Japanese Ambassadors to Mr. Dayton. [Translation.] To his excellency the Minister of the United States of America in France: Some time since we begged you to ask of your government the date of the completion of the vessels-of-war, which have been requested of your government, and to send the answer to the place where we might be at the time, and our secretary spoke to your sccretary about the matter; but as we return from here to Japan, we beg you to send directly to Japan, to our address, the answer which you may receive from your government. Set forth with respect and consideration. The 11th day of the 5th month in the 4th year Boen-Cun. IKEDA TSIKOEGO-NO-KAMI. Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward. No. 499.] PARIS, June 30, 1864. SIR: Upon the suggestions of Captain Winslow, now in Paris, I have written a letter to the minister of marine, expressing my thanks and high appreciation of the humanity and kindness shown to the wounded at Cherbourg by the surgeon and provost surgeon of the navy hospital at that port. Enclosed I send you a copy of the letter. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c. WM. L. DAYTON. PARIS, June 29, 1864. MONSIEUR LE MINISTRE: After the late combat between the Kearsarge and Alabama, off Cherbourg, the three wounded men of the crew of the Kearsarge, and all the wounded men of the crew of the Alabama, in our possession, were placed in hospital at Cherbourg. Since that time they have received the constant care and attention of Monsieur Dufour, surgeon-in-chief of the marine, and of Monsieur Aubin, surgeon of the second class, provost to the hospital of the marine. I beg, as well in behalf of these unfortunate sufferers as of my government, to express my thanks and high appreciation of the humanity and kindness which have marked the conduct of Messrs. Dufour and Aubin in the discharge of their professional duties in behalf of these unfortunate men. I have the honor to be your most obedient servant, The MINISTER OF THE MARINE, &c., &c., &c. WM. L. DAYTON. Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward. No. 501.] PARIS, July 1, 1864. SIR: Captain Winslow, of the United States ship Kearsarge, which is yet at Cherbourg, came to Paris some days since with a view, as he informs me, to consult some distinguished occulist residing here. He has been received by the Americans of Paris with great attention and respect. A dinner, attended by many Americans now here, was given to him and two of his officers on yesterday, which passed off with much eclat. The naval guests have made a most favorable impression on all those with whom they came in contact. I was yesterday telegraphed by Mr. Pike from the Hague, "Prussian corvette Yeddo is reported arrived in the Weiser." The newspapers have recently been alleging a sale of these vessels at Bordeaux to Prussia. It may be so. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. WM. L. DAYTON. Mr. Seward to Mr. Dayton. No. 597.] DEPARTMENT of State, Washington, July 2, 1864. SIR: I have received your despatch of the 13th of June, No. 488, which in'forms me of the arrival of the Alabama at Cherbourg, and which is accompanied by the protest you delivered on that occasion to M. Drouyn de l'Huys. This proceeding is approved. I have laid your communication before my colleague, the head of the Navy Department, and I shall be able, before the departure of the mail on Monday next, to give you information of his views in regard to naval demonstrations in European waters. SIR: Your despatch of the 13th of June, No. 489, has been received, together with the papers annexed to the same. I have submitted to the President the correspondence which has taken place between certain Mexican prisoners of war and yourself, and have the pleasure to inform you that while your reply to these gentlemen is approved, the President is deeply affected by the sentiments of respect and affection for the United States which the Mexican officers have so thoughtfully and eloquently expressed in their communication. I am, sir, your obedient servant, SIR: Your despatch of the 17th of June, No. 491, was received and immediately submitted to the Navy Department. I give you a copy of a note which I have just now received from the Secretary of the Navy, by which it appears that the Iroquois will forthwith go out to strengthen the United States naval forces in European waters. * * I approve of your instructions to Captain Winslow. It will be proper for you, nevertheless, while informing M. Drouyn de l'Huys that I do so in a spirit of courtesy towards France, to go further, and inform him that the United States do not admit a right of France to interfere with their ships-of-war at any distance exceeding three miles. Especially must we disallow a claim of France so to interfere in any conflict that we find it necessary to wage in European waters with piratical vessels like the Alabama, built, armed, manned, and equipped, and received as a belligerent in opposition to our persistent remonstrances to commit depredations on our Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, enclosing a copy of a despatch from Mr. Dayton, United States minister at Paris, on the subject of the insurgent steamer Alabama, and desiring to be informed whether it is the intention of the Navy Department to order to Europe the additional naval force to which Mr. Dayton refers. In reply, I would state that the United States steamer Niagara, Commodore T. T. Craven, sailed from New York early in June for Antwerp, and orders have to-day been issued for the United States steamer Iroquois, Commander C. R. P. Rodgers, to proceed immediately to Brest. In advising you of the movements of these steamers, I must be permitted to state, with due deference to the opinions of others, that I cannot see of what advantage their presence in European waters will be. They will be denied access, except at stated periods, to European ports; they can commit no hostile act in them, nor are they allowed to blockade them. Thus they will be of but little service in arresting the course of the rebel privateers, which have every advantage in their favor. Even were it advisable to attempt a blockade of any of the ports, a large force would be required. From actual experience on our own coast we know the difficulty of maintaining a blockade-fifteen or twenty vessels being required in