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Inquiries by admiralty.

No. 39.

The secretary to the admiralty to Mr. Hammond.

ADMIRALTY, January 21, 1864. (Received January 22.) SIR: With reference to your letters of the 11th and 13th instant, on the subject of certain men of the naval reserve who were reported to have gone over to Cherbourg, and joined a vessel of the Confederate States, I am commanded by my lords commis sioners of the admiralty to send you, for the information of Earl Russell, copy of a report from the commander of the naval-reserve ship Eagle at Liverpool, confirming, to a great extent, the statements made respecting the men in question, and to acquaint you that their lordships are of opinion that the men who are absent without leave should be discharged from the naval reserve.

I am, &c.,
(Signed)

[Inclosure in No. 39.]

C. PAGET.

Commander Whyte to the secretary to the admiralty.

EAGLE, Liverpool, January 19, 1864. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your memorandum of the 13th instant, directing me to trace, as far as possible, eleven royal naval-reserve seamen, supposed to have proceeded to France from this port to join confederate vessels; and in reply I have the honor to inform you that in prosecuting this inquiry I accidentally fell in with the royal naval-reserve seamen John Maltman, (stated as Charles Maitman in your memorandum,) under whose charge these men are represented to have gone to France, and from him I elicited the following particulars:

That on or about the 2d instant he took charge of volunteer men from Liverpool to Havre to join a crew for a vessel, but he assumes ignorance of the vessel's name and nationality. Among the number were two men named Broadway and Folke, but the latter returned again from Havre; the other fifteen men he believes were under false names, but that he knew nothing about them.

[446]

It is asserted by the superintendent of the Sailors' Home at this port, that George King has gone to join some confederate vessel, and that such has been reported to the board of trade.

I take this opportunity of reporting that the following royal naval-reserve seamen, who completed their period of drill on the dates under-mentioned, (among whom George King's name appears,) have disappeared from this neighborhood, leaving their books and residue of wages on board the Eagle, and which they could have received by completing two hours' drill. This fact, and the complete ignorance assumed by the people with whom they were lodging, leads me to believe that they have formed a portion of the crew that have proceeded to Havre:

7,467. George King, D, 28th December, 1863.
13,809. James Hanton, D, 3d January, 1864.
17,324. Thomas Smith, D, 3d January, 1865.
I have, &c.,
(Signed)

JOHN WM. WHYTE.

No. 40.

The secretary to the admiralty to Mr. Hammond.

ADMIRALTY, January 22, 1864. (Received January 23.) SIR: With reference to my letter of yesterday, on the subject of the naval-reserve men who were supposed to have gone over to Cherbourg and Brest, and joined a confederate vessel, I am commanded by my lords

commissioners of the admiralty to send you, for the information of Earl Russell, a copy of a letter from the captain of the Majestic, at Liverpool, reporting his discoveries in the matter, from which it will be seen that the man Maltby, who has now returned to Liverpool, has admitted that he took seventeen men over to Havre, but that he denies having entered them for anything more than an ordinary commercial voyage.

I am, &c.,
(Signed)

C. PAGET.

[Inclosure in No. 40.]

Captain Inglefield to the comptroller general of the coast-guard.

MAJESTIC, Rock Ferry, January 19, 1864.

SIR: Referring to your memorandums of the 8th and 13th instant, and to my reply of the 15th instant, I have now the honor to report that I am informed Charles Maltman, represented as being an agent of the confederate government, went voluntarily on board the Eagle, both yesterday and to-day, on being made aware that inquiries had been made after him, and admitted that he had been across to Havre in a merchant-ship with seventeen men whom he had been instrumental in shipping.

2. He has left those men at Havre, without being aware of their ultimate destination or intention.

3. He states that he entered them merely for an ordinary commercial voyage, and denies that they were engaged for the confederate government.

4. One of the other men, named in your memorandum Robert Mondway, or Broadway, is, it is believed by Charles Maltman, to be on board the Florida, at Brest.

5. Charles Maltman is now lodging at 31 Warren street, Liverpool, or at a seaman's boarding-house in Islington, Liverpool.

6. John Folke, another man referred to, is represented as being at the coast-guard office, at Folkestone.

I have, &c.,
(Signed)

W. C. INGLEFIELD.

[447]

*No. 41.

Mr. Hammond to the secretary to the admiralty.

