DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE AND FOREIGN RELATIONS. 



3G.3 



mon, from Rio, off Pernambuco, on the 28th of 

 September. The United States steamer Wa- 

 chusett. Capt. Napoleon Collins, had been lying 

 several days in the port of Bahia, and the Flor- 

 ida at rirst anchored in the offing. The Bra- 

 zilian admiral immediateJy sent the Florida a 

 message, requesting her to come inside, which 

 she did, anchoring in the midst of the Brazilian 

 fleet, and close under the guns of the principal 

 fort, which is located upon an island in the 

 middle of the harbor. Certain parties in Bahia, 

 which is a commercial city of considerable im- 

 portance, with one of the best harbors hi the 

 world, being interested in American affairs, be- 

 stirred themselves to bring about an engagement 

 between the Wachusett and the Florida, firmly 

 confident that the result of such an encounter 

 would be another Union victory as complete as 

 that won last summer in the British Channel 

 All efforts on the part of outside parties to bring 

 on a naval battle in open water between tie 

 two vessels proved unavailing. At about three 

 o'clock in the morning of Friday, Oct. 7th, the 

 cables were slipped, and the Wachusett bore 

 down upon the rebel vessel under full head of 

 steam. So little expectation was there of such 

 a proceeding, that one-half the officers and crew 

 of the Florida, seventy in number, and includ- 

 ing Capt. Morris, were on shore, and the re- 

 mainder, having just returned, were hi no con- 

 dition to repel an assault. The Florida's officer 

 of the deck supposed the collision which he saw 

 to be imminent to be merely accidental, and 

 cried out, " You will run into us if yon don't 

 look out." The design of Capt. Collies was 

 simply to strike the Florida amidships with full 

 steam on, crush in her side, and send her at 

 once to the bottom beyond the possibility of 

 causing further trouble to any one. The Wa- 

 chusett, however, did not strike her adversary 

 fairly, but hit her in the stern, carrying away 

 the rnizen mast and main-yard. The Florida 

 was not seriously injured by the collision, but 

 the broken spar fell across the awning over her 

 hatchway in such a manner as to prevent her 

 crew from getting on deck from below. The 

 recoil which followed the shock carried the 

 Wachusett back several yards. In the confu- 

 sion which ensued several pistol-shots were 

 fired from both vessels, chiefly at random and 

 entirely without effect. Two of the guns of 

 the Wachnaett were also discharged, by accident 

 according to one report, and as another version 

 has it, by order of one of the Union lieutenants. 

 The shots did not strike the Florida. 



Capt. Collins, of the Wachusett, immediately 

 thundered out a demand to the rebel craft, 

 " Surrender, or I will blow you out of the wa- 

 t-r! " The lieutenant in charge of the Florida 

 may be excused for considerable amazement, 

 but had still presence of mind to reply, " Under 

 the circumstances I surrender." Without the 

 delay of an instant, dozens of gallant tars board- 

 ed the prize, and made fast a hawser connecting 

 her with their own vessel, and the Wachusett 

 turned her course seaward, moving at the top 



of her speed and towing the Florida ir. her 

 wake. 



The fleet of Brazilian vessels, which entirely 

 surrounded the little space of water on which 

 the brief battle had been fought, was so situ- 

 ated that the two American steamers were 

 obliged to pass under the stern of one of the 

 largest in order to penetrate then* line. The 

 Wachusett was challenged, but did not deign a 

 word of reply; and the Florida, when hailed 

 and command'ed to halt a moment after, replied 

 that a pause was impossible, as she was towed 

 by the vessel in front. The Brazilians soon 

 guessed the state of affairs, and hi another mo- 

 ment or two the heavy guns of the fort, under 

 the very muzzles of which the capture had been 

 made, opened fire on the Wachusett. as she dis- 

 appeared in the morning darkness. Three shots 

 were fired after her, all passing harmlessly far 

 above her pennant, and striking the water be- 

 yond. 



The Brazilian naval commander hi Bahia har- 

 bor acted with all the promptness which could 

 dave been expected, and in a few moments the 

 dawn of day disclosed two vessels of the Bra- 

 zilian fleet doing their utmost to pursue and 

 overhaul the Wachusett and her prize. They 

 were a heavy sloop of war and a small armed 

 steamer, neither of them any match in point of 

 speed for the handiwork of New England me- 

 chanics, and soon gave up the chase, as the 

 Union and rebel steamers disappeared below 

 the horizon. 



The Florida was subsequently brought to 

 Hampton Roads, where she sunk on the 28th 

 of Nov. On the arrival of the Florida at Bahia 

 on the 5th of Oct., Mr. Thomas F. Wilson, the 

 American consul, addressed the President of the 

 Province, protesting against the admission of 

 the vessel to free practice, and against any as- 

 sistance being conceded to her. To this protest 

 the President replied, that all the assistance re- 

 quired by humanity would be furnished the 

 Florida, which, as he contended, did not consti- 

 tute assistance for warlike purposes, or conflict 

 with the neutrality of his Government. After 

 the seizure, the President of the Province, on 

 the Tth, addressed Mr. Wilson, the consul, pro- 

 testing against the act, and suspending official 

 relations with him. 



On the llth of Nov. Mr. Seward addressed 

 Mr. Webb, instructing bun to inform the Min- 

 ister of Foreign Affairs that the Government cf 

 the United States was not indisposed to exam- 

 ine the subject upon its merits carefully, and to 

 consider whatever questions might arise out of 

 it in a becoming and friendly spirit, if that spirit 

 was adopted by His Imperial Majesty's Govern- 

 ment. A correspondence ensued between Mr. 

 Seward and Sen. Barboza, the Brazilian Repre- 

 sentative at Washington. The latter gentleman 

 addressed Mr. Seward Dec. 12th, giving his ver- 

 sion of the seizure with the attendant circuni 

 stances. He cites the case of the capture of the 

 English ship Grange, hi Delaware Bay, hi 1793, 

 by the French frigate 1' Ambuscade, in which 



