Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the First Session Thirty-eighth Congress, Part I
Mr. Adams to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit copies of further letters and papers which have passed between myself and the foreign office relating to the iron-clad vessels fitting out at Liverpool, by Mr. Laird, for the use of the rebels.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c.
[Enclosures.]
1. Lord Russell to Mr. Adams, July 29, 1863.
2. Mr. Adams to Lord Russell, August 14, 1863.
3. Mr. Dudley to Mr. Adams, August 7, 1863.
4. Mr. Dudley to S. Price Edwards, August 11, 1863.
5. Deposition of Thomas Sweeney, August 11, 1863.
6. Mr. Layard to Mr. Adams, August 14, 1863.
Lord Russell to Mr. Adams.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th instant and to acquaint you that the information therein contained, relative to the iron-clad vessels in course of construction at Messrs. Lairds’ yard, at Birkenhead, has been communicated to the proper department of her Majesty’s government.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c.
Mr. Adams to Lord Russell.
My Lord: I have the honor to submit to your consideration a copy of a letter from the consul of the United States at Liverpool, containing further information respecting movements of persons believed to be agents of the insurgents at that port. I regret to perceive that the preparation of the dangerous armed vessels, of which I have had the honor heretofore to take notice, in my note to your lordship, is not intermitted. It is difficult for me to give your lordship an adequate idea of the uneasiness and anxiety created in the different ports of the United States by the idea that instruments of injury, of so formidable a character, continue to threaten their safety, as issuing from the ports of Great Britain, a country with which the people of the United States are at peace.
I pray your lordship to receive the assurances of the high consideration with which I am your obedient servant,
Right Hon. Earl Russell, &c., &c.
[Enclosures.]
1. Mr. Dudley to Mr. Adams, Liverpool, August 7, 1863.
2. Mr. Dudley to Mr. S. Price Edwards, esq., August 11, 1863.
3. Deposition of Thomas Sweeney against Lairds’ iron-clads.
Mr. Dudley to Mr. Adams.
Sir: Colonel George H. Bier, a lieutenant in the confederate navy, with his wife, a man by name of Joseph N. Barney, and two engineers, one by name of W. H. Jackson, (the other I have not learned,) arrived here on Sunday last, in the steamer Asia, from Boston, via Halifax. Bier, Barney, Jackson, and the other engineer came from Halifax. Mrs. Bier passed through our lines at Fort Monroe, under the assumed name of Mrs. Henry. I understand, through a passenger on board of the Asia, that these persons came here to go out as officers in the iron-clads now building by the Messrs. Laird, at Birkenhead.
Colonel Bier stated in the steamer that he had been in the confederate army, and Jackson, the engineer, that he had been as an engineer on the steamer Florida. Upon examining the register of the confederate navy, I find that Bier is a lieutenant in their navy, and is mentioned as being with the army, and Jackson, as an engineer, in the steamer Florida, thus confirming all they told the passengers. I have no doubt about the truth of their statements, that they are here to join these iron-clads.
The one that is launched has her masts up, boilers and machinery in, and I learn to-day is shipping her turrets. She, no doubt, can be got ready for sea [Page 399] in a week’s time. My information about the other is that she is to be launched on the 15th instant, to-morrow week.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Charles F. Adams, Esq. United States Minister.
Mr. Dudley to S. Price Edwards, esq.
Sir: Referring to the application heretofore made by me to you, to stop the iron-clad ram now building by the Messrs. Laird, at Birkenhead, for the so-called southern confederacy, and which was launched on the 4th day of July last past, I now submit to you another affidavit, that of Thomas Sweeney, of Liverpool, which, with those heretofore submitted, I hope will induce you to take the necessary steps (if they have not already been taken) to prevent this vessel from sailing, destined, as she is, to make war upon, and commit acts of hostility against, the government of the United States.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. Price Edwards, Esq., Collector at Liverpool.
Affidavit of Thomas Sweeney.
Thomas Sweeney, of No. 57 Crosby street, Liverpool, being duly sworn, doth depose and say: I am a deck planer, and am now, and have been for about ten years last past, in the employ of the Messrs. Laird, ship-builders at Birkenhead.
There are now building in their yard two iron-clad steam war vessels. They are sister ships of same size, dimensions, and construction, built, side by side, in the southern part of their yard. Each is armed on the stem with an iron piercer, or ram, for the purpose of piercing and destroying vessels. They are known and numbered in the yard as Nos. 294 and 295, respectively; they are each being built apparently for turrets.
On the 4th day of July last past No. 294 was launched, and then placed in one of the dry docks of said yard, where she is now being completed. Her boilers and machinery are in, and her three masts up; the two turrets for her guns are alongside, nearly in a complete condition, and ready to be placed on board.
I have talked with many of the men and workmen in the yard, who are now and have been, from time to time, employed and working there on their vessels, and they have told me they were for the confederates in the United States, the same parties for whom the Alabama was built. On the 29th day of July last past I had a conversation with Mr. Moore, one of the head workmen in the yard. I asked him what he thought of the Alabama. His reply was, “She was all right enough,” but said, wait for the 294 and 295 (alluding to the rams [Page 400] above mentioned) get out and alongside the Alabama, and then you will soon see the southern ports opened—meaning the ports in the southern confederacy now blockaded.
On the 7th of August instant I had a conversation with Captain Henderson, the head rigger in Messrs. Lairds yard. I asked him to make room and get my son and son-in-law a berth on No. 294. He said he would not advise me to let them go on this vessel, as No. 294 and No. 295 were both going out on. purpose to fight against the federals, and to break up the blockade; but went on further to say: If either of them wants a berth on these vessels I shall find them one, but they will not be told where they are going to. At the time the Alabama was being built in the yard, my present son-in-law was going to ship in her, and I had a conversation with Captain Henderson about it, and he told me then, in substance, what he told me on the 7th instant, about the two rams, number 294 and 295.
THOMAS SWEENEY.
No. 6.
Mr. Layard to Mr. Adams,.
Sir: I have the honor, in Lord Russell’s absence, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant enclosing copies of further papers relative to the iron-clads in course of construction at Messrs. Lairds’ yard, at Birkenhead, and I have the honor to state to you that I have lost no time in communicating copies of these papers to the proper departments of her Majesty’s government.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.