FOREIGN OFFICE, January 23, 1864. SIR: I have laid before Earl Russell your letter of the 21st instant, inclosing a copy of a report from the commander of the na- Naval-reserve men val-reserve ship Eagle, relative to certain men of the naval to be discharged. reserve who are reported to have joined a confederate ship of war at Cherbourg, and, with reference to the opinion expressed in your letter, I am to request that you will state to the lords commissioners of the admiralty that Lord Russell concludes that, as a matter of course, these men will be discharged from the naval reserve.

I am, &c.,
(Signed)

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The secretary to the admiralty to Mr. Hammond.

ADMIRALTY, January 25, 1864. (Received January 26.)

SIR With reference to your letter of the 23d instant, respecting the naval-reserve men who are reported to have joined a confederate ship

of war, I am commanded by my lords commissioners of the admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of Earl Russell, that they have or dered the four men mentioned in the letter of the commander of the Eagle, viz, Charles Maltman, (who acted as agent,) George King, James Hanlon, Thomas Smith, to be discharged from the force.

I am, &c.,
(Signed)

W. G. ROMAINE.

No. 43.

Mr. Adams to Earl Russell.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, May 28, 1864. (Received May 28.)

MY LORD: I have the honor to transmit the copy of another deposi tion, in addition to those heretofore submitted to your consideration, and corroborating the statements made in them. Were it necessary to furnish more proof of the same kind, I have reason to believe that a considerable number of others could be procured. I have not been disposed to burden your lordship with more proof than is deemed necessary to establish the facts to the complete satisfaction of Her Majesty's gov ernment.

I doubt not that it must be obvious to your lordship that, if this system of practical warfare be suffered to go on with perfect impunity to all those concerned in it within this kingdom, it will be utterly impossi ble for the Government of the United States to endeavor to place restrictions upon similar practices in America, should any future contingency arise in which Her Majesty's government would deem it advisable to renew the representations once made on the 21st April, in the year 1854, which were at that time met in the most friendly spirit. In order to secure the performance of obligations between nations, the first point would appear to be to establish an impression of moral certainty that they are actually reciprocal. I regret to feel myself compelled to admit the fact to your lordship, that in view of all the testimony which I have had the honor to submit, that impression on the side of the people of the United States has been seriously impaired.

I pray, &c.,
(Signed)

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

[448]

*[Inclosure in No. 43.]

Affidavit of Patrick Shanly.

I, Patrick Shanly, of 13 Carlton street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, fireman, make oath and say as follows:

About the 24th of December last a friend of mine met me in the street and informed me that there was a good chance for me to join the steamer Georgia; that she was a pirate, and I would be paid very good wages. He then asked me to go with him to Mr. Campbell's, boarding-house keeper, Regent street, Liverpool. I went with him to Mr. Campbell's house, and Campbell told me that he had a good job for me to go to; that I should have £7 a month, and £10 bounty, and one month's advance when I joined the ship; that he did not know then which of the steamers I would be required to join, but he thought it was the Florida. He gave me instructions to endeavor to engage other hands; that I was to offer them £5 a month and £10 bounty. I called upon Thomas Lloyd, Edward Smyles, Thomas Asham, John Adamson, and several others,

