Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c.
Mr. Adams to Lord Russell.
Legation of the United
States,
London,
July 16, 1863.
My Lord: I have the honor to submit to your
consideration copies of two more affidavits, in addition to those
already sent with my note of the 11th instant, relating to the war
vessel now believed to be fitting out against the United States at
the port; of Liverpool.
I pray your lordship to accept the assurances, &c., &c.
Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c., &c.
Mr. Dudley to Mr. Edwards.
United States
Consulate,
Liverpool
July 15,
1863.
Sir: Referring to the application that
I made to you on the 7th instant to stop the iron-clad steam ram
building by the Messrs. Laird for the insurgents in the United
States, and which was launched on the 4th instant, in addition
to the affidavits I then submitted to you, and that of Joseph
Brady, on the 11th instant, I now submit one other, that of
Austin Joseph Hand, which shows this vessel, and the other ram
not yet launched, are being built under the superintendence of
Captain James D. Bullock, the well-known agent of the so-called
southern confederacy in this country for building war
vessels.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
S. Price Edwards, Esq., Collector at Liverpool.
Affidavit.
I, John Brady, of No. 10 Livingstone street, Birkenhead, in the
county of Chester, make oath and say: I have worked in the
ship-building yard of Messrs. Laird & Co., at Birkenhead,
for several years. I am now in their service as a boiler-maker.
I remember the keels of two iron-plated vessels-of-war being
laid alongside each other at the southern end of the yard about
the end of last year. One of the said vessels was launched on
the 4th day of July instant. I have seen Captain Bullock in the
yard very frequently whilst the iron-clad vessels, above
mentioned, have been building. He was very often with the
foreman who attended to the building of the vessels in question,
or with one of the Messrs. Laird. He paid particular attention
to the vessels in question, and his business in the yard
appeared to be to look after building of __________ __________,
the vessels above mentioned.
JOHN BRADY.
Sworn at
Liverpool, in the county of
Lancaster, this
11th day of July, 1863, before me.
S. PRICE EDWARDS.
[Page 369]
Affidavit.
I, Austin Joseph Hand, of 35 Crosby street, Liverpool, in the
county of Lancaster, make oath and say: I am a calker, and work
in the yard of Messrs. Laird, at Birkenhead. I went to work in
their yard just before the Alabama was launched, and have worked
there ever since. I remember the time the keels of the two
iron-plated steam rams were laid alongside of each other at the
south end of their yard. They Were laid after the Alabama was
launched. They are both armed on the stem with a ram, and, no
doubt, are intended for war purposes. One of them was launched
on the 4th day of the present month of July. I saw the keels of
these two vessels laid. I saw Captain Bullock at the Alabama
before she was launched, and afterwards at these two iron-clad
rams. I have seen him in the yard a number of times; sometimes
with one of the Messrs. Laird, at other times with the foremen
of the yard. He was there assisting and superintending the
laying of the keels of these two iron-clad rams. On the
occasions I have spoken of, when I have seen Captain Bullock in
the yard since the launching of the Alabama, his business seemed
to be in connexion with these two iron-clad rams and the
superintendence of their building.
AUSTIN J. HAND.
Sworn and subscribed to before me,
the collector at Liverpool, this 15th day of
July, 1863.
SAM. PRICE EDWARDS.
