112 A SAGA OF THE SEAS 
inflammatory incidents at sea that had tested the North’s 
rights and claims in conflict with the British conventions of 
maritime “rule of the waves.” 
The Secretary of the Treasury wrote to Field, thanking him 
for the entertainment of the British officers. His letter com- 
petently sums up the situation: 
‘Treasury Department, October 7, 1863. 
My dear Mr. Field,—I am glad that you are doing your part to- 
wards making the stay of the naval officers of the Good Queen in 
our metropolitan harbor agreeable to them. My faith is strong 
that the English government will yet see that the interests of man- 
kind demand that there should be no alienation of the two great 
branches of the Anglo-Saxon family from each other, and will do 
its part towards removing all causes of alienation by full repara- 
tion for the injuries inflicted on American commerce by unneu- 
tral acts of British subjects, known to and not prevented by the 
responsible authorities. 
That’s a long sentence, but I believe it conveys my meaning. I 
am sorry I cannot accept the kind invitation of yourself and Mrs. 
Field (to whom please make my best regards acceptable) to meet 
these gallant officers. 
Yours very truly, 
S. P. Chase. 
Vice-Admiral Milne reported that he had been informed 
of a hostile feeling in the Northern States against England 
“in consequence of the building of the two ships of war in 
Liverpool for the Southern States, and from various other 
matters connected with the existing civil war, and that my 
reception would probably be unsatisfactory. This, however, 
was not the case; my visit was evidently acceptable, and proved 
most satisfactory.” After leaving New York, Admiral Milne 
was received so courteously at Washington by President Lin- 
coln and his cabinet that Lord Lyons, the British minister, 
sent a special note of thanks to the Secretary of State. Seward 
replied to this in a note that spoke of Admiral Milne’s “just, 
liberal, and courteous conduct in the performance of his du- 
