Benavides to The Chargé d’affaires of the United States, February 21, 1865

Mr. Benavides, minister of foreign affairs, to Mr. Perry, chargé d’affaires.

[468] Sir: I have had the honor to receive your note of the 18th instant, in which you are so good as to *manifest to me, referring to telegraphic dispatches of the consular agent of the United States at Ferrol, that after the termination of the repairs on the iron clad steamer Stonewall this vessel is still not in a condition to take the seas, because of certain radical defects of construction which you solicit may not be permitted to be remedied in the ship-yard of the said port of Ferrol, nor in any other in Spain.

The reasons which you present in support of your wishes have been duly appreciated by the government of the Queen, which, being convinced of its duty not to separate its conduct from the line marked out for it in the royal decree of June 17, 1861, has dictated the proper orders that it be thus done in the case to which you refer.

[469] The minister of marine, confirming the orders previously communicated, that the repairs which might be made on the Stonewall should not be such as to better her military or sea going qualities, has instructed the naval authority at Ferrol to strictly comply with those orders, and not to permit any other work on the said vessel than that qualified by the commandant of naval engineers *as indispensable to repair the particular damage which obliged her to come into the port where she now is.

I take pleasure in believing that you will find this resolution of Her Majesty’s government in accordance with the suggestion of the note to which I reply, and I avail myself of this occasion to renew to you the assurance of my distinguished consideration.