NAVY, CONFEDERATE. 



557 



desires Mr. Davis to rest assured that it is adopted 

 entirely in that spirit of neutrality which has been 

 declared the policy of this country with regard to the 

 two belligerents now so lamentably desolating Amer- 

 ica, and which will continue to be pursued, with a 

 careful and earnest desire to make it conducive to the 

 most rigid impartiality and justice. 



After consulting with the law officers of the Crown 

 her Majesty's Government have come to the decision 

 that agents of the authorities of the so-called Confed- 

 erate States have been engaged in building yess-sls 

 which would be at least partially equipped for war 

 purposes on leaving the ports of this country ; that 

 these war vessels would undoubtedly be used against 

 the United States, a country with "which this Gov- 

 ernment is at peace ; that this would be a violation 

 of the neutrality laws of the realm, and that the Gov- 

 ernment of the United States would have just ground 

 for serious complaint against her Majesty's Gov- 

 ernment, should they permit such an infraction of the 

 amicable relations now subsisting between the two 

 countries. 



Her Majesty's Government confidently rely on 

 ~e frankness," courtesy, and discernment which Mr. 

 Javis has displayed in the difficult circumstances in 

 which he has been placed during the past three years, 

 for a recognition of the correctness of the position 

 which her Majesty's Government have taken upon 

 this subject. No matter what might be the difficulty 

 of proving in a court of law that the parties procuring 

 the building of these vessels are agents of the so- 

 called Confederate States, it is universally understood 

 throughout the world that they are so, and her 

 Majesty's Government are satisfied that Mr. Davis 

 would not deny that they are so. Constructed as 

 "rams," as these vessels are, they would certainly 

 be in a condition on leaving port to inflict the most 

 serious damage on vessels ^belonging to the United 

 States, as was shown by the destruction of the Cum- 

 berland, United States sloop-of-war, by the "ram" 

 Merrimac, merely by the latter being run into colli- 

 sion with the Cumberland. 



Such vessels are to all intents and purposes equip- 

 ped as war vessels of a certain power, although they 

 be without a gun or any ammunition on board ; nor 

 can the frequent use of the word " equip " in the 

 sense of " to furnish with every thing necessary for 

 a voyage," be held for a moment to limit its signifi- 

 cance to the furnishing of a war vessel with every 

 thing which it might be possible to put upon her, or 

 the ultimately putting of which on her might be con- 

 templated. Such a construction cannot be enter- 

 tained for an instant. It is clear that a hundred and 

 twenty gun ship might be equipped for war purposes 

 with any fraction of her armament on board, although 

 she might not be so powerful or so efficient as she 

 would be if she had the whole of it. A ram would be 

 also equipped for war purposes, although the absence 

 of her ordnance and ammunition might render her 

 less effective than she would be with them. This, it 

 is presumed by her Majesty's Government, will be 

 conceded by Mr. Davis without further argument or 

 illustration'in support of it. 



This much being established to the perfect convic- 

 tion of her Majesty's Government and the law officers 

 of the Crown, and admitted, as they are convinced it 

 must be, by Mr. Davis, and by every other person of 

 sound and impartial judgment, there is not the slight- 

 est room to doubt that it is purposed to use the ves- 

 sels in question against the United States, a country 

 with which this nation is at peace and on terms of 

 amity, and_ that the permitting them to leave the ports 

 of her Majesty's dominions would be a violation of 

 the neutrality laws of the kingdom, and such an in- 

 jurious act toward the United States as would justify 

 the Government of that country in seriously com- 

 plaining of it as unfriendly and offensive in the high- 

 est degree, even to the imminent peril of rupturing 

 the peaceful relations now existing between the two 

 countries 



Under these circumstances her Majesty's GOT. 

 ernment protest and remonstrate against any fur- 

 ther efforts being made on the part of the so-called 

 Confederate States, or the authorities or agents 

 thereof, to build or cause to be built, or to purchase 

 or cause to be purchased, any such vessels as those 

 styled rams, or any other vessels to be used for war 

 purposes against the United States, or against any 

 country with which the United Kingdom is at peace 

 and on terms of amity ; and her Majesty's Government 

 further protest and remonstrate against all acts in 

 violation of the neutrality laws of the realm. 



I have the honor to be, your Lordship's obedient 

 servant, KUSSELL. 



To this despatch a reply was made on April 

 6th to Lord Lyons, by the Private Secretary of 

 Mr. Davis, in which the informality of the 

 mode of communication was waived, but a 

 protest was made at the nse of the term " so- 

 called " Confederate States ; the plea of neu- 

 trality is regarded as a cover for hostility. He 

 says : 



Were, indeed, her Majesty's Government sincere 

 in a desire and determination to maintain neutrality, 

 the President could not but feel that they would 

 neither be just nor gallant to allow the subjugation 

 of a nation like the Confederate States by such a bar- 

 barous, despotic race as are now attempting it. 



And concludes as follows : 



As for the specious arguments on the subject of 

 the rams, advanced by Earl Russell, the President 

 desires me to state that he is content to leave the 

 world and history to pronounce judgment upon this 

 attempt to heap injury upon insult, by declaring 

 that her Majesty's Government and law "officers are 

 satisfied of the questions involved, while those ques- 

 tions are still before the highest legal tribunal of the 

 kingdom, composed of members of the Government 

 and the highest law officers of the Crown, for their 

 decision. The President himself will not condescend 

 to notice them. 



I have the honor to be your Lordship's obedient, 

 humble servant, 



BURTOX N. HARRISOX, Private Sec'y. 



During the hostilities in which Denmark was 

 involved, a ram was built in a port of France 

 for that Government. On the return of peace- 

 this ram was transferred to agents of the Gov- 

 ernment at Eichmond, and placed under the 

 command of Capt. T. J. Page, formerly of the 

 U. S. Xavy, and called the Stonewall. She 

 made for the port of Ferrol, in Spain, and was 

 there blockaded by the U. S. frigates Niagara 

 and Sacramento. 



The cruisers were more numerous and ex- 

 ceedingly destructive. Previous to January 30, 

 1864, the number of merchant vessels of the 

 United States destroyed by them was 193 ; ton- 

 nage, 89,704 ; value of vessels at $50 per ton, 

 $4,485,200; value of cargo at $100 per ton, 

 $8,970,400. Total. $13,455,600. The number 

 captured by the different vessels and by the 

 enemy up to the above date, was as follows : 



By privateer Calhotm . 8 

 " Savannah "" 



By steamer Snmtcr.. . 27 

 " Alabama. . 66 

 " Florida.. . 16 

 privateer Tacony .. . 1(5 

 sieamcT Georgia 10 

 privateer Jeff. Davis. 7 

 Retribution 2 



" Sallie 1 



steamer Winslow. . 5 

 " Nashville. 2 



Lapwin 



St. Nictiblas 8 



Echo .... 



Conrad .. 



Coquette. 



164 



