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PART VII.

STATEMENT OF FACTS RELATIVE TO THE GEORGIA.

On the 8th April, 1863, Mr. Adams addressed to Earl Russell a note VII-The respecting a steam-vessel, built in Dumbarton, in Scotland, and at first known as the Japan, but subsequently as the

PART Georgia.

Georgia.

This vessel had put to sea six days before the date of Mr. Adams's note, and was at that date out of the Queen's dominions. No information whatever relating to her had previously reached Her Majesty's government. Mr. Adams's note was as follows:1

Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, April 8, 1863.

MY LORD: From information received at this legation, which appears entitled to credit, I am compelled to the painful conclusion that a steam-vessel has just departed from the Clyde with the intent to depredate on the commerce of the people of the United States. She passed there under the name of the Japan, but is since believed to have assumed the name of the Virginia. Her immediate destination is the island of Alderney, where it is supposed she may yet be at this moment. A small steamer called the Alar, belonging to Newhaven, and commanded by Henry P. Maples, has been loaded with a large supply of guns, shells, shot, powder, &c., intended for the equipment of the Virginia, and is either on the way or has arrived there. It is further alleged that a considerable number of British subjects have been enlisted at Liverpool, and sent to serve on board this cruiser.

Should it be yet in the power of Her Majesty's government to institute some inquiry into the nature of these proceedings, in season to establish their character if innocent, or to put a stop to them if criminal, I feel sure that it would be removing a heavy burden of anxiety from the minds of my countrymen in the United States.

I pray, &c.,
(Signed)

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

From dispatches addressed by Mr. Adams and Mr. Dudley to their own Government, it appears that the consuls of the United States at Glasgow, and Liverpool, and Mr. Adams himself, had for a long time been in possession of information respecting this vessel, and that she had long been an object of suspicion to them. Mr. Adams, on the 9th April, 1863, wrote as follows to Mr. Seward:

Lastly, comes the case of the Japan, alias the Virginia. I have been long in the possession of information about the construction and outfit of that vessel on the Clyde, but nothing has ever been furnished to me of a nature to base proceedings upon. Learning, however, that she had gone to the island of Alderney to take her armament there, I made up my mind to send notice of it to the British government, and leave it to them to act in the case as they might think fit.

Mr. Dudley, on the 3d April, had written as follows to Mr. Seward: Mr. Underwood, our consul at Glasgow, has no doubt informed you about the steamer now called the Japan, formerly the Virginia, which is about to clear from this port for the East Indies. Some seventy or eighty men, twice the number that would be required for any legitimate voyage, were shipped at Liverpool for this vessel, and sent to Greenock on Monday evening last. They are shipped for a voyage of three years. My

1Appendix, vol. i, p. 399.

belief is that she belongs to the confederates, and is to be converted into a privateer; quite likely to cruise in the East Indies, as Mr. Young, the paymaster from the Alabama, tells me it has always been a favorite idea of Mr. Mallory, the secretary of the confederate navy, to send a privateer in these waters. I sent a man from here to Glasgow to accompany these men, to endeavor to find out the destination of the vessel, &c. He has not been successful yet in his efforts. He has been on board, and writes that she has no armament, and he is still there watching her.

No communication respecting this vessel was made to Her Majesty's government until the 8th April, six days after her departure from British waters.

The receipt of Mr. Adams's note of the 8th April was unofficially acknowledged by Mr. Hammond, one of the under-secretaries of state for foreign affairs, as follows:1

[Private.]

Mr. Hammond to Mr. Adams.

FOREIGN OFFICE, April 8, 1863.

MY DEAR SIR: I found your immediate letter on my arrival at the office at 12.45, and as your mail goes, I believe, to-day, you may like to know at once that within [121] half an hour of that time it was sent to the *home office, within whose particular jurisdiction are the Channel Islands. A copy will also be sent to the treasury as soon as it can be made.

You shall have an official acknowledgment of your letter as soon as I can get Lord Russell's signature, but he is out of town.

Very faithfully, &c.,
(Signed)

E. HAMMOND.

Copies of Mr. Adams's note were, on the same day, sent to the home office and the treasury, and those departments were requested to adopt, without delay, the measures most suitable for ascertaining the correctness of the report, and, if it should prove to be well founded, then to take the most effectual measures allowed by law for defeating the alleged attempt to fit out a belligerent vessel from a British port, and for bringing to justice all persons connected with the vessel who might have rendered themselves amenable to the law.

In pursuance of this request, the following letter was addressed by the under-secretary of state for the home department to the lieutenantgovernor of Guernsey :2

Mr. Waddington to Major-General Slade.

