Liverpool of seamen for Georgia. [Inclosure 1 in No. 37.] Mr. Dudley to Mr. Adams. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, SIR Referring to dispatches from myself to you, one dated December 1, 1863, and the other on the 6th instant, and the connection of Jones & Co., of 28 Enlistment at Chapel street, Liverpool, in fitting out the pirate Georgia, and enlisting men in Liverpool for this vessel, I have now to inform you that this same firm, in connection with one Charles Maltman, of Eustace street, in Liverpool, an Englishman belonging to the naval reserve, on the 20th December last enlisted in Liverpool for the said steamer Georgia, now at Cherbourg, and the steamer Florida, now at Brest, some twenty-one British seamen, and on the same day conveyed them from Liverpool in a steamer bound for Havre. I inclose you a copy of Thomas Matthews's affidavit, one of the men that shipped and went to Havre, establishing the above facts. You will see that two of the men so shipped, named George King and Thomas Smith, belong to the naval reserve. The affidavit also discloses the facts that the firm of Jones & Co. paid half the wages earned by the witness while on board of the Georgia to his wife here in Liverpool, the last payment of which was made to her on the 13th of December last, while her husband was at his home in Liverpool; and that they have been boarding the men from this vessel, or at least one of them, here in Liverpool since the ship has been at Cherbourg. I have, &c., THOMAS H. DUDLEY. [Inclosure 2 in No. 37.] Affidavit of Thomas Matthews. I, Thomas Matthews, of 37 Gloucester street, Liverpool, painter, make oath and say: In the month of March, 1863, I was lodging with Mr. Charles Maltman, of Eustace street, Liverpool, and was informed by him that there was a chance for me to go.to China in the Japan for a two years' voyage. I understood that the vessel was not going to China, although she would be entered out for that place. He also told me that there was a good chance for me to make plenty of money. I agreed to go in her, and [444] *Mr. Maltman and myself left Liverpool for Greenock, where the Japan was lying, about the 28th or 29th of March last. I signed articles for two years, at £4 108. a month, and joined the Japan on the 1st of April. We left Greenock on the 2d April, and after we had been at sea about eight or nine days, we fell in with a small steamer called the Alar, which followed us to Ushant Bay, where we took in arms and ammunition from her. Mr. Jones, of Chapel street, Liverpool, came on board the Japan from the Alar, with several men who agreed to join us. We signed articles again to serve in the Japan in the confederate service, and were each paid £10 bounty upon signing articles. Mr. Jones brought the bounty-money with him, which was paid to us by Mr. Curtis, the purser. I asked Mr. Jones if I could leave half-pay for my wife, when he said I could, and that he would arrange that when he arrived home. Mr. Maltman, who is a naval reserve man, also joined the Japan as boatswain. After we had signed articles, I was ordered to paint over the name of Japan, and the vessel was then called the Georgia. Mr. Jones returned in the small steamer, and we then commenced our cruise, during which we captured and destroyed several United States vessels, and ransomed several others. We returned to Cherbourg in France for repairs, and about the 6th or 7th of December last I got leave of absence for eight days, and was paid £1 58. Before leaving I asked the purser to whom was I to apply in Liverpool for money to pay my passage back to Havre, when he directed me to call at Mr. Jones's office, Chapel street, Liverpool, for the money, and that he would write to Mr. Jones to that effect. At the expiration of the term of my leave of absence I called at Jones's office, where I saw Mr. Maltman, the boatswain. I saw one of the clerks in Jones's office, who told me that they had received a letter for my passage-money to be paid to Havre, and that Mr. Jones and Mr. Hyatt were both from home, and that I must call again in a day or two. I called several times without being able to see either Mr. Jones or Mr. Hyatt, until Saturday, the 27th December last, when I called and saw both Mr. Jones and Mr. Hyatt. Mr. Hyatt asked me what I wanted. I told him that I had come to join the ship; he said what ship? I told him the confederate steamer Georgia, now lying at Cherbourg. He then asked me what was my name, and upon my telling him, he said they had a letter directing them to pay my fare round to Havre, and he read the letter over to me; in substance the purport of the letter was that they should pay my fare round to Cherbourg, but were not to give me any money. While the letter was being