1 report from the attorney and solicitor general, respecting a gun-boat which has been fitted out at Birkenhead, and which is suspected to be on account of the government of the so-styled Confederate States. Report of law-of cers forwarded 10 transmission to Rox ernor of the Ba By a letter received from the custom-house authorities at Liverpool, it appears that this vessel put to sea on the 29th instant; and I am, therefore, to request that you will suggest to the Duke of Newcastle the propriety of a copy of the inclosed report being sent to the governor of the Bahamas. I am, &c., A. H. LAYARD. No. 27. Mr. Hamilton to Mr. Layard. TREASURY CHAMBERS, July 31, 1862. (Received July 31.) Commissioners of instructed to take the neces the vessel. SIR: I am commanded by the lords commissioners of Her Majesty's treasury to acquaint you, for the information of Earl Russell, that they have forwarded to the commissioner of cus- customs toms your letter of yesterday's date, on the subject of the sary steps for seizing vessel which has been fitting out at Birkenhead, and is suspected to be intended for the government of the so-styled Confederate States of America, together with the opinion of the law-officers of the Crown on the case, with directions to take the necessary steps for seizing the vessel, in conformity with the recommendation of the lawofficers. 1 I am, &c., GEO. A. HAMILTON. No. 28. Mr. Hamilton to Mr. Hammond. TREASURY CHAMBERS, July 31, 1862. (Received July 31.) town Squarey to SIR: With reference to the former correspondence on the subject of the vessel fitting out at Liverpool, and stated to be for the Vessel supposed by use of the so-styled confederate States of America, I am have gone to Queens commanded by the lords commissioners of Her Majesty's treasury to transmit to you, for the information of Earl Russell, a report from the commissioners of customs, dated 30th instant, together with its inclosure, a letter dated 29th instant, from Messrs. Duncan, Squarey & Mackinnon, stating that the vessel in question had sailed from Liverpool, and that they had reason to believe that she was gone to Queenstown. I am commanded by my lords to request that the correspondence herewith transmitted may be returned to this department. I am, &c., (Signed) GEO. A. HAMILTON. 1 No. 24. [205] * [Immediate.] JULY 30, 1862-1 o'clock p. m. Mr. Morgan, the surveyor, is to inquire into the circumstances of the aforegoing representation, and to report the result of his inquiry forthwith. (Signed) S. PRICE EDWARDS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, Liverpool, July 30, 1862. HONORABLE SIRS: Immediately on receipt of the aforegoing communication, Mr. Morgan, surveyor, proceeded on board the Hercules; and I beg to inclose his report, observing that he perceived no beams, such as are alluded to by the American consul, nor anything on board that would justify further action on my part. Respectfully, [Inclosure 3 in No. 31.] S. PRICE EDWARDS. Mr. Morgan to Mr. Edwards. SURVEYOR'S OFFICE, July 30, 1862. SIR Referring to the steamer built by the Messrs Laird, which is suspected to be a Report from Sur- gun-boat intended for some foreign government, I beg to state that, since the date of my last report concerning her, she has been lying in the Birkenhead docks, fitting for sea, and receiving on board coals and provisions for her crew. veyor Morgan. The vessel pro morning of the 28th, ceeded to sea on the ostensibly for a trial trip. She had no armaiment on board. The Hercules did not take out any war like supplies. She left the dock on the evening of the 28th instant, anchored for the night in the Mersey, abreast the Canning dock, and proceeded out of the river on the following morning, ostensibly on a trial trip, from which she has not returned. I visited the tug Hercules this morning as she lay at the landing-stage at Woodside, and strictly examined her holds, and other parts of the vessel. She had nothing of a suspicious character on board, no guns, no ammunition, or anything appertaining thereto. A considerable number of persons, male and female, were on deck, some of whom admitted to ine that they were a portion of the crew, and were going to join the gunboat. I have only to add, that your directions to keep a strict watch on the said vessel have been carried out; and I write in the fullest confidence that she left this port without any part of her armament on board. She had not as much as a single gun or musket. It is said that she cruised off Port Lynas last night, which, as you are aware, is some fifty miles from this post. Very respectfully, No. 32. E. MORGAN, Surveyor. Extracts from customs correspondence respecting the Alabama, presented to Parliament in return to an order of the House of Commons, dated March 20, 1863. To the collector of customs, Liverpool. [Telegram.] JULY 31, 1862-11.35 a. m. Examine master of Hercules, whether he can state that guns are con cealed in vessel 290, and that powder has been taken on board. JULY 31, 1862, at about 7.30 p. m. Telegrams were sent to the collectors at Liverpool and Cork, pursuant to treasury order, dated 31st July, to seize the gun-boat 290, should she be within either of those ports. Telegrams sent to Liverpool, Cork, Beaumaris, and Ho head to seize the vessel should she put into those ports. Similar telegrams to the officers at Beaumaris and Holyhead were sent on the morning of the 1st August. They were not sent on the 31st July, the telegraph offices to those districts being closed. [206] *And on the 2d August a letter was also sent to the collector as Cork, to detain the vessel should she arrive at Queenstown. Mr. Edwards to Mr. Gardner. CUSTOM-HOUSE, Liverpool, July 31, 1862. SIR: With reference to the telegram which I received to-day from you, directing me to examine the master of the steam-tug Hercules, I have the honor to state that the master cannot be found to-day, but I hope I may be able to get his deposition to-morrow. I may state, however, that he said yesterday to Mr. Morgan, the surveyor, that he had not taken any guns to the ship No. 290, nor had he seen any on board. I am, &c., (Signed) S. PRICE