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AI^\.BAMA CLAIMS. 115 



tors, witli a dissenting opinion from tbe British Ar- 

 bitrator. 



The Florida, it will bo renienibereil, was a steam 

 gun-boat, built at Livcrpoul by ]\Iiller 6z Sons, on 

 contract with tlie Confederate agent Bullock, for the 

 warlilvc use of the Confederates. Miller 6z Sons 

 falsely pretended that she was being built for the 

 Italian Government by arrangement with Messrs. 

 Thomas tt Brothers of Liverpool and Palermo, one of 

 whom expressly and fraudulently confirmed the lalse 

 representation of Miller k; Sous. The British Gov- 

 ernment, although repeatedly warned of the iUegal 

 character of this vessel by the diplomatic and con- 

 sular authorities of the United States, shut its eyes 

 to the transparent falsehood and fraud of Miller ct 

 Sons and of Thomas, and took no proper and suffi- 

 cient measures to invcstiijatc her character and to 

 prevent the violation of the laws of the kingdom. 

 She sailed from Liverpool without obstruction, cleared 

 by the name of Onto, unarmed, it is true, but ac- 

 companied by another vessel containing her arma- 

 ment, called the Jhduiiua. 



The Ordo next makes her appearance at Nassau, 

 where she proceeded further to equip and arm as a 

 man-ofwar. The naval authorities at Nassau were 

 unanimous in denouncing her illegal character, but 

 the civil authorities, perverted by their yi/uijHdliiv-'^, 

 could with difficulty be persuaded to act against her. 

 When they did act, she was acquitted by the local 

 Admiralty Court, in the teeth of the facts and the 

 law, either corruptly, or with inexplicable ignorance 



