Alexander S. Asboth to William H. Seward, November 19, 1866

Mr. Asboth to Mr. Seward.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you, in connection wish my report No. 9 of last month, that the United States war steamer Shamokin, which left this port, under command of Captain Peirce Crosby, on the 24th of October, bound up the river Plate with the Hon. Charles A. Washburn on board, returned yesterday-evening, after having safely landed our minister beyond the Brazilian squadron, on Paraguayan soil, at Cumpaity.

Captain Crosby handed me this morning a package containing an official letter addressed to the State Department, which letter I have the honor herewith to forward, and also a note to myself, from which I beg leave to enclose an extract (marked B) for your information. This note explains, that although Viscount Tamandare, the Brazilian admiral in command of the blocking squadron, had, according to his statements, received no instructions from his government relative to the passage of our minister to Paraguay, and had no other official information on the subject than what was contained in my demand to Señor R. Elizalde, the Argentine minister for foreign affairs, (see my report No. 9, above alluded to,) and General Webb’s letters to the Hon. Mr. Washburn and Admiral Godon, copies of which supported my demand, nevertheless he (Viscount Tamandare) thought it proper not to oppose force but to let the Shamokin pass up through the blockading squadron “under protest,” which protest, however, seems to me only calculated for a precautious demonstration against eventual attempts of other maritime powers represented here, as the British, French, and Italian, to pass through the allied lines up the Paraguay river.

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I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,