at that port had informed us he had every reason to believe was intended for the Italian government, We report That, having called upon our collector at Liverpool for his further observations, he has transmitted to us a copy of the declaration made by the owner of the Oreto at the time of registry, by which it appears that the owner is a native of Palermo; and the collector has stated that he has received no information respecting the vessel since his former report, and that, although she may have been destined for the use of the Confederate States, no act had been committed by the master or owners which would have justified any interference with the vessel by this department. We believe it frequently happens that vessels clear for ports to which the owners have no intention that they shall proceed, but our officers have no power to interfere in any case except there may be a breach of the provisions of the law. (Signed) THO. F. FREMANTLE. Official number of ship, 44,200.-Date of registry, March 3, 1862. Length from the fore part of stem under the bowsprit to the aft side of the head of the stern-post... Main breadth to outside plank... Depth in hold from tonnage-deck to ceiling at midships.... Carvel. None. Shield. Wood. Feet. Tenths. |