cessary to effect the object of securing the interposition of Her Majesty's government, I will make an effort to procure it in a more formal manner. I have, &c., CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.1 It is clear that, in the information thus conveyed to Lord Russell, there was, so far, nothing that could justify the seizure of the vessel. Whether Mr. Dudley communicated to Mr. Adams the details of the information, to which he refers in general terms in his letter of the 17th, or not, it is certain that no details were communicated to Her Majesty's government. Nothing was specifically stated beyond the names of the parties for whom and by whom the vessel had been built, and that the former were the same as had, in the preceding August, dispatched the Bermuda laden with munitions of war, with which she had succeeded in running the blockade. Beyond this, all is suspicion, or, at best, the belief of two zealous servants of the United States Government, with only a general reference to information received by one of them from "many different sources," no details of which are given, or means afforded of testing its accuracy or trustworthiness. It is obvious that, if upon such a representation the Government had proceeded to seize the vessel, no court could have condemned her; she must inevitably have been released. Indeed, Mr. Adams himself seems to have been conscious that his representation was not one on which the Government could act without further materials; for he ends his letter by saying, "Should further evidence to sustain the allegations respecting the Oreto be held necessary to effect the object of securing the interposition of Her Majesty's government, I will make an effort to procure it in a more formal manner." It is plain from this that, as late as the 18th of February, Mr. Adams was not in possession of evidence on which he felt he had a right to call for the interposition of the Government. Nor does Mr. Dudley appear to have succeeded in obtaining any more reliable information. On the 19th he writes again to Mr. Seward: I do not think there is any doubt but what she (the Florida) is intended for the so-called Southern Confederacy. Information from many different sources all confirm it, and some of the Southern Agents have admitted it. On Friday night last, her gun-carriages, in pieces, and some in a rough state, were taken on board and put down in the hold. It is understood that her guns are at the foundery of Fawcett, Preston & Co. It is probable they may be taken on in boxes, and mounted after they get out to sea; but I have nothing to warrant this supposition, except the fact of the gun-carriages being taken on board in the night-time, and in the manner they were. She will be quite equal in strength and armament to the Tuscarora when completed. She made a trial trip of twenty miles yesterday. I have made this vessel the subject of two dispatches to Minister Adams, and communicated to him all the particulars.2 Here again, when Mr. Dudley professes to be in possession of the important fact that some of the Southern Agents had admitted that the Oreto was intended for the Southern Confederacy, he communicated the fact only to Mr. Seward. No such information is given to Mr. Adams, still less to the Government or to the local authorities, by whom, had it been imparted to them, the information might have been followed up. Both in this and his former letter Mr. Dudley's information as to the gun-carriages having been conveyed on board the Oreto, with the additionally suspicious circumstance of this having been done by night, proved altogether mistaken. The report made by the custom-house officers of Liverpool on the 21st of February shows that the vessel had no gun-carriages on board. It further appears by reports made at a 1 British Appendix, vol. i, p. 1; United States Documents, vol. vi, p. 216. later period that she had no gun-carriages on board when she finally left Liverpool. She had none on board when she arrived at Nassau. All that under the circumstances could possibly be asked for, on the information conveyed to the government by Mr. Adams, was inquiry; and this Her Majesty's government at once proceeded to institute. Immediately on the receipt of Mr. Adams's letter, Earl Russell took the necessary steps for causing local inquiries as to the Oreto to be made by the officers to whose department it appertained to investigate such a matter. No clew having been given to the secret sources of information which Mr. Dudley may have possessed, these officers could only apply in the first instance to the builders of the vessel. The result of their inquiries, as shown in the reports made by them, appeared perfectly satisfactory. The commissioners of customs, on the 22d of February, report to the treasury as follows: On receipt of your lordship's