Mr. Batcheller to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Lisbon, May 27, 1892.
(Received June 13.)
No. 79.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that during my
recent visit to the Island of Fayal (in conformity with your instruction No.
47, bearing date Washington, December 11, 1891) I received through the
agency of a commission of military officers, duly appointed for that purpose
by his excellency Sehnor José Ignacio da Silva, military commander of the
Western Azores, formal possession of the cannon for many years mounted in
the Castle of Santa Cruz (heretofore erroneously mentioned as San Joao), and
forming part of the armament of the private armed brig General Armstrong, destroyed by the British fleet in the harbor of
Horta (Fayal) in September 1814, and commonly known as Long Tom.
After the formal delivery of the gun it was dismounted and placed upon a
sledge prepared by Consul Dexter, at my request, for that purpose, and
transported from the esplanade of the castle through the inner sally port to
the premises of the United States consulate, where it is now stored awaiting
the arrival of a war vessel, as suggested in your dispatch No. 63, dated
Washington, April 1, 1892, for its transportation to the United States.
There were urgent causes why the gun should be placed at once in the
possession of the United States authorities, and the Portuguese officials
were desirous that this should take place during my presence at Fayal, in
order that I might witness the act (auto) of
transfer, which was duly drawn up, and signed immediately thereafter, to be
deposited in the Portuguese military archives at Lisbon, a copy of which,
with translation, I herewith inclose marked respectively Nos. 1 and 2.
In a letter received from Lewis Dexter, esq., United States consul at Fayal,
written after my departure for Lisbon, I take the liberty of quoting the
following: “There is such an evident good feeling existing in regard to the
transfer of ‘Long Tom,’ and pleasure so generally expressed that it is going
to the United States, that I must congratulate you on the manner in which it
was effected. The impression is left upon the minds of the people that they
have been honored by your presence, as they have been made happy in the
consideration shown them.”
There has been considerable comment in Lisbon, and elsewhere in Portugal,
concerning this event, and my visit to the islands (which is the first by
any foreign diplomatic representative to this court) that I am convinced the
same will be conducive of improved amical and material relations between the
two countries.
I have, etc.,
[Page 361]
[Inclosure in No.
79.—Translation.]
Statement of military authorities, Fayal, May 12,
1892.
Headquarters of the Military Commander
of the Western Azores.
[Order No. 34.]
The under-mentioned commission is to assemble this day at noon, at the
military secretariate of this district, to draw up a record of the
delivery of the 42-pounder gun “Long Tom,” which is now in the Castle of
Santa Cruz, in this town, and described by the marks F. L. S. P. 17c,
which correspond the most closely with the calibre indicated to his
excellency Mr. Batcheller, minister of the United States of North
America in Portugal, in accordance with instructions from the War
Department dated 12th February and 25th April of the present year.
President: Senhor Francisco d’Alfonso da Costa Chares e Mello, of the
Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs.
Members of the Commission: Messrs. Barnardo Pereira de Vasconcellos,
First Lieutenant of the Second Company of Artillerymen of the Garrison,
and José Ignacio da Silva, Ensign in the Eleventh Regiment of
Chasseurs.
Headquarters of the Military Commander of the Western Azore, Horta, 12
May, 1892.
Military Commander, José Estanislau Venture, Lieutenant Colonel of
Infantry.
Record of the delivery of the 42-pounder gun “Long Tom,” now existing in
the Castle of Santa Cruz, described by the letters F. L. S. P. 17c to
his excellency Mr. Batcheller, minister of the United States of North
America in Portugal.
On the 12th day of the month of May, one thousand eight hundred and
ninety-two, at twelve o’clock in the day, there assembled at the
secretariate of the military commander of the Western Azores a
commission composed of the following officers: Francisco Affonso da
Costa Chares e Mello, captain of the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs;
Bernardo Pereira de Vasconcello, first lieutenant of the Second Company
of the Garrison Artillerymen, and José Ignacio da Silva, ensign in the
Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs, to proceed to deliver the 42-pounder
“Long Tom” to his excellency Mr. Batcheller, minister of the United
States of North America, in Portugal, who is present at this
secretariate.
His excellency having expressed a desire that the delivery should be made
immediately, the commission proceeded to the Castle of Santa Cruz, in
this town of Horta, and there, in the presence of their excellencies
José Estanislau Ventura, lieutenant colonel of infantry and military
commander of the Western Azores; Lewis Dexter, Consul of the United
States of America in this Island; Francisco da Nazareth Vicira,
lieutenant and sheriff, and Alfredo de Lampaio Leite, ensign in the
Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs, by his excellency the minister referred
to, the gun F. L. S. P. 17c was recognized as being the 42-pounder “Long
Tom;” wherefore it was delivered to him, and at the same time this
record was drawn up, which is signed by his excellency Mr. Batcheller
and by the members of the commission:
Geo. S. Batcheller, minister of the United States of America; Francisco
Affonso da Costa Chares e Mello, captain of the Eleventh Regiment of
Chasseurs; Bernardo Pareira de Vasconcellos, first lieutenant of the
Second Company of Artillerymen of the garrison; José Ignacio da Silva,
ensign in the Eleventh Regiment of Chasseurs.
Executed in due form. Headquarters of
military commander of the Western Azores,
Horta, 12 May, 1892.
José Estanislau Ventura,
Lieutenant Colonel of
Infantry.