EDWARDS. Mr. Edwards to the commissioners of customs. CUSTOM-HOUSE, Liverpool, August 1, 1862. HONORABLE SIRS: The master of the Hercules has attended this morning, and I beg to inclose his examination taken on oath, whereby it will be seen that the statement in the letter of the American consul, forwarded with my report of the 30th ultimo, is not borne out. board will see that the vessel has left the port. Should opportunity, however, offer, she shall be seized in accordance with the directions of the board, as contained in the telegram of yesterday's date. S. PRICE EDWARDS. (Signed) The examination of Thomas Miller, taken on oath by the collector. The Affdiv't of master s true that he took out or other warlike Suppoes, I am the master of the steam-tug Hercules. I accompanied the new gun-boat built by Mr. Laird (No. 290, I believe she is distinguished by) to sea on Tuesday last. I kept in sight of of her, in case the services of the steam-tug should be required, until she lay to about a mile off the Bell Buoy, and about fourteen miles from the Canning dock. The vessel left her anchorage about 10 a. m., and I left her between 4 and 5 p. m. I saw nothing on board the ship but coals. I returned from the vessel in the evening, and got into the river about 7 p. m.; there were some of Mr. Laird's workmen and riggers on board; all of these, I believe, I brought back. The next day, Wednesday, I left the landing-stage in the river, and took with me from 25 to 30 men, who, I believe, were to be employed on board as part of the crew; they appeared to be all sailors or firemen, I found the vessel about 3 o'clock that afternoon in Beaumaris Bay. I by the Bahama, and which, there appears no reason to doubt, was traus ferred to the gun-boat. Respectfully, W. G. STUART, Assistant Collector. Mr. Hussey to Mr. Stewart. LIVERPOOL, Nelson Dock, September 2, 1862. SIR: I beg to state that a steamship called the Bahama arrived here last evening from Angra, (the capital of the island of Terat Liverpool from ceira, one of the Azores,) having previously cleared from Arrival of Bahama Liverpool for Nassau. In consequence of a paragraph which appeared in the newspaper of this morning, in reference to the above vessel, I deemed it expedient to send for the master, Tessier, and to inquire the nature of the cargo shipped on board in Liverpool. He states that he received sixteen cases, the contents of which he did not know, but presumed they were arms, &c., and after proceeding to the above port, transferred the sixteen cases to a Spanish vessel, and returned to Liverpool with a quantity of coals. The master also states that when off the Western Islands he spoke the confederate gun-boat Alabama (No. 290, built in Mr. Laird's yard at Birkenhead) heavily armed, having a 100-pounder pivot-gun mounted at her stern, which he believes is intended to destroy some of the seaport towns in the Northern States of America. The above case having excited much interest in the port, I deemed it expedient to report the facts for your information. Respectfully, J. HUSSEY, Assistant Surveyor. Specification of shipment per Bahama, August 11, 1862. Cwts. qrs. lbs. B1.-1 1.-1 case containing 1 cast-iron gun, weighing............. 49 1 14 2.-1 case containing 1 broadside-carriage, weighing. 12 3.-1 case containing rammers, sponges, handspikes, &c., weighing... P SOL 0 14 2 1 14 1 14 0 14 2 0.10 1 20 1.—1 case containing 1 cast-iron gun, weighing..... 49 1 to 6.-6 cases containing 50 cast shot, weighing.... 13 [B] 1 to. 6 cases containing 50 cast shot, weighing... 17 SOL [B] B 1.-1 case containing brass vent covers, weighing... 005 Total weight.... Total value, £220. 158 1 27 SURVEYOR'S OFFICE, September 3, 1862. SIR: I beg to report for your information that the British steamship Bahama, Tessier master, which vessel cleared out for Nassau, and sailed on the 13th ultimo with nineteen cases, contents as per specification annexed, has returned to this port, and entered inwards in ballast from Angra. The master of her is not disposed to enter very freely into conversation upon the subject, but from others on board there appears to be no doubt that the cases above referred to were transferred to the gunboat No. 290. Captain Semmes, formerly of the confederate steamer Sumter, took passage in the Bahama, together with some fifty other persons, and they are described as being the permanent crew of the 290, now known as the Alabama. Respectfully, E. MORGAN, Surveyor. No. 33. Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, LONDON, September 4, 1862. (Received September 5.) Mr. Adams's representation of the equipment of the vessel at the Azores. MY LORD: I have the honor to transmit the copy of a letter received from the consul of the United States at Liverpool, together with a deposition in addition to the others already submitted with my notes of the 22d and 24th of July, going to show the further prosecution of the illegal and hostile measures against the United States in connection with the outfit of the gun-boat 290 from the port of Liverpool. It now appears that supplies are in process of transmission from here to a vessel fitted out from England, and now sailing on the high seas, with the piratical intent to burn and destroy the property of the people of a country with which Her Majesty is in alliance and friendship. I pray your lordship's pardon if I call your attention to the fact that I have not yet received any reply in writing to the several notes and representations I have had the honor to submit to Her Majesty's government touching this flagrant case. Renewing, &c., CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Inclosure 1 in No. 33. Mr. Dudley to Mr. Adams. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, SIR: I have just obtained the affidavit of the boatswain's mate who shipped in and went out on the No. 290, now called the Alabama. I inclose it to you, with bill for his services, signed by Captain Butcher. He returned on the Bahama. He states that the Alabama is to cruise on the line of packets from Liverpool to New York; that Semines told them so. This may have been said for the purpose of misleading |