reference, we forthwith instructed our collector at Liverpool to make inquiries in regard to the vessel Oreto, and it appears from his report that she has been built by Messrs. Miller & Sons for Messrs. Fawcett, Preston & Co., engineers, of Liverpool, and is intended for the use of Messrs. Thomas Brothers, of Palermo, one of that firm having frequently visited the vessel during the process of building. The Oreto is pierced for four guns; but she has, as yet, taken nothing on board but coals and ballast. She is not, at present, fitted for the reception of guns, nor are the builders aware that she is to be supplied with guns while she remains in this country. The expense of her construction has been paid, and she has been handed over to Messrs. Fawcett & Preston. Messrs. Miller & Sons state their belief that her destination is Palermo, as they have been requested to recommend a master to take her to that port, and our collector at Liverpool states that he has every reason to believe that the vessel is for the Italian government. We beg further to add, that special directions have been given to the officers at Liverpool to watch the movements of the vessel, and that we will not fail to report forthwith any circumstance which may occur worthy of your lordship's cognizance. THO. F. FREMANTLE. GRENVILLE C. L. BERKELEY. The statement of the commissioners was based on the following reports which they had received from their officers at Liverpool: Mr. Edwards to the commissioners of customs. LIVERPOOL, February 21, 1862. HONORABLE SIRS: The builders of the vessel Oreto are Messrs. Miller & Sons. Mr. Miller is the chief surveyor for tonnage. By their note inclosed the vessel is correctly described, and I have every reason to believe that she is for the Italian government, and not for the Confederates. It will be seen by the note of the surveyor, Mr. Morgan, which I annex, that, as yet, she has nothing in her, so that the information furnished to the government is, so far, incorrect. Special directions have been given to the officers to observe the movements of the vessel, so that whatever takes place can be made known to the board at any time. Respectfully, &c., Mr. Miller to Mr. Edwards. S. PRICE EDWARDS. LIVERPOOL, February 21, 1862. SIR: We have built the dispatch-vessel Oreto for Messrs. Fawcett, Preston & Co., engineers, of this town, who are the agents of Messrs. Thomas Brothers, of Palermo, for whose use the vessel, we understand, has been built. She is pierced for four guns; she has taken nothing whatever on board except coals and ballast; she is in no way fitted for the reception of guns, as yet; nor do we know that she is to have guns while in England. Mr. Thomas, of the firm at Palermo, frequently visited the ship while she was being built. We have handed her over to the engineers, and have been paid for her. According to the best of my information the present destination of the vessel is Palermo; and we have been asked to recommend a master to take her out to Palermo. I remain, &c., British Appendix, vol. i, p. 2. T. MILLER. Mr. Morgan to Mr. Edwards. FEBRUARY 21, 1862. SIR: I beg to state that I have inspected the Oreto, now lying in Toxteth Dock, agreeably with your directions issued to-day. She is a splendid steamer, suitable for a dispatch-boat; pierced for guns, but has not any on board, nor are there any gun-carriages. Coals and ballast are all that the holds contain. Respectfully, &c., C. MORGAN, Collector.1 Here, therefore, was the assurance of a respectable firm of ship-builders, by whom the vessel had been built, that it was understood by them to have been built for Thomas Brothers of Palermo, whose agents Fawcett & Co. were, and that Mr. Thomas, a member of the Palermo firm, had frequently visited the ship while she was in the course of construction. There was the statement of Mr. Edwards, an officer possessing the confidence of the governnent, that he had every reason to believe that the vessel was built for the Italian government, and not for the confederates. And from the report of Mr. Morgan, another government officer, as well as from the statement of Mr. Miller, it further appeared that the representation of Mr. Dudley, that the vessel "had received her gun-carriages and was ready to take her arms on board," was altogether incorrect, there being no gun-carriages on board, or preparation of any sort for the reception of guns. If, prior to the receipt of these reports, the evidence was insufficient to justify the seizure or detention of the vessel, assuredly after them. Her Majesty's government would have acted most improperly if they had directed their officers to adopt so arbitrary and unwarranted a proceeding. It may be said that further inquiries should have been instituted. But of whom? Mr. Dudley, to whom every one who had conceived any suspicions about the