No. 48. Sir F. Rogers to Mr. Hammond. DOWNING STREET, March 23, 1863. (Received March 24.) SIR: I am directed by the Duke of Newcastle to transmit to you, for the information of Earl Russell, the copy of a dispatch from the governor-in-chief of the Windward Islands, reporting the arrival at Barbados of the confederate steamer Florida, for coaling and repairs. I am, &c., FREDERIC ROGERS. [Inclosure in No. 42.] Governor Walker to the Duke of Newcastle. WINDWARD ISLANDS, BARBADOS, February 25, 1863. MY LORD DUKE: I have the honor to report to your grace that the so-called Confederate States steamer Florida arrived here yesterday, and applied, in Arrival at Barbaconsequence of her having met with severe weather, to be allowed to do. February ship some coal and some lumber for repairs. 1863 21, 2. As in the case of the United States ship of war San Jacinto, which came in here under similar circumstances some two or three months ago, I placed no difficulty in the way of the Florida supplying herself; but, notwithstanding the assurance of the commander that he was bound to distant waters, I have notified to the several colonial governments the fact of her having coaled here yesterday afternoon, a precaution which I also observed with regard to the San Jacinto. 3. In consequence of an application made to me by the United States consul, on behalf of an American bark which was desirous of putting to sea yesterday afternoon at 5 o'clock, I have required the Florida not to sail till this evening at the same hour. At Barbados. SIR: With reference to my letter of the 23d instant, forwarding a dispatch from the governor-in-chief of the Windward Islands, in which he reported the arrival at Barbados of the confederate steamer Florida, I am directed by the Duke of Newcastle to transmit to you the copy of a further dispatch from Governor Walker, inclosing a correspondence with Rear Admiral Wilkes, of the United States Navy, respecting a complaint made by him of the partiality shown by the governor to this ship; together with the protest of the United States consul, to which reference is made, and other correspondence on the subject. I am, &c., FREDERIC ROGERS. [Inclosure 1 in No. 49.] Governor Walker to the Duke of Newcastle. WINDWARD ISLANDS, BARBADOS, March 7, 1863. MY LORD DUKE: I have the honor to forward to your grace a copy of a letter which I received this morning from Rear-Admiral Wilkes, commanding the United States naval forces in the West Indies. Correspondence as to coaling with Admiral Wilkes. *2. This letter was delivered to me, as your grace will observe, at 25 [92] minutes to 11 o'clock, with a verbal message that the admiral would sail at 11, and I returned by the bearer of it the acknowledgment, of which a copy inclosed. is 3. The rear-admiral had called upon me the previous evening, accompanied by the captain of the Vanderbilt, his flag-lieutenant, and the United States consul. 4. In the conversation which ensued, nothing passed of which it would be possible to complain. The rear-admiral used some expressions as to the unfriendly character of our neutral position as between an old ally and a set of pirates; but these were points of policy, as I told him, which I was not at liberty to discuss, being merely an agent to carry out the instructions which had been given to me. 5. He had come, he said, to inquire into the circumstances under which the Florida had been allowed to coal here. The impression I had been led to form before seeing the admiral was, that he had expected to find the Florida here, and that it was on arriving here he learned that she had refitted and gone to sea. 6. I recapitulated to the admiral what I had done in the case of the San Jacinto, United States vessel of war. She arrived here last from Bermuda on the 13th of November. The commander, Rockendorff, came to me, accompanied by the United States consul, and representing himself to have suffered at sea, and been obliged to exhaust his coal, he claimed, under Earl Russell's instructions, a special permission to ship the necessary articles for his repairs and a moderate quantity of fuel. 7. I then stated to the admiral that the Florida had arrived here under precisely similar circumstances, and had been dealt with in precisely the same way. 8. Indeed, the captain of the last-mentioned vessel told me that unless I allowed him to have some lumber to repair the damage which he had suffered in a recent gale of wind to the northward, and some coal, every bit of which was exhausted in the same bad weather, he could not go to sea, and that he would be obliged to land his men and strip the ship. 9. My permission to him to coal was limited to 90 tons, which was not considered to be by any means a great quantity. 10. Although, as your grace will perceive from the accompanying report of the harbor-master, the Florida reported herself as last from Mobile, it did transpire that she had been at Nassau since, and had there received supplies; but in her case, as well as in the San Jacinto from Bermuda, I was without any official intelligence of where they had been, or what they had been doing, and both cases were dealt with specially as being in distress, and without reference to the circumstance of having been in British ports within the previous three months. 