and informed them of Mr. Campbell's offer, when they all agreed to go with me, and I took them down to Campbell's house. Campbell engaged the whole of these men upon the same terms as myself, except as to wages, he only agreeing to get them £6 a month. He gave us instructions to meet him under the arches at the custom-house on the 27th, and we all attended there, but Campbell did not keep his appointment with us, and Í called upon him to know the reason, when he directed me to bring my clothes down to his house, and hold myself in readiness to start at a minute's notice. I brought my clothes down to Campbell's house the same night, and bought some clothes from him, and he then told me that we should have to start the next day, and told me to meet him and the other men at Anderson's public house. I called at his house the next day, and saw Mrs. Campbell, who produced a paper containing the names of the men who had agreed to join, and an account showing that I was indebted to Campbell in £3 108. 6d., £2 0s. 6d. for the clothes I had bought, and £1 108. which I had to pay Campbell for getting me the job. I went from Campbell's house to Anderson's public house, where I saw all the other men, and Campbell, who paid for drink for us, and afterward took us down to the Havre boat, lying in the Wellington Dock, and he paid our fares to Havre, he coming with us. We arrived on the 31st December, and were taken by Campbell on board another steamer, and afterward to a railway station, and Campbell paid our fares to Cherbourg, where we arrived the same night. Campbell took us to a hotel there, and we staid the whole of that night and part of the next day. On the evening of the next day Campbell took us in a boat on board the confederate steamer Georgia, which was lying off. They gave each of us a blanket, and we slept on board her all night. We remained on board the Georgia about four or five weeks before we were called upon to sign articles, when we were all called aft and the articles were read over to us, to the effect that we were going to burn and destroy vessels of the United States. Myself, Lloyd, Smyles, Asham, and Adamson signed articles, and Captain Maury asked us if Campbell's accounts were correct, when we told him they were, and we received our bounty-money, less the amount payable to Campbell. Five of the men engaged were not required, and they left the ship. We left Cherbourg about the first week in February, and proceeded to the island of Barbara, where we lay about three weeks. From there we went to Bordeaux, and from there to Liverpool, where we arrived on the 2d May, instant, and we steamed into the Birkenhead great float, on the Cheshire side of the Mersey. After we had made the ship fast, the captain told us to come down to the ship in a day or two, when we would be paid off. I was paid off about the 5th or 6th. The first lieutenant asked me to stand by the ship and assist to keep the engines in order, which I did not do, being tired of the service. I called at Campbell's house on the 13th May, when he engaged me to join another steamer, and he gave me directions to look after some other men to join the same boat, which he said was going out for the same purpose. I called upon John Fleming, and told him to go to Campbell's house, and he would most likely get a job. I told Fleming to try and get other men, and he told Maurice Breen and Bernard Cassidy, and they were engaged by Campbell. I took my bag down to Campbell's house on the Sunday arranged for our leaving, the 15th instant, but I afterward changed my mind and declined going again.

(Signed)

, P. SHANLY.

Sworn at Liverpool aforesaid, this 25th day of May, 1864, before me,
(Signed)
HENRY C. DUMULL,
A Commissioner to administer Oaths in the Court of Chancery in England.

[449]

*No. 44.

Mr. Waddington to Mr. Hammond.

WHITEHALL, June 16, 1864. (Received June 17.) SIR: I am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to acquaint you, for the information of Earl Russell, that the documents which accompanied your letter of the 1st instant, relative to the enlistment of British subjects at Liverpool for the service of the so-styled Confederate States, have been laid before the law-officers of the Crown; and that, in conformity with their opinion, the solicitor of the treasury has been instructed to commence a prosecution against Campbell, of Liverpool. I am, &c., (Signed)

H. WADDINGTON.

No. 45.

Mr. Waddington to Mr. Hammond.

WHITEHALL, August 16, 1864. (Received August 17.)

SIR: With reference to my letter of the 16th June last, I am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to acquaint you, for the information of Earl Russell, that an indictment was preferred against Campbell at the present assizes at Liverpool for offenses against the foreign-enlistment act, to which he pleaded guilty, and was thereupon discharged by the lord chief justice, after entering into his own recognizances of £150 to appear when called upon.

I am, &c.,
(Signed)

H. WADDINGTON.

No. 46.

Mr. Waddington to Mr. Hammond.

WHITEHALL, August 18, 1864. (Received August 19.)

SIR: With reference to the correspondence on the same subject, I am directed by Secretary Sir George Grey to acquaint you, for the information of Earl Russell, that an indictment was preferred against John Jones and Robert Highat at the last spring assizes at Liverpool for of fenses against the foreign-enlistment act, which was removed by certiorari into the court of Queen's Bench, and the case came on for trial on the 13th instant before the lord chief justice and a special jury at the present assizes at Liverpool, and both the defendants were convicted; but certain points of law were reserved by the chief justice for argument next term.1

I am, &c.,
(Signed)

H. WADDINGTON.

No. 47.

Mr. Hamilton to Mr. Hammond.

TREASURY CHAMBERS, May 2, 1864. (Received May 2.)

SIR: I am commanded by the lords commissioners of Her Majesty's Return of Georgia treasury to transmit to you the inclosed copies of a letter to Liverpool. and accompanying telegram, which my lords have just received from the commissioners of customs, reporting the arrival of the confederate man-of-war steamer Georgia at the port of Liverpool; and I am to request to be informed of any directions that Earl Russell may desire should be given with reference to this vessel.

I am, &c.,
(Signed)

GEO. A. HAMILTON.

They were subsequently sentenced to a fine of £50 each.

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