No. 69. Sir F. Rogers to Mr. Hammond. DOWNING STREET, September 11, 1863. (Received September 12.) SIR: I am directed by the Duke of Newcastle to transmit to you for the information of Earl Russell, the accompanying copy of Coaling and repairs a dispatch from the governor of Bermuda, inclosing a cor- at Bermuda. respondence relative to the coaling and repairing of the confederate war-steamer Florida, on the occasion of a recent visit from her to Bermuda. I am, &c., FREDERIC ROGERS. [Inclosure 1 in No. 69.] Governor Ord to the Duke of Newcastle. BERMUDA, August 3, 1863. MY LORD DUKE: I have the honor to acquaint your grace that the Confederate States steamer Florida, commanded by Captain Maffit, came off the port of Saint George's on the evening of the 15th ultimo, and received from me permission to enter this port on the following morning. 2. Having sent to Captain Maffit a copy of the printed circular letter I have had drawn up, embodying the instructions of Her Majesty respecting the treatment of Federal and confederate vessels of war, he called on me on the day of his arrival, and stated that he had been at sea seventy days, with the exception of two visits to Havana and Barbados, each of which occupied less than twenty-four hours, and a visit of shorter duration to a port in the Brazils; that he was last from the immediate neighborhood of New York, within sixty miles of which he had been harassing the United States commerce; that he was in want of repairs to the hull and machinery of his ship, and a small supply of coal; that he feared he should experience difficulty in obtaining the latter, as he was informed that there was no steam-coal whatever in the colony, except in the stores at the dock-yard, and that he trusted, under the circumstances, he would be permitted to receive from this source as much as would serve to carry him to a port of his own country; that he would then use every exertion to complete his refitment, and would leave the colony forthwith. 3. I told Captain Maffit that his application for coal from admiralty stores must be made to the senior naval officer, but I assured him at the same time that Supply of coal it would not be complied with, and I granted him permission to remain from admiralty stores so long as might be necessary to fit his ship for sea, and to procure from refused. priva te sources the coal actually required. 4. Finding it impossible to procure any coal from private individuals, and that the repairs to his machinery required resources which the colony could not afford, Captain Maffit made several endeavors to obtain the asssistance he needed from the stores of her Majesty's naval and military departments, but, as your grace will perceive from the accompanying correspondence, without effect. At length the arrival of a Vessel from Halifax with a supply of coal released him from his difficulty, and the Florida took her departure from the colony on the 25th July. [109] I have, &c., (Signed) *[Inclosure 2 in No. 69.] H. ST. GEORGE ORD. Mr. Bourne to Governor Ord. PORT OF SAINT GEORGE, Bermuda, July 15, 1863. SIR: The Confederate States steamer Florida, Commander Maffit, came to anchor this afternoon in Five Fathom Hole, in want of coals, repairs to engines, and hull of ship, but owing to her not being released from quarantine up to sunset, Commander Maffit has been unable to communicate personally with your excellency. I am instructed by Commander Maffit to request of your excellency to allow the Florida to enter the port of Saint George to obtain coals and make the necessary repairs. On the Florida's release from quarantine, Commander Maffit will have the honor of waiting on your excellency. I have, &c., JNO. T. BOURNE. [Inclosure 3 in No. 69.] Mr. Plow to Mr. Bourne, MOUNT LANGTON, July 15, 1863. SIR: The governor has sent a telegraph releasing the Florida from quarantine, and allowing her to come into Saint George's for repairs. A further communication will be made to Captain Mafit to-morrow morning. I have, &c., HENRY FREDERICK PLOW. [Inclosure 4 in No. 69.] Mr. Walker to Governor Ord. SAINT GEORGE's, July 18, 1863. SIR: At the request of Captain Maffit, commanding Confederate States steamer Florida, I have the honor to inform your excellency that on his application at the dock-yard this morning for coals, he was informed by Captain Glasse that under his present instructions he did not feel authorized to furnish the Florida with the small amount even which Captain Maffit required. As the Florida must, therefore, of necessity be detained at this port as a vessel in distress, until the arrival of coals, which are daily expected, Captain Mafit begs me to inquire of your excellency if the privilege will be accorded to him of proceeding to the dock-yard for the purpose of having effected some repairs to machinery and hull of ship which are of essential importance, and which cannot be effected in the port of Saint George's. I have, &c., NORMAN STE WART WALKER. [Inclosure 5 in No. 69.] Governor Ord to Mr. Walker. MOUNT LANGTON, July 19, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th instant, informing me, at the request of Captain Maflit, of the Confederate States steamer Florida, that having applied yesterday at the dock-yard for coals, he was informed by Captain Glasse, royal navy, that he did not feel authorized to furnish the Florida with the small amount she required, and further stating that, as the Florida must, therefore, of necessity be detained at this port as a vessel in distress until the arrival of coals, which are daily expected, Captain Maftit begs you to inquire whether the privi lege will be accorded to him of proceeding to the dock-yard for the purpose of having effected some repairs to machinery and hull