read over to me, Robert Broadway, one of the Georgia's crew, was in their office, along with Mr. Thompson, of Pitt street, Liverpool, publican and boarding-house keeper. Mr. Jones then told me that he was supposed to know nothing about either me or the ship, so that I knew how to act, and that there were people in the town ready to pick up any information about us. Mr. Hyatt then told me to be at the Havre steamer on the following Monday morning at 11 o'clock, and that either he himself or some one else would be there to pay my fare and see me off. I went to the Havre steamer, as directed, on the Monday morning, and there saw Mr. Maltman, the boatswain. I had a friend with me who had come to see me off, when Mr. Matthew called me aside and asked me if he was not a detective. I told him he was not, when he said, "All right, I must take care what I am doing." I then asked Mr. Maltman whether he was going to pay my passage round to Cherbourg, when he said, "Yes, I am going round to the ship with you myself." I then went on board the steamer with him, and he arranged about my passage-money, and we left Liverpool the same day for Havre. When I got on board I saw Robert Broadway, and about nineteen or twenty other men. All these men were in Mr. Maltman's charge, but part of them were brought down by Mr. Edward Campbell, of Regent street, boarding-house keeper. Mr. Maltman paid their fares to Havre. Mr. Maltman told me that part of these men were for the confederate steamer Florida, and part for the Georgia. We arrived in Havre on the 31st December, where I left the party, but the rest proceeded to the Albion hotel there, and staid the night, and on the 1st January instant started for Cherbourg. I left Havre on the 4th January, and arrived in Liverpool on the 7th. During my last visit to Jones's office while Broadway and Thompson were there, Thompson said to Mr. Hyatt, "This man [meaning Broadway]owes me £1 128. for two weeks' board." Hyatt asked if this was right, when Broadway said "Yes." Hyatt then said to one of the clerks, "Pay this man £1 128. and take a receipt." He then said, "No, we will not pay him it now; make out a bill and bring it on Monday after the man has gone to sea, and we will then pay it." My wife has called regularly every month, while I was serving on the Georgia, at Jones's office, and received my half-pay there, and she received the last payment on the 13th December last (£2 108.) while I was at home. Two of the men who went round with us to Havre, named George King and Thomas Smith, were naval reserve men, belonging to the Eagle, now lying at Liverpool. On [445] the 4th or 5th November last, while we were lying at Cherbourg, I asked Captain Maury for some money, when he said he would write to the agents in Liverpool to pay my wife £10, and I wrote to my wife to call at Jones's office for it, which she did, and Mr. Hyatt paid her the money. (Signed) THOMAS MATTHEWS. Sworn at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, this 9th day of January, 1851, before me, (Signed) JNO. BUSHELL, A Commissioner to Administer Oaths in Chancery in England. No. 38. Mr. Waddington to Mr. Hammond. Proceedings will be taken against parties concerned. WHITEHALL, January 18, 1864. (Received January 19.) SIR: I have laid before Secretary Sir George Grey your letter of the 13th instant, inclosing copies of a letter from the American minister at this court, and of further depositions respecting the engagement at Liverpool of seamen for the service of the so-styled Confederate States; and I am to acquaint you, for the information of Earl Russell, that the solicitor to the treasury has been instructed to proceed against all parties concerned, in the same manner in which proceedings have been taken against persons in other similar cases, upon which the law-officers of the Crown have already advised. I am, &c., (Signed). H. Ex. 282-45 H. WADDINGTON. 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 commissioners 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 dis charged 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. 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., [Inclosure in No. 40.] C. PAGET. 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. Naval-reserve men SIR: I have laid before Earl Russell your letter of the 21st instant, inclosing a copy of a report from the commander of the naval-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., E. HAMMOND. No. 42. 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., 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 deposition, 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., 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 bands; 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, |