Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward
Sir: By my despatch, No. 536, I informed you that, to avoid difficulty, I had asked of M. Drouyn de l’Huys if he knew of any change in the ownership of [Page 146] those vessels that were being built at Bordeaux and Nantes for the confederates, stating that I asked the question directly in the hope of avoiding difficulty with the French government, in the event of the seizure of these vessels by our cruisers. That as matters now stood, we should feel ourselves authorized to seize them so soon as they appeared, even on their trial trips, outside of French waters, and one of these vessels I knew was then about to go out on such a trip. He answered that if he learned of any change in the property of these vessels, he would inform me. As yet I have received no such information, but I am now informed by our consul at Nantes that orders have come down to that port, withdrawing the permit to such vessels to make trial trips heretofore granted.
This has obviously grown out of a knowledge of our intentions to seize them, and the fact that the Iroquois was lying off the coast on the watch. It would seem, therefore, that this government, like ourselves, is desirous of avoiding cause for difficulty.
I regret to learn from Captain Rodgers, of the Iroquois, that his ship is already ordered by the Secretary of the Navy away from European waters. She will scarcely have appeared here before she is sent away. The captain, by the way, makes complaint of French officials at Bordeaux, for want of due courtesy on their part in not returning the salute of his ship on her entering that port. I shall call the attention of M. Drouyn de l’Huys to this subject, not with a view really to serious complaint or to an exchange of diplomatic notes on such a subject, but in return for a like course upon his part in the late case of the Niagara at Cherbourg.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.