11. On both occasions I immediately wrote to all the governors in this part of the 'world, to notify the fact that the vessel had coaled here on a specified day; and I so informed Rear-Admiral Wilkes, apparently to his satisfaction. The accompanying acknowledgment of my last circular was put into my hands when Admiral Wilkes was with me. I only annex it to show that no time was lost in adopting all due precaution against any attempt to make this a cruising station. 12. Referring to the last paragraph of the rear-admiral's letter, I would not like to appear to disavow words of proper courtesy and civility, but at the same I would not like to bear the appearance of having made offers of aid and assistance which were not asked of me, and could scarcely have been given under the circumstances, without doing the very thing for which Admiral Wilkes now endeavors to find fault with me. He probably refers to my having said to him that I only gave to the San Jacinto and to the Florida the same assistance which I would be ready to give to him under similar circumstances. 13. The admiral made some complaint about the Florida remaining here a longer time than was warranted by the instructions, but I explained to him that she was prepared to quit at the end of twenty-four hours, and was detained in consequence of the consul's own application. 14. I have only further to inclose a copy of the protest of the American consul referred to in the admiral's letter. It was not put into my hands until some hours after the Florida had received permission to be supplied, but it could not have made any alteration in my line of conduct. I have, &c., (Signed) JAS. WALKER. P. S.-I should mention that, after the San Jacinto coaled here on the 13th Novem ber, she remained in this neighborhood, and actually came into this harbor again a month afterward. [93] The only official notification of which I am in possession with respect to the coaling of any of the vessels (belligerents) is one from Jamaica, to the effect that the Alabama coaled there on the 30th January. J. W. [Inclosure 2 in No. 49.] Rear-Admiral Wilkes to Governor Walker, UNITED STATES FLAG-STEAMER VANDERBILT, CARLISLE BAY, Barbados, March 6, 1863. SIR: In our intercourse this morning I had the opportunity to state to you the object of my visit to this island, viz, to inquire into the infraction of Her Majesty's orders relative to the admission of the rebel privateer the Florida, Maffit commander, into this port, being permitted to take in a supply of coal after having obtained a full supply (160 tons) but thirty days ago at Nassau on the 27th of January, 1863, of which fact I presumed your excellency must have received notice, if not officially, at least through the public prints, and the avowal on the part of the said Maffit while in this harbor that he had done so, and had destroyed various American merchant-vessels while pursuing their lawful voyages on the high seas, and that he intended to depredate on the same again on leaving this port, though not in this immediate vicinity. The language of Earl Russell's dispatch, Her Majesty's secretary of state for foreign affairs, to the Duke of Newcastle, Her Majesty's secretary of state for the colonies, dated 31st January, 1862, seems to be explicit on this point, and I take the liberty to call your attention to the part which particularly refers to it, viz, "No ship of war or privateer of either belligerent shall hereafter be permitted, while in any port, roadstead, or waters, subject to the territorial jurisdiction of Her Majesty, to take in any supplies except provisions, and such other things as may be requisite for the subsistence of her crew; and except so much coal only as may be sufficient to carry such vessel to the nearest port of her own country, or some nearer destination; and no coal shall be again supplied to any such ship of war or privateer in the same or any other port, roadstead, or waters, subject to the territorial jurisdiction of Her Majesty, without special permission, until after the expiration of three months from the time when such coal may have been last supplied to her within British waters as aforesaid." In the conversation this morning I understood your excellency to say that you had given your permission, without any inquiry as to whether the said privateer Florida had obtained any supplies elsewhere or not, although your attention was called to her suspicious character by the United States consul at this port, under protest that she had, and was about to use the supply afforded to her of coal to depredate on the commerce of the United States, which supply was clearly intended, by the above dispatch of Earl Russell, only to enable her to her reach a home port, and that it was not to be expected that you should institute any such inquiries. The knowledge of the depredations of the Florida had become known to the inhabitants of Bridgetown, and mentioned in the protest of the United States consul, and I could not avoid surprise to learn from your excellency that no investigation had been ordered by which the facts would have been elicited, and action taken on them, by which an infraction of Her Majesty's regulations was then taking place and been proved. Your excellency's excuse that you had received no official communication from the governor of Nassau of the fact of her visiting that colony, for not stopping and denying the Florida coal and supplies, I scarcely believe will be deemed satisfactory to your or my Government. The United States are endeavoring to act up to, and carry out, the literal construction of Her Majesty's rules prescribed for the belligerents; and it cannot but recur to you that, with this desire, and reposing full faith in all her