No. 241.
Mr. Fish to Mr. Marsh.
Department
of State,
Washington, December 11,
1871.
No. 326.]
Sir: I inclose herewith a copy of a letter of
the 8th instant, addressed to this Department by the Secretary of the
Navy, requesting that the thanks of this Government may be expressed to
the Italian officers therein named, “who have been specially mentioned
as attentive and zealous in aiding and repairing the Guerriere.” You are
consequently instructed to comply with his request.
I am, &c.,
Mr. Robeson to
Mr. Fish.
Navy
Department, Washington, December 8,
1871.
Sir: I have the honor to return herewith
dispatch No. 119, from Mr. W. T. Rice, United States consul at
Spezia, which you were kind enough to communicate to me on the 6th
instant, in relation to the completion of the repairs on the United
States steamer Guerriere at that port, and to the generous
disposition of the Italian naval authorities in extending every
facility in their power for the prompt repair of our ships of
war.
On the 8th of September last, in communicating to you a copy of a
letter which had been addressed by Captain Stevens, commanding the
Guerriere, to Mr. Marsh, United States minister to Italy, I took
occasion to suggest that the thanks of our Government be conveyed to
the Italian government for all the facilities and assistance
extended to the Guerriere when that vessel grounded and was in such
imminent danger. Since then the Guerriere has undergone extensive
repairs in the government dock at Spezia, from which she was floated
on the 14th of October last, ready for her voyage home.
Rear-Admiral Charles S. Boggs, in a dispatch to the Department under
date of the 4th ultimo, informed it of the completion of the repairs
to the Guerriere, and in a previous one, dated the 26th of August, a
copy of which I had the honor to communicate to you, he alluded to
the handsome manner in which Admiral Gerruti had responded to the
necessities of that vessel when aground.
The Department has been and is deeply sensible of the kind acts of
the Italian navy officers, and in a letter to Rear-Admiral Boggs,
dated the 22d ultimo, requested Mm to thank them. It now remains for
me to ask that the thanks of the Government may be expressed to the
following-named officers, who have been specially mentioned as
having been very attentive and zealous in aiding and repairing the
Guerriere:
Vice-Admiral Cerruti, Rear-Admiral Isola, Captains Anthony Milore and
Louis Merlin, Commandant Micheli, Lieutenants John Amoretti and De
Leva, and Sub Lieutenant Rocca.
Very respectfully, &c.,
GEO. M. ROBESON,
Secretary of the
Navy.
Mr. Rice to Mr.
Hunter.
United
States Consulate,
Spezia,
Italy, November 13,
1871. (Received December 5.)
No. 119.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that
the repairs to the United States frigate Guerriere having been
completed, the water was let into the dock, and she was floated on
the 14th ultimo. She left the dock on the 16th of last month, and
was towed into the gulf, alongside of the United States sloop of war
Shenandoah. Captain T. Blakely Creighton, who had been ordered from
the United States by the Navy Department to take command of the
Guerriere, proceeded immediately to give orders to take on board all
her guns, ammunition, provisions, and other stores, and to coal
ship, and, under orders from Rear-Admiral Charles Boggs, commanding
the European squadron, to proceed to Nice, France. The Guerriere
left here the evening of the 2d instant. I have also to report the
departure of the United States sloop Shenandoah, commanded by
Captain
[Page 315]
Clark H. Wells, on
the 19th of October. I have also to report the arrival of the United
States sloop of war Wachusett on the 18th of October; quarantined
for two days; received pratique the 20th of October, and left the
25th of same month. It is my duty, as well as pleasure, to inform
the Department in reference to the amount of work which has been
executed within the naval arsenal at this place for repairing the
frigate Guerriere, and for work done for other ships of our
squadron. Vice-Admiral Cerruti and his successor, Rear-Admiral
Isola, extended to us every facility within their power for a prompt
reparation of our vessels. Everything was put at our disposition.
There are four persons also who deserve from our Government thanks,
at least, if not more, for services rendered:
Commendatore Mecheli, naval constructor at this place; Lieutenant De
Leva, in charge of equipment and repair in this arsenal; Captain
Miloro, who commanded the station war-steamer Cambria, and who went
to Vada Rocks and assisted in getting the Guerriere off the rocks,
and afterward towed her to Spezia, and Sub-Lieutenant Rocca,
admiral’s secretary and paymaster. I wish the State Department would
kindly place this matter before the Navy Department, so that proper
attention may be made to the uninterested exertions of these
gentlemen.
I am. &c.,
