UNITED STATES CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 629 



may not have been within three miles from the shore. The under- 

 signed has further the honor to inform Mr. Seward that he is in- 

 structed by his government to call the attention of the United States 

 government to a matter of very considerable importance arising out 

 of this case, namely, the bearing on the territorial limits of three 

 miles beyond the seashore which the more powerful artillery now 

 constructed may involve. The Parrott gun which was used on board 

 the Ehode Island is stated by Commander Trenchard in his evidence 

 before the court of inquiry, (page 7 of the proceedings,) to carry a 

 distance of five miles; and he also expressed an opinion, although 

 not so positively, that the range of the Dahlgren 30-pounder rifle 

 gun was as great as that of the Parrott, In the present instance 

 shot fired from the Ehode Island appear to have reached the shore, 

 notwithstanding that that vessel did not approach within four miles 

 of the land ; and it is obvious that the use of weapons of this de- 

 scription when fired at that distance towards the shore, is calculated 

 not only to infringe neutral jurisdiction by falling within neutral 

 waters, but also seriously to endanger life and property on neutral 

 territory itself. 



The undersigned is accordingly directed by her Majesty's govern- 

 ment to express to the United States government their hope that the 

 United States government will concur with them in opinion that ves- 

 sels should not fire towards a neutral shore at a less distance than 

 that which would insure shot not falling in neutral waters or on a 

 neutral territory. 



The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to renew to 

 Mr. Seward the assurance of his highest consideration. 



J. HUME BURNLEY. 



Mr. Seward to Mr. Burnley. 



DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 

 Washington, September 15, 1864- 



SIR: The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, 

 has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a note of the 10th instant, 

 addressed to him by J. Hume Burnley, esq., her Britannic Majesty's 

 charge d'affaires, in which, referring to the proceedings of a court 

 of inquiry held at Boston on the conduct of Commander Trenchard. 

 of the United States steamer Rhode Island, in firing on the Margaret 

 and Jessie, off the coast of Eleuthera, Mr. Burnley states that he is 

 directed by her Majesty's government to express to that of the United 

 States their hope that the United States government will concur with 

 them in opinion that vessels should not fire toward a neutral shore at 

 a less distance than that which would insure shot not falling in 

 neutral waters, or on neutral territory. 



The undersigned has the honor to inform Mr. Burnley, in reply, 

 that the proposition which has thus been made by her Majesty's 

 government will be brought to the attention of other maritime 

 powers, in order that if any change shall be made it may be general. 



The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to Mr. 

 Burnley the assurance of his highest consideration. 



WILLIAM H. SEWARD. 



J. HUME BURNLEY, Esq., &c., &c., &c. 



