PREFACE. THE MISREPRESENTATIONS of the newspapers, both English and American, of the important questions of International Law involved in the cases of the 'Alabama' and 'Shenandoah,' have rendered it necessary to bring under the notice of the Nation, in one publication, all the official correspondence on this subject. R. CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING THE 'ALABAMA.' Mr. Adams to Earl Russell. Legation of the United States, MY LORD,-Some time since it may be recollected by your Lordship that I felt it my duty to make a representation touching the equipment from the port of Liverpool of the gun-boat the Oreto'. with the intent to make war upon the United States. Notwithstanding the statements returned from the authorities of that place, with which your Lordship favoured me in reply, touching a different destination of that vessel, I have the strongest reason for believing that that vessel went directly to Nassau, and that she has been there engaged in completing her armament, provisioning, and crew for the object first indicated by me. * I am now under the painful necessity of apprising your Lordship, that a new and still more powerful war steamer is nearly ready for departure from the port of Liverpool on the same errand. This vessel has been built and launched from the dockyard of persons one of whom is now sitting as a Member of the House of Commons, and is fitting out for the especial and manifest object of carrying on hostilities by sea. It is about to be commanded by one of the *The 'Oreto' was seized at Nassau for violation of the Foreign Enlistment Act, but was released by direction of the Vice-Admiralty Court after a full judicial investigation. She afterwards ran the blockade, and having been armed at Mobile, was known as the 'Florida' ship-of-war. B insurgent agents, the same who sailed in the 'Oreto.' The parties engaged in the enterprise are persons well known at Liverpool to be agents and officers of the insurgents in the United States, the nature and extent of whose labours are well explained in the copy of an intercepted letter of one of them which I received from my Government some days ago, and which I had the honour to place in your Lordship's hands on Thursday last. I now ask permission to transmit, for your consideration, a letter addressed to me by the Consul of the United States at Liverpool, in confirmation of the statements here submitted, and to solicit such action as may tend either to stop the projected expedition, or to establish the fact that its purpose is not inimical to the people of the United States. Renewing, &c. (Signed) CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. (Inclosure.) Mr. Dudley to Mr. Adams. United States Consulate, Sir, The gunboat now being built by the Messrs. Laird and Co., at Birkenhead, opposite Liverpool, and which I mentioned to you in a previous despatch, is intended for the so-called Confederate Government in the Southern States. The evidence I have is entirely conclusive to my mind. I do not think there is the least room for doubt about it. Beauforth and Caddy, two of the officers from the privateer Sumter,' stated that this vessel was being built for the Confederate States. The foreman in Messrs. Lairds' yard says she is the sister to the gunboat 'Oreto,' and has been built for the same parties and for the same purpose; when pressed for a further explanation, he stated that she was to be a privateer for the Southern Government in the United States.' The captain and officers of the steamer 'Julie Usher,' now at Liverpool, and which is loaded to run the blockade, state that this gunboat is for the Confederates, and is to be commanded by Captain Bullock. The strictest watch is kept over this vessel; no person except those immediately engaged upon her is admitted |