Appendix to the Memorial. 195 



EXHIBIT 27. 

 Edward Morris to the Secretary of State. 



Gloucester, Mass., Oct. /, ipoi. 



Hon. John Hay, 



Secretary of State. 



Dear Sir: I have just received from Hon. Wm. H. Moody 

 some correspondence, written to Hon. J. H. Choate by Hon. Mr. 

 Lansdowne, relating to the case of the Sch. Frederick Gerring, Jr. 

 On reading this letter, it seems to me that it was written in Canada 

 and only signed by Hon. Mr. Lansdowne. He speaks particularly 

 about the fact that the Canadian Government offered me the 

 vessel back and that I refused the offer. What was there for me 

 to accept, they had not taken care of anything, consequently every- 

 thing was ruined, and they cilso had Court expenses amounting to 

 twelve hundred and seventeen and thirty-five hundredths dollars 

 ($1217.35) and charges for selling mackerel of two hundred and 

 six dollars ($206) which I would have had to pay. They tried 

 to make our Government believe, through the British Ambassador, 

 that everything was in first class condition, but when the seines 

 and boats were sold the prices received showed how true the state- 

 ment was. A seine worth one thousand dollars ($1,000) sold for 

 forty dollars ($40) ; a boat worth two hundred seventy-five 

 dollars ($275) sold for twenty-five dollars ($25) ; two more boats 

 sold for ten dollars ($10) apiece and the Government had to take 

 the vessel for a light-ship. In the letter he speaks of Com. Spain 

 and the measurements of Gull Ledge which he took, where Com. 

 Spain stated that the ledge was 42 feet high, the "English Coast 

 Pilot" in its description calls it, "a barren ridge of slate, thirty 

 feet high." The height of thirty feet results from a pinnacle of 

 rock at the western end of the ledge, which rises high above the 

 rest of the ledge. The captain of the steamer which seized the 

 Gerring testified that he took the cross bearings of the Gerring 

 at the time of the seizure and put them on the chart. The first 

 officer testified that he, the first officer, took the cross bearings 

 and put them on the chart while the Captain walked on the bridge. 