vessel, or heard any rumors respecting her, appears to have run, and who of course was naturally disposed to listen to any statements of the kind, made a point of not giving up the names of his informants. No facts were ever communicated by Mr. Dudley, either to the officers of the port or to the police of Liverpool. The reports received from the commissioners of customs by the gov ernment were at once communicated to Mr. Adams. I cannot help thinking that then was the time for putting Her Majesty's government in possession of any information which had been obtained by Mr. Dudley from so "many different sources," if that information could have been made available, and for procuring the evidence which Mr. Adams had expressed himself willing to make an effort to obtain. But nothing further was heard from that gentleman till the 26th of March, (upwards of a month later,) when the vessel had actually sailed. Either Mr. Adams felt, after the reports made to the government by its officers, that the zeal of Mr. Dudley had led him to form hasty conclusions, or the information, though derived from "many different sources," turned out to be such as could not be relied on, or the evidence was found not to be forthcoming. Even Mr. Dudley, whose untiring industry and zeal in the discharge of his duty is certainly entitled to admiration, does not appear to have supplied Mr. Adams during the whole of this period with any evidence of importance, or to have been required by Mr. Adams to procure evidence upon which the government could be called upon to act. It appears to me, under these circumstances, singularly inconsistent and unjust to impute as matter of blame to Earl Russell. as is done in the case of the United States, that he did not call British Appendix, vol. i, p. 159. upon Mr. Adams to furnish further evidence. The government were satisfied with the reports of their officers, having received which they might reasonably, and without being liable to any imputation of want of due care, be of opinion that they ought to rest content, at all events till something more should be brought forward. There was no reason why they should doubt the written statement of Messrs. Miller, a firm of known respectability, and one of the members of which was a government officer at the port. All the firms mentioned had carried on business at Liverpool previously to the war, and it neither is, nor can be, suggested that after the war had begun they had no business dealings or transactions except with the Confederate States. At the same time, as there was no doubt that the vessel was one which was capable of being adapted to the purpose of war, it was right at such a conjuncture that a watchful eye should be kept on her. Directions to this effect were accordingly given by the commissioners of customs, and the vessel was diligently watched until the hour of her departure. If evidence had been forthcoming to show that the government officers were deceived, it was for Mr. Dudley, who professed to know where it was to be found, to produce it. He would have been wholly wanting in his duty if, being possessed of, or enabled to obtain such evidence, he had failed to produce it. The fact that neither Mr. Dudley nor Mr. Adams made any communication to the government till after the vessel had sailed is, as it seems to me, very strong to show that no such evidence 'was to be had. If Mr. Dudley, to whom everybody appears to have resorted who had anything to communicate, could find nothing on which his superior, Mr. Adams, ever ready to address requisitions or remonstrances to Earl Russell, could call for the intervention of Her Majesty's govern ment, it seems unreasonable to reproach the government with want of due diligence in not making inquiries which, there is every reason to think, could have led to no profitable result. That the government were sincerely desirous of ascertaining the true character of this vessel, lest, possibly, any violation of neutrality should be contemplated, is shown by this, that instead of resting satisfied with the inquiries of the local officers, a belief having been expressed that the vessel was being built for the Italian government, Lord Russell, on the 26th of February, telegraphed to Sir James Hudson, the British minister at Turin, desiring him to "ascertain and report whether a vessel called the Oreto, now fitting out at Liverpool, is intended for the use of the Italian government." Sir James Hudson having referred to Signor Ricasoli, the minister for foreign affairs, telegraphs, in answer: "Ricasoli tells me he has no knowledge whatever of the ship Oreto, but will cause inquiry to be made."2 As the construction of such a vessel would belong to the department of the marine, the fact of Signor Ricasoli being unaware of any order having been given for its construction would, of course, not be conclusive. Indeed, Signor Ricasoli would not take upon himself to negative the fact, but promised to make inquiry on the subject. Unfortunately the result of the inquiry, which was that the vessel had not been built for the Italian government, was not communicated to Sir James Hudson till the 25th of March, by which time the Oreto had actually sailed. The delay is believed to have been owing to a change in the Italian ministry, which occurred about the period in question; for the answer to Sir James Hudson was given not 3 British Appendix, vol. i, p. 3. