it must have been clear to him that I wanted nothing more from him than a justification for acceding to his request.' [113] *The arbitrators will have observed that, in cases where confederate vessels of war applied for permission to repair, it was frequently the practice of the British authorities not to depend upon the mere statement of the commander of the vessel as to the necessity for repairs and the time they would take, but to insist on an examination and a report by British officers; and this requirement was, as far as is known, acceded to in all such cases without demur. No instance is alleged of such a precaution having been taken in the case of United States vessels; and, compared with it, the answer given to Captain Boggs cannot be regarded as matter for complaint. Her Britannic Majesty's government have only to add that, in addition to the visits of the San Jacinto and Connecticut alluded to above, nineteen other visits of United States ships of war to Barbados are recorded during the civil war. Two of these vessels are mentioned as having received permission to take in coal, and none of them appear to have had any reason to complain of their reception. As far as Her Majesty's government is aware, the visit of the Florida is the sole instance of any confederate cruiser having received the hospitality of the colony. The Florida at Bermuda. THE FLORIDA AT BERMUDA. The Florida arrived off Bermuda for the first time on the evening of the 15th of July, 1863, and entered the harbor the following morning. Her commander stated that his vessel was in want of repairs to the hull and machinery, and that he required also a small supply of coal. Of the latter, there was at the time none in the colony except in the government stores, and the military and naval authorities, to whom Captain Maffit successively applied, positively refused to allow him any supply from that source.2 Permission to effect repairs in the government dock-yard was also refused; and Captain Maffit, having stated that his vessel must be considered as detained in distress for want of coal, was warned that the regulations were very strict as to the limitation of time for the stay of belligerent cruisers; that it was necessary that whatever the Florida required to enable her to leave should be provided within the shortest possible period; and that, in the meanwhile, she must leave the port of St. George's for the anchorage at Grassy Bay. The arrival of a vessel from Halifax with a cargo of coal relieved Captain Maflit from his difficulty, and he left the island on the 25th of July. The vessel which brought the coal is asserted by the United States to have been the Harriet Pinckney, and it is insinuated that the transaction amounted to an infraction of the rule against the establishment of coal-depots in British ports for the use of either bel ligerent. Her Majesty's government is at a loss to understand on what ground such an allegation is made. The Harriet Pinckney was, to all appearance, an ordinary trading-vessel, in which capacity she visited Saint George's five times between January, 1863, and February, 1864.3 There was nothing in the attendant circumstances to raise a suspicion that the coal was sent expressly for the Florida; indeed, the previous conduct of Captain Maflit contradicts such a supposition; nor does the occurrence seem to have given rise to any complaint on the part of the United States consul. On this occasion, through a misconception, the salute of the Florida. was returned. It was the only instance in which the flag of the Confederate States received such a courtesy from British authorities. It was disapproved by Her Majesty's government; and a circular instruction was sent to all the British colonies to prevent its repetition.1 From Bermuda the Florida proceeded to the French harbor of Brest, where she remained five months refitting. On the 26th April, 1864, she visited the French port of Saint Pierre, Martinique, where she remained till the 7th May and took in a full supply of coals, provisions, and water.2 On the 14th May, she again appeared off Bermuda, but remained only long enough to land a sick officer. She returned to Bermuda on the 19th of June, 1864, and her commander, Lieutenant Morris, wrote to announce his arrival, stating that he was in want of coals, provisions, and repairs, which last it would be impossible to effect unless he were authorized to proceed to the government dock-yard. Permission to do this was, however, refused. Two British officers were sent on board the Florida with directions to report whether she could proceed to sea without any repairs being made to her machinery, and what time they considered would be necessary to complete such repairs as might be absolutely required, and were capable of being carried out in [114] Saint George's harbor. These officers reported, on the 20th of June, that the Florida could "proceed to sea with safety under steam, but under sail was unmanageable with her screw up in bad weather," and they stated that the necessary repairs could be made good there, and, as far as they could judge, would require five days for one man, viz, a diver for two days, and a fitter for three days, or three complete days in all. There were also defects which rendered her maintopmast unsafe, and which could, in their opinion, be made good in two days; they did not state how many men would be required. The governor, after consulting with the admiral on the station, gave permission on Monday the 21st of June for the Florida to remain five days in port, a permission which cannot be considered unreasonable, considering the scarcity of skilled workmen and the possibility evidently contemplated by the committee of officers that it might be necessary to employ the same man as fitter and diver. The five working days expired at noon on Monday the 27th June, and on the evening of that day the