Mr. Adams to Mr.
Seward.
No. 597.]
Legation of the United
States, London,
February 12, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit a copy of
Lord Russell’s note to me of the 8th instant, in response to my note to
him of the 20th ultimo, on the case of the Sea Bride, which was reported
to you in my despatches No. 581 of the 22d, and 586 of the 28th of
January.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Untitled]
Foreign Office,
February 8,
1864.
Sir: With reference to my letter of the 23d
ultimo, I have the honor to state to you that her Majesty’s
government have had under their consideration your letter of the
20th ultimo, and its enclosure, respecting the capture of the bark
Sea Bride, of Boston, by the Alabama; and I have now to inform you
that the governor of the Cape of Good Hope, in the neighborhood of
which colony this vessel was seized, has reported himself satisfied,
by the evidence adduced before him, that the capture in question was
not made within British jurisdiction, and her Majesty’s government,
upon perusal of that evidence, have arrived at a similar
conclusion.
With respect to the claim founded upon the general argument set forth
in your letter of the 23d of October last, which you are instructed
to present, her Majesty’s government have only to repeat that they,
in every respect, and most advisedly adhere to the answer which they
have on former occasions had the honor to address to you, in reply
to that argument.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your
most obedient, humble servant,
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c., &c., &c.
