No. 479.] Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, August 21, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to transmit a copy of a note addressed to me by Lord Russell, dated the 17th instant, but received only yesterday. I have sent a copy of the same to Mr. Dudley. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. Wм. H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams. FOREIGN OFFICE, August 17, 1863. SIR: My attention has been called, by a member of the firm of Messrs. Fraser, Trenholm & Co., of Liverpool, to a letter which appeared in the Daily News of the 2d of April last, purporting to be a letter addressed by Mr. Thomas H. Dudley, United States consul at Liverpool, to the collector of customs at that port. In that letter it is stated that when the Alabama was first tried, Mr. Welsman, one of the firm of Fraser, Trenholm & Co., was present, and that he accompanied that vessel on her various trials, as he had also accompanied the Oreto on her trial trip, and on her departure. Mr. Welsman positively denies that he was present when the Alabama was first tried, or that he ever accompanied her in any way on any of her supposed trials. He further denies that he ever set foot on board the Oreto, and he has recorded these denials in an affidavit, subscribed and sworn to before the acting British consul at Charleston. With the view of placing Mr. Welsman's statement still further upon record, and as evidence of the incorrectness of Mr. Dudley's assertion, I have the honor to communicate to you the substance of Mr. Welsman's affidavit, for the information of your government. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHAS. F. ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. No. 480.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: On the reception of your No. 645, of the 7th of July I addressed a note of thanks to Earl Russell for the regulation against repacking gunpowder at Belize, British Honduras, recently put in force there by Governor Seymour, of that colony. I now have the honor to enclose copies of my letter, and of his lordship's reply. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State. [Enclosures.] 1. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, August 1, 1863. 2. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams, August 11, 1863. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, MY LORD: From information received by the government which I have the honor to represent, the fact has come to its knowledge that his excellency Governor Seymour, of Belize, in British Honduras, has given notice to the merchants of that place of his intention to enforce the law against repacking gunpowder there, and limiting the quantity of that article which persons may keep in store. This proceeding is likely to have the effect to check a contraband trade with the insurgents in the United States, by which they have heretofore received supplies of that article, and to that extent is considered as indicative of a disposition to abstain from participation in the struggle now going on. I am directed to make this fair and impartial conduct of his excellency the subject of special acknowledgments to her Majesty's government. I pray your lordship's acceptance, &c., CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Right Hon. EARL RUSSELL, &c., &c., &c. FOREIGN OFFICE, August 11, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 1st instant, conveying the thanks of the United States government for certain regulations issued by Governor Seymour with regard to gunpowder at Belize. I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. RUSSELL. Mr. F. W. Seward to Mr. Adams. No. 684.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: It devolves upon me to transmit to you a copy of a communication of the 14th, and of one of the 19th instant, from Francis Boyd, esquire, of Boston, relative to the capture and destruction of his ship Red Gauntlet, of that port, by the piratical vessel now commonly designated the Florida. It appears from depositions, appended to the letter of the 19th, that until the Red Gauntlet was actually seized, the British flag was flying on the Florida. These papers are committed to you with a view to such disposition as shall conduce to just reparation for losses and injuries to the parties aggrieved. Additional evidence in the case is expected, which, when received, will be communicated to you. I am, sir, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. F. W. SEWARD, Acting Secretary. No. 687.] Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: It is proper that, by the steamer which takes this, you should be informed that, according to Richmond newspapers, Fort Sumter was reduced to a mass of ruins on Saturday, the 22d instant, by the combined land and naval attack of the Union forces. They also state that General Gillmore having ascertained that by means of his rifled projectiles he could easily bombard Charleston, though at a distance of nearly five miles, had given the customary notice for the withdrawal of the women and children, and it is presumed that the bombardment has taken place accordingly. I am, sir, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. No. 481.