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid., p. 6. by Signor Ricasoli, but by Signor Ratazzi, who had succeeded him as minister for foreign affairs. The delay is certainly not one for which Her Majesty's government can in any way be held responsible. Until the final answer to Sir James Hudson's inquiry had been given, the uncertain answer of Signor Ricasoli could not, for the reason already given-namely, that the matter was not one belonging to his department-suffice to warrant the seizure or detention of the vessel. The ignorance of the Italian consul at Liverpool, who would not necessarily be informed of an order given by the Italian government, especially if the order had been given to Thomas Brothers of Palermo, could not make it unnecessary to wait for Signor Ratazzi's answer. But the alleged ignorance of the Italian consul was never communicated to the government or to the local authorities. The information was given by Mr. Dudley to Mr. Seward alone; in other words, was thrown away. Mr. Dudley continued to keep a watchful eye on the Oreto. On the 27th of February he writes to Mr. Seward: I have positive evidence that the Oreto gun-boat is intended for the southern confederacy. She is to carry sixteen guns, is intended as a privateer, and, from present appearances, looks as if she would start on her cruise direct from this port. She has taken on board, this morning, seventy barrels of pork and beef, sixty sacks of navy and six barrels of cabin bread, together with other provisions. The guns are to be shipped at some other port in England. 1 Again on the 1st of March: The day before yesterday I wrote the Department that I had obtained evidence that the gun-boat Oreto was intended as a privateer, and that she was taking on her provisions, &c. Since then she has been quite busy in taking on provisions. She has a very large quantity, enough for a long cruise. They are getting as many southern sailors as they can. They want 130 men if they can procure them. The pilot has been told they would leave to-day; they are only waiting for the arrival of the West India boat at Southampton. The captain who is to command her is to come by this boat. A man by the name of Duguid, a Scotchman, is to take her out of this port as an English vessel. Her transfer will be made outside. The pilot thinks she will not come back to Liverpool after her trial trip. He is given to understand that she will go to the Isle of Man, then to Holyhead, and some other ports, in one of which her guns will be placed on board, and then she will enter at once on her cruise, and sail to the Mediterranean. I have made arrangements by which I think intelligence of her movements will be communicated to me. Yesterday I addressed letters to the consuls on the Mediterranean, and sea-ports of Spain, Portugal, and some others, advising them of this vessel, and requesting them to report her if she should visit the port. The programme, as laid down to the pilot, may not be carried out, but it looks very probable when taken in connection with the large supplies of provisions she has received on board, 1 The programme was not carried out. The Oreto neither went to the Isle of Man, nor Holyhead, nor the Mediterranean; nor did she get any southern sailors. In the foregoing letters Mr. Dudley says he has "positive evidence" that the gun-boat Oreto was intended as a privateer, and for the southern confederacy. If so, one is naturally induced to ask how it was that this evidence was not communicated to Mr. Adams, by whom it might immediately have been made available, instead of being only spoken of, and that only in general terms, to Mr. Seward, who, being on the other side of the Atlantic, could not, of course, make use of it to stop the vessel. Is not the fair inference to be drawn from this and the other letters of this gentleman, when we see how little resulted from them, that anxious to show his zeal in the best light, he was more disposed to address himself to the Secretary of State than to the minister in London, and was somewhat apt to boast of possessing evidence, when, in fact, he had nothing more than reports and conjectures, which, though not inconsistent with probability, possessed no substantial or available 1 United States Documents, vol. vi, p. 220. |