of ship which are of essential importance, and which cannot be effected in the port of Saint George's. Having referred this application to Captain Glasse, superintendent of the dock-yard, I have the honor to acquaint you that he informs me that he does not feel himself at liberty to allow of any repairs to the machinery or hull of the Confederate States steamer of war Florida being effected in Her Majesty's dock-yard. [110] *In making this communication I have to express a hope that Captain Maffit may yet find it in his power to obtain for his vessel such supplies of coal and such necessary repairs as will enable her to proceed without delay to her destination, but I must, at the same time, point out that Her Majesty's instructions (with a copy of which Captain Maffit was supplied on the 16th instant) are very stringent as to the limitation of the stay in British waters of vessels of war of the United States or Confederate States, and that it is necessary that whatever may be required to enable the Florida to take her departure from these islands, should be provided in the shortest possible period. If, however, Captain Maffit should find it impossible to procure at the present time whatever may be requisite for this purpose, I innst request that he will at once proceed with the Florida to Grassy Bay, there to remain until his departure from the colony is rendered practicable. I have, &c., H. ST. GEORGE ORD. [Inclosure 6 in No. 69.] Mr. Walker to Governor Ord. SAINT GEORGE'S, July 20, 1863. SIR: Since the communication which I had the honor to address to your excellency on Saturday evening last, Captain Maffit has been informed that there is a large quantity of coals at this port belonging to the commissariat department. He, therefore, requests me, in his great emergency, to apply, through your excelleney, to the proper officers, for a quantity sufficient to carry his vessel to some other coaling depot. Captain Maffit will be happy to have the opportunity of paying for the coals in coin immediately, or of having them returned in kind, within two or three weeks, at any point in the island which may be indicated. I have, &c., NORMAN STEWART WALKER. [Inclosure 7 in No. 69.] Governor Ord to Mr. Walker. MOUNT LANGTON, July 20, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day's date, requesting, on behalf of Captain Maffit, Confederate States steamer Florida, that he may be permitted to take from a large quantity of coal belonging to the commissariat department at Saint George's, a quantity sufficient to carry his ship to some other coaling depot. In reply, I have to inform you that the coal in question is not under my control, but under that of Colonel Munro, the commandant of the troops. I have, &c., (Signed) H. ST. GEORGE ORD. [NOTE-I communicated to Colonel Munro the application that was about to be made to him; and was afterward informed by him that Captain Maflit had pressed his request at a visit he made to him, and that Colonel Munro informed him it was out of his power to accede to it.] [Inclosure 8 in No. 69.] Governor Ord to Mr. Walker. MOUNT LANGTON, July 22, 1863. SIR: Referring to my letter to you of the 20th instant, I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to ascertain, for my information, when the necessary repairs and coaling of the Confederate States steamier Florida will be completed, so as to enable her to proceed to sea. I have, &c., (Signed) H. ST. GEORGE ORD. [Inclosure 9 in No. 69.] Mr. Walker to Governor Ord. SAINT GEORGE's, July 22, 1-63. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's communica tions of the 19th, 20th, and 22d instant, and, in reply thereto, I am requested by Cap tain Maffit to inform your excellency that he is using every effort to proceed to sea with as little delay as possible. Captain Maffit is fully aware of the stringent character of Her Majesty's instructions with regard to the stay in British waters of men-of-war of the United States and of the Confederate States; and begs me to assure your excellency that his detention has been occasioned not by any disposition to contravene Her Majesty's instructions on the subject, but from the great deficiency of labor at this port, and from causes to which the attention of your excellency has already been directed. The necessary repairs to Captain Maffit's ship are now nearly completed, and he will commence taking in his coals at 12 m. to-day. As it is probable that it will be impossible to finish coaling until to-morrow, (Friday,) Captain Maffit would be happy to receive the permission of your excellency to remain in the port of Saint George's until Saturday morning. Before leaving, Captain Maffit begs me to express to your excellency his high appreciation of the courtesy with which he has been received in the island of Bermuda. I have, &c., (Signed) NORMAN STEWART WALKER. [Inclosure 10 in No. 69.] Governor Ord to Mr. Walker. MOUNT LANGTON, July 23, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day's date. informing me, in reply to the inquiry contained in my letter of the 22d instant, that Captain Maffit is using every effort to proceed to sea with as little delay as possible; and that, although the necessary repairs to the Florida are nearly completed, it is not probable that the coaling will be finished until Friday, and that Captain Maffit would be happy to receive permission to remain in the port of Saint George's until Saturday morning. Although the instructions of Her Majesty respecting the limitation of the stay in British waters of vessels of war of the Confederate and United States are very stringent, yet, as I have reason to believe that circumstances beyond Captain Maffit's control have obstructed him in procuring the supply of coal