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have to acknowledge the reception of despatches from the department, numbered 672, 673, 674, 675; also a copy of the 12th volume of the Revised Statutes. In regard to the subject of the first of these, No. 672, of the 7th instant, the consul at Queenstown reported to this legation that the Florida was off that harbor. On the 17th three persons, named S. W. Averott, F. Gamerton, and T. T. Hinton, being officers, landed, with what motive is not quite clear. Meanwhile, the steamer Eagle brought the bar-silver to Liverpool on the 20th instant. I have had a visit from a member of the English house of F. Huth & Co. to inform me that they are the true consignees and owners of this property, which has been fully insured in London. They, in conjunction with the underwriters, had taken advice with regard to the possibility of recovering it, and the answer has been favorable, but they had been recommended to apply for my assistance and co-operation. I replied, that any service I, or any of the officers of the government, could render to them in the case would be at their disposal, but that in my belief their only chance of success would come through the character of British subjects. My experience has taught me the inefficacy of all agencies to work results in favor of American claims through the courts here in these cases. The gentlemen said they did not wish to make a political question of it, and would only ask me to place them in communication with my sources of information, in order the better to understand the facts. I directed the secretary, Mr. Wilson, to give him a note of introduction to Mr. Eastman, which was done, and he took his leave. Some account of this transfer has got into the newspapers, with a pretence that the intention of the pirates is to restore the plunder to the right owners. As the underwriters in London have heretofore been such liberal patrons of the illicit trade carried on for the benefit of these parties, they may possibly indulge in the hope of some sign of reciprocation on the present occasion, which I fear will turn out but a pleasing delusion. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, &c. No. 483.] Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: On a close examination of your despatch No. 667, of the 29th July, I discovered not a little difficulty in executing the duty there imposed upon me. The note to Lord Russell, a copy of which is transmitted, was the result of my most careful reflection. I trust that it may be considered to have answered the purpose. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS. Secretary of State, &c. [Enclosure.] Mr. Adams to Lord Russell about French mediation, August 22, 1863. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell. Legation of the United States, MY LORD: I have the honor to communicate to your lordship, under in structions from my government, a copy of a note addressed to Mr. Dayton, the minister of the United States at Paris, by the Secretary of State. I am directed to say that this is done solely out of respect to her Majesty's government, and for its information, and not from any belief that it has had any purpose or desire to vary from the policy hitherto marked out for itself in regard to the difficulties in the United States. The peculiar circumstances attending the exposition of the views of the Emperor of the French, as made in Parliament during its late session, seem to render it no more than a duty on the part of the President to communicate his opinion that the recent military and naval operations of the United States justify an augmented confidence that the insurrection, if it do not receive new and extensive aid from abroad, must fail. Hence the appearance of an intention to tender such aid, at this moment, could not but be regarded as more likely to increase existing difficulties than to overcome them. Not doubting that this is also the conviction which continues to regulate the action of her Majesty's government, 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, SIR: I have just returned to this city from an excursion through the State of New York, in company with a large number of the foreign representatives residing near this government. The recreation thus obtained was as needful to myself as to them. The immediate departure of the mails prevents special acknowledgments of such despatches received during my absence, as were thought deserving of my personal attention. The move The siege of Charleston is proceeding with apparent success. ments of General Rosecrans and General Burnside, in their operations with regard to East Tennessee, are as difficult as they are important. Our information from them is satisfactory. The interests of the Union in Texas are not overlooked. You will have already learned that the expectations of the insurgents which were built on a riot in New York, such as often happens in all great cities, have been disappointed. The re-enforcement of the army and the increase of the navy are going on with all reasonable success. The riot proceeded upon a false assumption of interested persons that the country was wearied and exhausted by this unfortunate civil war. It is now perceived that it is as prosperous and as strong as it has been at any former period of its history. It desires peace, but not immoderately. I am, sir, your obedient servant, SIR: Edwin G Eastman, esq., the United States consul at Queenstown, Cork, in a despatch of the 14th ultimo, has informed me of the friendly spirit evinced by Rear-Admiral Sir Lewis T. Jones, K. C. B., commander-in-chief of her Majesty's naval forces at Queenstown, towards this government in his efforts to prevent the embarcation of a rebel crew and some officers on board a vessel off the port of Queenstown, supposed to have been the Southerner. I will thank you to convey to her Majesty's government, and to the rear-admiral, a suitable expression of the acknowledgments of the President, for so signal a service. I am, sir, your obedient servant, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Esq., &c., &c., &c. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward. No. 486.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: The only subject of interest this week has been the condition of Mr. Laird's iron-clad vessels. The second has been launched, whilst the first is reported to be so far prepared for departure as to bring the question of stopping her to a point calling for prompt decision. Thus far the government has made no sign. The Union and Emancipation Society have presented an earnest memorial on the subject, which has opened the way to some controversial writing in the newspapers. I have reason to believe that the law officers of the crown are wavering in their counsel on the point of evidence of intent. Some little dust has been thrown in their eyes by the pretence of other destination than |