WHITEHALL, April 8, 1863. SIR: I am directed by Sir George Grey to transmit to you herewith, as received through the foreign office, a copy of a letter from the United States minister at this court, respecting a steam-vessel named either the Japan or the Virginia, reported to have left the Clyde for Alderney, where she is to receive on board an armament conveyed to that island by a small steamer, the Alar, belonging to Newhaven, and is to be eventually employed in hostilities against the United States; and I am to request that you will make immediate inquiry into the truth of the allegations contained in that communication.

I have to call your attention to the statute 59 Geo. III, cap. 69. Section 7 appears to be applicable to this case, if the information which has been given to the minister of the United States of America should turn out to be correct. In that case the lawofficers of the Crown should be instructed to take without delay the proper proceedings authorized by the law of Alderney, to enforce the provisions of the act in question, and the officers of customs may be called upou to assist, if necessary.

Sir George Grey will be glad to be informed of the result of the inquiry, and of any steps that may be taken in consequence.

I have, &c.,

(Signed)

H. WADDINGTON.

The lieutenant-governor, on receiving these instructions, desired

1 1 Appendix, vol. i, p. 399.

2 Ibid., p. 401.

Captain de Saumarez, commanding Her Majesty's ship Dasher, to proceed at once to Alderney. It was found, however, that Mr. Adams's information as to the immediate destination of the two vessels mentioned in his note was erroneous.

!

The commissioners of customs were, on the same day, (8th June,) directed by the lords commissioners of the treasury to instruct their officers at Alderney to co operate with the lieutenant-governor of Guernsey. This order was forthwith executed, and the commissioners wrote to the same effect to their officers at Guernsey. They likewise instructed the collectors of customs at Greenock and Glasgow to report all the information which they might be able to obtain respecting the Japan.

The collector at Greenock reported as follows:1

Mr. Hodder to commissioner of customs.

CUSTOM-HOUSE, Greenock, April 10, 1863. HONORABLE SIR: With reference to the board's commands signified by Mr. Gardner's letter of yesterday's date, directing me to report to the board all the particulars I may be enabled to ascertain respecting a vessel called the Japan or Virginia, which it is alleged has recently sailed from the Clyde, to be employed against ships of the United States, I beg to report an iron vessel named the Japan, Thomas__Hitchcock master, registered at Liverpool as 427 tons, official No. 45868, was built at. Dumbarton and measured by the measuring officer at Glasgow, came down the river and proceeded to Gareloch Head, to adjust her compasses, and afterward brought up at the Tail of the Bank, where she remained three or four days. This vessel was, on the 31st ultimo, entered outward by Colin S. Caird, for Point de Galle and Hong-Kong, with a crew of forty-eight men. On the 1st instant she shipped the under-mentioned bonded stores, which were sent from Liverpool, viz: 115 gallons of spirits, 32 gallons of wine, 244 pounds of tea, 590 pounds of coffee, 212 pounds of tobacco, 10 pounds cigars, 18 cwt. 3 quarters 2 pounds of sugar, 2 cwt. 2 quarters 8 pounds of molasses, 2 cwt. 1 quarter 5 pounds of raisins, and 1 cwt. 1 quarter 8 pounds of currants; and cleared the same day in ballast for Point de Galle and Hong-Kong.

1

It appears she left the anchorage at the Tail of the Bank early on the morning of the 2d instant, with the ostensible purpose of trying her engines, intending to return, having

on board several joiners who were fitting up her cabins, and I am informed that [122] after she left this the joiners were employed in *fitting up a magazine on board, and were subsequently landed on some part of the coast lower down the

Clyde.

It is reported that she did not take her final departure until the 6th or 7th instant; but I cannot ascertain where she went after leaving this anchorage.

I have questioned the officer who performs tide-surveyor's duty afloat, and who visited her, on the evening of the 1st instant, to see that the stores were correct. He informs me he saw nothing on board which could lead him to suspect that she was intended for war purposes. I can testify that she was not heavily sparred; indeed she could not spread more canvas than an ordinary merchant-steamer. I beg to add, when the tide-surveyor was on board, the joiners were fitting doors to the cabins. I am, &c., (Signed) J. F. MOORE HODDER,

2

Collector.

The officer acting for the collector at Glasgow transmitted the subjoined report, made by the measuring surveyor at that port. He added that the Japan had not cleared from Glasgow:

CUSTOM-HOUSE, Glasgow, April 10, 1863.

SIR: In compliance with your reference, I beg to report that an iron screw-steamer, called the Japan, was recently built by Messrs. W. Denny, Brothers, at Dumbarton. I surveyed her on the 17th January last, and visited on two subsequent occasions for the purpose of completing my survey. She appeared to me to be intended for commercial purposes, her frame-work and plating being of the ordinary sizes for vessels of her class.