and repairs of his vessel, necessary to enable him to proceed to sea, I think I am justified in complying with his request; and I accordingly authorize the Florida remaining in these waters until the morning of Saturday, the 25th instant, but no longer. I have, &c., H. ST. GEORGE ORD. No. 70. Mr. Hammond to Sir F. Rogers. FOREIGN OFFICE, September 16, 1863. SIR: I have laid before Earl Russell your letter of the 11th instant, inclosing copies of a correspondence received from Governor Ord relative to the coaling and repairing of the confederate war-steamer Florida at Bermuda. I am, in reply, to request that you will state to the Duke of Newcastle that, in Lord Russell's opinion, Governor Ord's proceedings should be approved by the secretary of state. I am, &c., [112] * No. 71. Sir F. Rogers to Mr. Hammond. E. HAMMOND. DOWNING STREET, September 24, 1863. (Received September 25.) for SIR: I am directed by the Duke of Newcastle to transmit to you, the consideration of Earl Russell, the accompanying copy of a dispatch from the governor of Bermuda, relative to the return, gun for gun, by his directions, of the salute of the confederate vessel of war Florida on the occasion of her recent visit to Bermuda. The opinion to which, in the fourth paragraph of his dispatch, the governor refers in justification of his conduct is that expressed in the second paragraph of your letter of the 15th May last, in the case of the murder on board the Sumter. I am, &c., FREDERIC ROGERS. [Inclosure in No. 71.] Governor Ord to the Duke of Newcastle. BERMUDA, August 27, 1863. 1. MY LORD DUKE: I have the honor to inclose to your grace the copy of a dispatch, marked private, under date 7th August, 1863, which I yesterday received from Lord Lyons, Her Majesty's minister at Washington, acquainting me that Mr. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States, had stated to him a few days before that he had heard that a confederate ship had been saluted at Bermuda, and that a painful impression having been created by this intelligence, Lord Lyons would be glad to know what had really occurred. His lordship added that although, from reasons which he assigned, he did not engage to obtain the information Mr. Seward asked, yet it would be useful for him to know whether the confederate flag, or a confederate ship, was in fact saluted at Bermuda, and, if so, under what circumstances; and he accordingly requested me to give him this information in whatever form I might deem most convenient. 2. I have no doubt but that the circumstance to which Mr. Seward referred is the interchange of salutes which occurred between the fort here and the confederate steamer of war Florida, on the occasion of her recent visit to this port, an occurrence which I regret extremely that I omitted to notice when reporting to your grace, in my dispatch of 3d August, the proceedings of this vessel, and the steps I had taken to maintain in her case an observance of that neutrality which Her Majesty's instructions enjoin. The omission was quite accidental, and was due to my forgetfulness. I knew that the return of the salute of a foreign man-of-war was a matter of course, and believing that the Florida was entitled to this designation, I unhesitatingly authorized the extension to her of the usual courtesy; and so little impression did the circumstance make on my mind, that even when writing to your grace respecting the vessel, it entirely escaped my recollection. 3. As, however, I can have no doubt from Lord Lyons's communication that the act will have an importance assigned to it by Mr. Seward which was never contemplated when it occurred, I desire at once to assume all the responsibility which may attach to it, but I beg at the same time to submit to your grace that whatever may be the view taken of it by the United States Government, and whatever the inconvenience to which their view of it may give rise, it was a step which I was not only justified but called upon to adopt in the position in which I found myself. 4. It is laid down in the colonial regulations, paragraph 483, article 3, page 147, that all salutes from ships of war of other nations, either to Her Majesty's forts or ships, are to be returned gun for gun. In the Foreign Office dispatch from Mr. Hammond to Sir F. Rogers, dated 15th May, 1863, covered by your grace's dispatch [to 1 Mr. Hammond to Sir F. Rogers. FOREIGN OFFICE, May 15, 1863. I am directed by Earl Russell to state to you that, on the 15th of October last, the senior oflicer of the confederate steamier Sumter, then lying in the port of Gibraltar, was murdered by Mr. Hester, the only other officer on board. After consultation with the law officers of the Crown, it was determined that, as the Sumter was entitled to be regarded as a commissioned man-of-war, the authorities at Richmond should be asked what course they wished should be pursued with the prisoner. The so-called confederate government stated, in answer, that a confederate ship of war should be instructed to proceed to Gibraltar and bring away the prisoner, but offered the alternative of his being transported in a British ship of war to the Southern States, in order that he might be tried by the con federate tribunals. It was accordingly decided, after further consultation with the law-officers, and after communication with the admiralty and war department, to send the prisoner to Bermuda in Her Majesty's ship Shannon, and to detain him there pending an arrangement which Lord Lyons has been instructed to make With the United States Government for the prisoner being landed from one of Her Majesty's ships at a confederate port. Under this arrangement the Shannon left Gibraltar for Bermuda on the 5th instant, having Mr. Hes ter on board. |