Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward
Sir: I have just returned from the Foreign Office, and again find M. Drouyn de l’Huys is out of Paris. I am informed that I cannot see him before next week. I am a little annoyed at this, as I have a number of matters of current business, about which I wished to speak with him. But there is nothing so pressing as to make it very material whether they are attended to a week earlier or later.
I am glad to find that Captain Rodgers, of the Iroquois, has been making amends for the admitted neglect of the Niagara in the matter of salutes. The captain of the Iroquois, on the morning of the Emperor’s fete, came into harbor at Boulogne and saluted. Again at Havre he saluted on entering the port, and, to the annoyance of the port officials, they had no cannon mounted to return the salute until some hours had elapsed. But the officials came immediately on board his ship to apologize for their seeming neglect. I have advised him that even on occasions when the right to salute was perhaps doubtful, it was best to give it. His vessel, having completed her repairs, left Havre yesterday, and goes from there to St. Nazaire, and thence to Bordeaux, to see our consuls at those ports, and look after the confederate ships being built there. You will recollect that it is not known that the iron-clads and two other clipper ships being built at those ports have yet been transferred to neutrals, and I have consequently told Captain Rodgers that, as at present advised, those vessels at sea are liable to capture. The Niagara and Sacramento are at present at Flushing. I hear of no confederate ships now afloat in European waters.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.