some instances to make it effective. If I mistake not, Mr. Adams, our minister at London, has frequently intimated that the presence of our men-of-war in European waters was only a cause of irritation, and of but little practical benefit. SIR: Yours, No. 565, advising me to inquire of Mr. Carvallo, the minister of Chili at Brussels, if it shall be pretended that the rams now being built at Bor deaux have been ordered by Chili, I have received, and shall not fail to ac upon it, if it become necessary. But Chili has a minister here, Mr. Rosales, who is my immediate neighbor, and with whom my relations are very good. He was at one time, on the part of Chili, making all necessary inquiries about these vessels, and, if I remember rightly, got the contracts under which they were built, or copies of them, from me. I will have no difficulty in learning from him whatever may or may not be done here for Chili. But Europe is so disturbed just now that this class of vessels, and vesselsof-war indeed of any kind, may find purchasers. The newspapers assume it as a fact settled, that the two clipper ships which have left, or are about to leave, Bordeaux for Amsterdam have been bought by Prussia. This I hope may be so, but I am by no means sure of it. In the Gironde, published at Bordeaux on the 5th instant, is the communication in the accompanying slip, which I send you as containing the substance of all the newspaper notices on this subject. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, &c., &c., &c. WM. L. DAYTON. P. S. Since writing the above, M. Drouyn de l'Huys has assured me that the Yeddo has gone into the possession and ownership of Prussia; and that this vessel carries her flag, and has a Prussian crew aboard; which, by the way, he says is against his intention, and in direct violation of Arman's promise to him to deliver this ship to a neutral in the port of Amsterdam. But Arman's misstatements to his own government have been so often repeated that it is difficult to understand how a man of M. Drouyn de l'Huys's sagacity could have permitted himself to be again deceived by him. D. [Translation of slip from the Gironde of the 5th of July, 1864.] The following communication relative to the Yeddo, a vessel-of-war built by Mr. Arman, has been addressed to us: BORDEAUX, July 4, 1864. 66 MR. EDITOR: I have just read in the last number of your estimable journal an article concerning the steamer Yeddo, which left here on the 22d of June, as it was alleged, for Amsterdam. It is with astonishment that I find you so ill-informed in this matter, for, since Saturday, at least, it has been no longer a secret that the Yeddo had arrived at Bremershaven, after a passage of three days, and that she now forms a part of the Prussian navy. We read, in fact, in the Boersenhalle of Hamburg, of the 29th of June, as follows: Arrived at Bremershaven the French corvette the Yeddo, Huet, commander, from Bordeaux." And again: "The arrival of the French steam corvette the Yeddo, Huet, commander, at Bremershaven, is signalized to us; this vessel has displayed, since her arrival in port, the Prussian colors." All the newspapers, including the Gironde, speak of two vessels-of-war bought by Prussia in France, and expected shortly in one of the German ports of the North Sea. These vessels were to bear the names of Augusta and Victoria; one of them, therefore, has already arrived, and is of course the Yeddo, which will receive the name of Augusta. The other vessel, intended to be baptized Victoria, is the Osacca, not yet finished at Bordeaux, but which will go to sea in a few days. These two vessels, destined originally for the confederates of America, were acquired by Prussia about two months ago. At that time there were two officers of the Prussian navy at Bordeaux, who purchased them of Mr. Arman, the builder. It seems that the building of vessels-of-war by Mr. Arman has been very satisfactory to the Prussian officers, and it is certain that Mr. Arman has received heavy orders from the Prussian government. Assuredly the fact that Mr. Arman has for a week been at Berlin will not negative this assertion. Accept, &c., SOLBET No. 505.] Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward. PARIS, July 8, 1864. SIR: Your despatch, No. 585, in reference to the movements of the Japanese ambassadors, and the completion in the United States of the ships-of-war for Japan, was duly received. I believe you are already apprised of the fact that the ambassadors have unexpectedly returned to their own country, and that they will not at present visit the United States. There is no necessity, therefore, to ascertain their number with a view of preparing sufficient and proper accommodations for them on their return, as requested in Mr. Weed's letter. M. Drouyn de l'Huys informs me that their sudden return was unexpected to him, as he was informed, when they came, that after visiting France they would go to England, and thence to other countries. Their immediate return to Japan must have been equally unexpected to their own government, for since their departure their government has sent, through our consul at Kanagawa, to my care, as I am informed, for them, five boxes and one parcel, which arrived at Marseilles two or three days after they left that port. I have directed our consul at Marseilles to retain possession of the boxes, &c., until he can receive further instructions from Japan. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c. WM. L. DAYTON. Mr. Dayton to Mr. Seward. No. 506.] PARIS, July 8, 1864. SIR: When thanking M. Drouyn de l'Huys, as directed in your despatch, No. 584, for the conciliating counsel given by this government in the difficulty between Spain and Peru, he took occasion to say that he did not think Spain was disposed to press any unjust claim or demand against Peru; that she asked only a disavowal of one or two acts or wrongs, and she would at once abandon the Chincha islands and enter into friendly negotiations again. M. Drouyn de l'Huys did not clearly explain, or at least I did not clearly understand, the extent and scope of those acts the disavowal of which was demanded. He seemed, however, to be impressed with the idea that the controversy between the two countries was susceptible of settlement without serious difficulty. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c. WM. L. DAYTON. |