Florida left the port. Among the documents produced by the United States is a bill for carpenter's work sent in to the commander of the Florida, which shows that four carpenters were employed on her for four days. Taking into account the small quantity of materials charged for, which show that the repairs could not have been extensive, the probability that unskilled workmen were employed, and the fact previously mentioned, that the number of men required to repair the maintopmast is not stated in the report of the officers, Her Majesty's government does not see that any proof is produced of an abuse of the permission given. The report of the officers went on to state the hourly consumption of coal of the Florida's engines, and they estimated that she could reach the port of Mobile with a supply of 100 tons. The gov ernor received a written assurance from Lieutenant Morris that the first confederate port he expected to make was Mobile, and that he had taken on board about 80 tons of coal, more or less. The United States produce what purports to be a voucher for 135 tons of coal supplied to the Florida on this occasion. If this voucher is correct, Her Majesty's gov ernment can only say that not only did Lieutenant Morris deceive the 1 Appendix to British Case, vol. i, p. 103; vol. v, p. 129. 2 Ibid., vol. i, p. 131. H. Ex. 324—11 governor, but that the Florida took on board more coal than, according to the estimate of the British officers, she had room to carry. The simple fact is, that the governor, who had recourse to the advice of the admiral on the station, conscientiously endeavored to enforce the regulations.1 The Florida left Bermuda, as has been said, on the 27th of June. Five days afterward she re-appeared, for the alleged purpose of giving up two British soldiers, deserters, who had been found on board, and an endeavor was made by her commander to obtain more coal to replenish the amount he had consumed, said to be 15 tous. This was peremptorily refused, and the barge containing the coals was brought back, though not, it is believed, until Lieutenant Morris, who had begun coaling without permission, had succeeded in shipping about 7 tons. The Florida then left, and did not again visit a British port.1 at Bermuda THE CHICKAMAUGA AT BERMUDA. The other confederate cruiser, whose treatment at Bermuda forms a The Chickamauga Subject of complaint on the part of the United States, is the Chickamauga. Of this vessel it is said that "on the 8th of November she was allowed to come into the harbor, and permission was given for a stay of five days for repairs, and also to take on board 25 tons of coal, though she had at that time 100 tons in her bunkers;" that "she actually staid seven days and took on board 82 tons." The authority given for this is an extract from a manuscript diary of a midshipman on board the vessel; but the quotation is incorrect, for the amount stated in the diary is not 82 but 72 tons.3 Her Majesty's government may remark that the evidence derived from a midshipman's journal can hardly be regarded as of much value. It has been seen elsewhere that the passages in the published journal of an officer of the Shenandoah, quoted or referred to by the United States, were inaccurate in matters relating to that vessel, of which he had no absolute personal knowledge, and this seems to be the case in the present instance. The Chickamauga arrived at Bermuda on Monday, the 7th November, 1864, and her commander asked permission to coal and repair machinery. Two officers of the British navy were sent on board to report what repairs were required, the quantity of coal in the vessel, and the additional quantity, if any, which would be required to enable [115] her to *reach the nearest port of the Confederate States. These officers reported on Wednesday, the 9th of November, that the repairs necessary to render the vessel fit for sea would take four or five days to complete; that she had about 75 tons on board; that her daily consumption was 25 tons, and that they considered 25 tons more would enable her to reach the nearest Confederate port. Permission was, therefore, given to her commander to take the vessel in St. George's Harbor, to remain there till Tuesday, the 15th instant, (that is to say, for a space of about five working days,) and to take on board 25 tons of coal. The commander objected that the quantity of coal allowed was insufficient, and asked for permission to take in 25 tous more, but this was refused.5 Orders were given to the revenue officer in charge to take care that the specified amount was not exceeded, and the tribunal will find in the 1 Appendix to British Case, vol. i, p. 133; vol. v, pp. 4, 9-12. 2 Case of United States, p. 415. 3 Appendix to Case of United States, vol. vi, p. 726. 5 Ibid., pp. 137, 138. appendix the affidavit of the officer placed on board for this purpose on the night when the Chickamauga was coaling, in which it is positively affirmed that she did not receive more than 25 tons on that occasion, and a conviction is expressed that she did not get more at Bermuda.i Other concurrent testimony is also given; but it appears that the harbor was at the time crowded with shipping, and at this distance of time it is not possible absolutely to prove that by some illicit means the Chickamauga may not have succeeded in obtaining an extra supply. Her Majesty's government maintains, however, that on this occasion, (as was observed by Earl Russell with regard to the previous visit of the Florida,) "although some disposition was manifested to evade the stringency of Her Majesty's regulations, the most commendable strictness and diligence in enforcing those regulations was observed on the part of the authorities." Having thus noticed the visits of confederate cruisers to Bermuda, it is necessary to make some mention of the acts and the treatment of United States vessels of war at that