Office of the Historian

Mr. Batcheller to Mr. Blaine.

Legation of the United States,
Lisbon, February 25, 1892. (Received March 10.)
No. 65.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that in conformity with the authorization contained in your unofficial instruction of December 14, 1891 (No. 48), I have had some unofficial correspondence and several conversations with his excellency the minister of foreign affairs, in regard to the presentation to the United States Government of the cannon known as “Long Tom,” formerly part of the armament of the American private-armed brig General Armstrong, and now in the castle of San Juan, at Fayal.

I also, in the course of a conversation with His Majesty the King Dom Carlos I, mentioned this cannon, and was surprised to learn from His Majesty that he was quite familiar with its history, and His Majesty at once expressed a willingness to present this historic gun to the United States.

I am this day in receipt of a note from the minister of foreign affairs, a copy and translation of which are herewith inclosed, marked, respectively, 1 and 2, wherein His Excellency, after expressing some doubt as to the caliber of the cannon described by me in my note, informs me that the necessary orders have been given to the military authorities at the Azores to the effect that “an iron piece of ordnance which has long existed in the fort and which to a certain extent answers the description of the gun which belonged to the General Armstrong, be placed at the disposal of any person I may designate.

I have, etc.,

Geo. S. Batcheller.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 65.—Translation.]

Señor Costo Lobo to Mr. Batcheller.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Lisbon, February 18, 1892.

I have just been informed by the War Department that, to the knowledge of that ministry, there does not exist in the fort of S. Joao do Fayal any piece of ordnance exactly corresponding with the description of the cannon denominated “Long Tom,” of calibre 42, to which your excellency refers in your letter of the 28th ultimo.

Meanwhile the necessary orders have been given to the military authorities at the Azores, in order that an iron piece of ordnance which has long existed in the fort referred to, and which appears to answer to a certain extent to the description of the gun which belonged to the General Armstrong, may be placed at the disposal of any person your excellency may appoint, and I shall be much pleased if thus the wishes of your excellency, expressed in the name of your Government, have been complied with.

Availing myself, etc.,

A. de S. S. Costo Lobo.