1Appendix, vol. i, p. 403.

2 Ibid., p. 404.

I annex a copy of my certificate of survey, which shows the vessel's tonnage and description, and beg to add that the formulæ and certificate of survey for the Japan were forwarded to Liverpool on the 2d ultimo, with a view to her being registered as a British ship.

Respectfully submitted. (Signed)

M. COSTELLO,
Measuring Surveyor.

FORM NO. 1A. Steamer.

Certificate of survey.1

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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

Name and address of builder-W. Dennys, Brothers, Dumbarton.

Tonnage under tonnage-deck..

TONNAGE,

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Closed-in spaces above the tonnage-deck, if any; viz:

Space or spaces between decks.

Poop

85.67

Round-house

Other inclosed spaces, if any, naming them-store-room on deck.
Excess of space appropriated to the crew above of the remaining ton-
nage..

1.39

6.68

Total.

648.28

Deduction for space required for propelling-power as measured.

221.03

Register tonnage, (after making deduction for space for propelling-power in steamers)..

427.25

Length of engine-room, 54 feet 3 tenths.

Number of engines, two.

Combined power, (estimated horse-power,) number of horses-power, 200 horses.
Name and address of engine-makers, Denny & Co., Dumbarton.

I, the undersigned Martin Costello, measuring surveyor for this port, having surveyed the above-named ship, hereby certify that the above particulars are true, and that the name and the port of registry are properly painted on a conspicuous part of her stern in manner directed by the merchant shipping act, 1854. Dated at Glasgow, the 4th day of February, 1863.

(Signed)

M. COSTELLO,

Surveyor.

It appears from these reports that the vessel, when surveyed by the measuring surveyor, presented nothing calculated to excite suspicion;

that she had the appearance of being intended for commercial [123] purposes, her frame-work and plating being such as are *ordinary in trading-vessels of her class; that she had been regularly entered outwards for Point de Galle and Hong-Kong, with a crew of 1Appendix, vol. i, p. 423.

forty-eight men, and that, on the 1st April, 1863, she had cleared for that destination in ballast.

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It subsequently appeared further that she had, on the 20th of March, 1863, been registered as the property of a Mr. Thomas Bold, a merchant residing at Liverpool, on the declaration of Bold that he was the sole owner of her. It also appeared that she had been advertised at the Sailors' Home in Liverpool as about to sail for Singapore; that seamen were hired for her at Liverpool as for a ship bound for that port; and that all her crew so hired signed articles for a voyage to Singapore, or any intermediate port, for a period of two years, and that the men believed that this was the real destination of the ship. She took her crew on board while lying in the Clyde, off the port of Greenock, and on the 2d of April she sailed.

With respect to the Alar, the small steamer stated by Mr. Adams in his note of the 8th to have conveyed men and munitions of war to the Japan, the commissioners of customs had, before the date of that note, received from their collector at Newhaven the following report, which they had forwarded to the treasury:1

Mr. Dolan to the commissioners of customs.

CUSTOM-HOUSE, Newhaven, April 6, 1863. HONORABLE SIRS: The steamship Alar, of London, 85 tons, owned by H. P. Maples, sailed on Sunday morning, 5th instant, at 2 a. m., bound, according to the ship's papers, viz, the accompanying content, for Alderney and St. Malo. On Saturday, at inidnight, thirty men, twenty of whom appeared to be British sailors, ten mechanics, arrived by train. Three gentlemen accompanied them, Mr. Lewis, of Alderney, Mr. Ward, and Mr. Jones. The men appeared to be ignorant of their precise destination; some said they were to get £20 each for the trip. A man, rather lame, superintended them. Shortly after midnight a man arrived from Brighton on horseback, with a telegram, which, for purposes of secrecy, had been sent there and not to Newhaven, it is suspected. Mr. Staniforth, the agent, replied to my inquiries this morning that the Alar had munitions of war on board, and that they were consigned by to a Mr. Lewis, of Alderney. His answers were brief, and with reserve, leaving no doubt on my mind nor on the minds of any here that the thirty men and munitions of war are destined for transfer at sea to some second Alabama. The private telegram to Brighton intimated, very probably, having been reserved for the last hour, where that vessel would be found. Whether the shipment of the men, who all appeared to be British subjects, can, if it should be hereafter proved that they have been transferred to a Federal or confederate vessel, be held as an infringement of the foreignenlistment act, and whether the clearance of the Alar, if hereafter proved to be untrue, can render the master amenable under the customs consolidation act, is for your consideration respectfully submitted.

(Signed)

No. 7.

R. J. DOLAN, Collector.

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