Majesty's officials, who are bound to carry out these rules in their spirit and literal construction, that my Government should deem this act of the supplying a rebel privateer with aid to carry out her nefarious operations against its commerce, when passing on the high seas at some thousands of miles distant, (as your excellency stated, said Maffit had informed you was his intention,) without which aid the rebel privateer would have been comparatively harmless, and when apprised of his intention, without any action on your part of examination and inquiry, was both untoward and unfriendly. Having stated these facts, I have to request your excellency will afford me the opportunity of laying before my Government the circumstances under which the Florida was permitted to take in a supply of coal and other provisions to con[94] tinue "her cruise and operations, after having so recently coaled and provisioned at Nassau, one of Her Majesty's colonies in the West Indies, ample time having been afforded—some thirty days-for the information to have reached this island and government, and if any cause existed why an investigation was not instituted after the letter to your excellency was received from the United States consul, the resident official of my Government at this island, when the Florida was lying in these waters under your jurisdiction. I take this occasion to express to your excellency my thanks for your kind offer of aid and assistance; being in want of nothing, we shall take our departure on the expiration of the limit assigned in Her Majesty's rules, by which time I hope to receive your excellency's reply to this dispatch, and have, &c. Very respectfully, CHARLES WILKES. [Inclosure 3 in No. 49.] Governor Walker to Rear-Admiral Wilkes. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, Barbados, March 6, 1863-10.35 a. m. SIR: I have had the honor this moment to receive your excellency's letter of yester day's date, with a verbal intimation to the effect that you are to sail at 11 o'clock. Even if time permitted, I doubt very much whether it would be desirable to enter into correspondence with your excellency upon the points adverted to in your communication, beyond repeating the assurance which I have already conveyed to you personally of my desire to carry out most faithfully the instructions which I have received from Her Majesty's government as to the observance of a due neutrality during this painful struggle, and that in sanctioning the coaling here of the Florida I did no more than what I had sanctioned in the case of the United States steamer of war San Jacinto. It will, of course, be my duty to forward your representation to Her Majesty's gov ernment, to whom I had already reported the fact of the Florida as well as the San Jacinto having been allowed to repair and coal here. I have, &c., JAS. WALKER. [Inclosure 4 in No. 49.] Mr. Clawson to Mr. Holligan. HARBOR-MASTER'S OFFICE, SIR: I have to report for his excellency's information the arrival of the confederate ship of war Florida, (8,) Captain Maffit, for Mobile, in want of coal and provisions. I am, &c., E. G. CLAWSON. [Inclosure 5 in No. 49.] Mr. Clawson to Mr. Holligan. HARBOR-MASTER'S OFFICE, SIR: I have to report, for his excellency's information, the arrival of the Federal ship of war San Jacinto, (12,) Captain Rockendorff, from Bermuda in ten days, in want of water and coal, and some trifling repair to the engine. Reports the Immortalité at Bermuda. I am, &c., (Signed 95] *Inclosure 6 in No. 49.] Sir W. Byam to Governor Walker. LEEWARD ISLANDS, ANTIGUA, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's circular dispatch of the 25th ultimo, acquainting me that the so-called Confederate States steamer of war Florida had arrived at Barbados, and had represented herself to be in distress for want of coals and provisions, and that you had given her special permission to ship them. I have, &c., WM. BYAM, President, Administering the Government. [Inclosure 7 in No. 49.] Mr. Trowbridge to Governor Walker. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AT BARBADOS, May it please your excellency: February 24, 1863. Captain D. H. Blake, of the United States merchant bark Sarah A. Nickels, came into this port this morning for fear of being captured by the so-called Confederate steamer Florida. He is desirous of departing on his voyage at 5 p. m. this evening. I would therefore most respectfully request that your excellency will cause this steamer Florida to remain at anchor in this port until to-morrow evening at 5 p. m. I have, &c., (Signed) EDWARD TROWBRIDGE, [Inclosure 8 in No. 49.] Mr. Holligan to Mr. Trowbridge. SECRETARY'S OFFICE, February 25, 1863. SIR: I am directed by the governor to inform you that on receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, his excellency required of the commander of the Florida that he should not proceed to sea until twenty-four hours should have elapsed after the departure of the bark Sarah E. Nichols. I have, &c., (Signed) J. R. HOLLIGAN, [Inclosure 9 in No. 49.} Mr. Trowbridge to Governor Walker. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AT BARBADOS, May it please your excellency: It is well known that she has within the past two months captured and burnt several United States merchant-vessels on the high seas which were engaged in lawful trade. There are now several United States merchant-vessels in this port, one of them desirous of leaving this evening. I trust that, in view of these circumstances, and |