HL Deb 14 July 1863 vol 172 cc728-30
THE EARL OF AIRLIE

asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Whether he has received any official Report of the Attack alleged to have been made by a Ship of War of the United States on the ship Margaret and Jessie in British waters? The noble Earl said, he did not think he was commit- ting any indiscretion in putting this Question, nor was this event likely to lead to any serious misunderstanding. In a great war like that now raging, questions must from time to time arise affecting the rights of neutrals, and while each party was desirous of doing justice to the other, it was possible that both might arrive at different conclusions. In the present instance, however, matters of fact were at issue which ought to be very easily ascertained, because a great number of persons must have witnessed the transaction. The statements which had appeared in the Nassau papers ought to be received with caution, because in that place much dissatisfaction was felt at the measures taken by the United States cruisers to put an end to the trade between Nassau and the Confederate States. But about ten days ago a letter had been published in The Times giving a more circumstantial account of the circumstances. According to this statement, it appeared that the Confederate steamer Margaret and Jessie left Charleston on the 27th of May, laden with a cargo of cotton, having succeeded in eluding the United States vessels at the entrance of that harbour. In the course of her voyage, when about twenty-five miles from Nassau, she saw a steamer, which gave chase. The Margaret and Jessie at once made for the land, and when she was between four and five miles of the land the steamer opened fire; but she continued her course for the shore until she arrived at about 300 yards of the land, and could get no nearer. The United States steamer still pursued, and though compelled to keep at a distance from the shore of 1,000 or 1,200 yards, still continued her fire, which reached the shore, some of the shot or shell being picked up and carried into Nassau. At last the Margaret and Jessie was sunk by a shell from the United States steamer, which put off a boat, and the persons in the boat declared that the steamer was the United States vessel Savannah, though it was afterwards ascertained that her name was the Rhode Island. The captain of the Rhode Island stated, that he was at no time within four miles of the land; but this was denied. However, the point to be ascertained was not the position of the steamer when she fired, but the position of the Margaret and Jessie when she was fired upon. He understood that Mr. Seward had mentioned the matter to Lord Lyons without having the matter brought formally under his notice, and had stated that he would make inquiry; and if the facts were such as were reported, he would make full reparation. It was to be hoped, at the same time, that Mr. Seward would take steps to prevent the recurrence of such acts; because not only were they outrages to a friendly Power, but they were directly at variance with the instructions issued by Mr. Seward for the guidance of officers of the American navy. He wished to ask the noble Earl another Question, of which he had given no notice. Some little time ago it was stated that the officers of the vessels blockading Charleston had determined to take no more prizes, but to sink any ship which attempted to enter the port. Now, he could hardly believe that such a determination could have been come to by the United States captains, still less that they had been ordered to take that course by the Secretary for the Navy; because, though the attempt to enter a blockaded port involved the forfeiture of the ship and cargo, he never heard that any penal consequences attached to the persons who made that attempt. Certainly they were not punishable with death, or even with imprisonment, and he therefore hoped that the statement in question was inaccurate. He begged to ask the noble Earl if there was any truth in the statement?

EARL RUSSELL

said, the noble Earl had stated the facts in the case of the Margaret and Jessie, as far as they were known, quite accurately, and he had very little to add to that statement. The Governor of the Bahamas had not mentioned the circumstances of the case from his own knowledge—he only said there was a report to this effect. On the other hand, Mr. Seward, having seen the statement in the New York papers, immediately assured Lord Lyons that the captain of the Rhode Island gave a different account of the affair. Obviously, the facts must be inquired into further. It was impossible to do anything more than ascertain what the facts were; and if it should appear that the statement made was borne out, he had no doubt that the Government of the United States would give the reparation which they volunteered. With regard to the other occurrence referred to by the noble Earl, he had certainly seen the statement in the newspapers; but it was not mentioned by Lord Lyons, and without some confirmation of it he should certainly disregard it as being entirely inaccurate.