colony. Admiral Wilkes arrived off the island on the evening of the 26th September, 1862, on board the Wachusett, accompanied by the gun-boats Sonoma and Tioga. The Wachusett and Tioga entered the harbor on the morning of Saturday the 27th, and requested permission to take on board about sixty tons of coal. Upon various pretexts the departure of these vessels was delayed until the 1st of October, when the Tioga left. An accident to the boiler of the Wachusett deferred her departure to the next day. The Sonoma, in the meanwhile, continued to cruise in the offing by day, and in the evening anchored close to the narrow entrance of the harbor, and this proceeding was persisted in, notwithstanding the governor's remonstrances. Admiral Wilkes requested permission for the Sonoma to come into the harbor, for thirty-six hours, to repair; and this was granted. The Sonoma accordingly entered on the 1st of October, and proceeded to take in coal. It had not been understood that permission for that purpose was requested; the squadron, moreover, had left the United States but four days before their arrival at Bermuda, and the Sonoma's supply of coal had been since expended in cruising off the harbor; yet she was allowed to renew her supply. The Tioga, in the meanwhile, took up the same position which the Sonoma had previously occupied outside the harbor, and these two vessels remained cruising off the port of St. George's until the 12th of October. Contrary to the ordinary courtesy on such occasions, the commander of the Sonoma placed sentries on British territory on the wharf from which she was taking coals. The British minister at Washington was instructed to address a remonstrance to the Government of the United States upon the subject of Admiral Wilkes's proceedings. Mr. Seward replied, stating that Admiral Wilkes's conduct must have been misunderstood; that his reports gave_abundant evidence of feelings altogether just and liberal towards the British authorities, and respectful and cordial towards the British government. He promised, however, an investigation into the circumstances, and he subsequently communicated to Lord Lyons, with the expression of a hope that it would prove satisfactory, a dispatch from Admiral Wilkes denying that he had given any cause of complaint. The amount of coal taken in by Admiral Wilkes's squadron amounted to 239 tons. An allusion is made in a foot-note at page 324 of the case of the United States, to the failure of the United States vessels Keystone 1 Appendix to British case, vol. v, p. 139. 2 Appendix to Case of the United States, vol. vi, p. 368. State and Quaker City to obtain coal at Bermuda in December, 1861. At that time there was no restriction on the coaling of belligerent vessels. All that happened was, that the British admiral declined to supply the two vessels mentioned from the government stores, not having a sufficient stock for his own vessels. A similar answer had, in the foregoing October, been returned to the commander of the Nash[116] ville, who had supplied himself from private sources, but this, on account either of the scarcity or the high price of coal in the colony, the United States officers did not do. Twelve other visits of United States vessels of war to Bermuda are recorded. Five of these vessels exceeded the twenty-four hours' limit of stay; three are stated to have retitted, two to have coaled. Among these was the Wachusett, which returned to the colony in May, 1853, and obtained permission to coal and repair. In the case of another vessel, the Mohican, which put in on her way from Philadelphia to the west coast of Africa, the governor not only granted an exceptionally large supply of coal, beyond the quantity authorized by the regulations, but promised the assistance of the government dock-yard official towards the completion of her repairs, and his couduct in so doing was approved by Her Majesty's government.2 United States ves sels at Bermuda. The quantity of coal taken by the Mohican seems slightly to have exceeded the amount named by her commander. He asked for permission to ship 100 tons, but is stated to have received 104. The difference is not material except to show that the most conscientious officer may chance to take a little more than the amount at which he has roughly estimated his requirements. Her Majesty's government thinks that enough has been said to convince the tribunal that, as regards the colony of Bermuda, no accusation of undue partiality toward the Confederate States can be fairly made. ma.ca. THE ALABAMA AT JAMAICA. Of the visit of the Alabama to Jamaica there is little to be said. She The Alabama at Ja- arrived on the 20th of January, 1863, having recently engaged and sunk the United States ship of war Hatteras. Her need of repairs was obvious, as she had six shot holes in her hull at the water-line. She was received as a vessel of war, as she had previously been at the French colony of Martinique, and she obtained permission to make repairs and take in coal. The repairs were completed on the 25th of January, on the evening of which day she went to sea. Seven vessels of the United States are recorded to have visited Jamaica during the civil war, remaining for periods of from three to ten days. Three of them received coal; the quantity supplied is unknown.3 The Alabama, Geor THE ALABAMA, GEORGIA, AND TUSCALOOSA AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Concerning the visits of the Alabama, the Georgia, and the Tuscaloosa to the Cape of Good Hope in August and September, gin, and Tu.calosa. 1863, every material particular has been placed before the arbitrators in the case of Great Britain, nor is there anything on the subject in the case of the United States which seems to call for a further reply than will be found in the statement of facts thus given. The grounds have been stated on which it was considered by Her Majesty's |