UNITED STATES COBRESPONDENCE, ETC. 627 



Lord Russell to Hon. J. M. Mason, Confederate commissioner at 



London. 



FOREIGN OFFICE, July 10, 1863. 



SIR : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 

 the 6th instant, enclosing an original protest made by the master and 

 crew of the steamer Margaret and Jessie, with regard to the damage 

 sustained by that vessel from being fired into a United States vessel 

 of war. 



A copy of the protest has also reached her Majesty's Government 

 through other sources, and they learn from Lord Lyons, who has 

 been in communication with the U. S. Government on the subject, 

 that he has been assured by Mr. Seward that if it shall appear on 

 enquiry that any act of hostility was committed on the occasion in 

 question, within the jurisdiction of Great Britain, the act will be 

 disavowed, and redress be promptly given. 



Her Majesty's Government will therefore await the result of that 

 enquiry. 



I have the honor to be, sir, etc., 



RUSSELL. 



J. M. MASON, Esq. 



Opinion of court of enquiry convened April 7, 1864, at Boston, for 

 the purpose of enquiring into an alleged violation of British terri- 

 torial jurisdiction ~by the U. S. S. Rhode Island, under command 

 of Commander S. D. Trenchard, May 30, 1863, in chasing and 

 firing at the steamer Margaret and Jessie in English waters. 



The court, in pursuance of the order convening the court, find the 

 material facts which they deem to be established by the evidence 

 to be: 



That on the 30th of May last the U. S. S. Rhode Island, then and 

 now under the command of Commander Stephen D. Trenchard, while 

 cruising between Abaco and the island of Eleuthera, fell in with and 

 gave chase to the steamer Margaret and Jessie, said vessel apparently 

 aiming to reach Nassau, New Providence, which vessel it was the 

 object and duty of the commander of the Rhode Island to overhaul 

 and examine if possible. The courses of both vessels were to the 

 southward, and eventually, as the low island of Eleuthera was ap- 

 proached, westerly, the chase hauling up as the land was approached 

 in the hope that by superiority in speed she would cross the bows 

 of the Rhode Island and ultimately escape. 



That about 2:20 p. m., the Margaret and Jessie being from 1 mile 

 to 1 miles inshore of the Rhode Island, having received a shot, the 

 last of a number fired from the Rhode Island during the chase, which 

 appears to have struck some portion of her machinery, causing the 

 escape of steam, kept away from the land, and was then run on the 

 reef and deserted ; that during the entire chase she showed no colors, 

 but on her stern was found painted "Margaret and Jessie, S. C.," 

 showing her to belong to a State in rebellion. 



That Commander Trenchard was desirous of avoiding any infrac- 

 tion of territorial jurisdiction and cautioned the pilot to avoid taking 

 the, ship nearer than 4 or 5 miles of the shore and to apprise him if 

 92909 S. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 6 48 



