BENJAMIN MORAN, Assistant Secretary of Legation, to William H. Seward, March 18, 1864

Mr. Moran to Mr. Seward.

Sir: I am directed by Mr. Adams to forward for your information the accompanying paper just received from Mr. H. J. Sprague, United States consul at Gibraltar. It contains an extract of a letter to that gentleman from Mr. McMath, the consul at Tangier, respecting a suspicious armed vessel recently seen in the bay of Agadeer, Morocco, supposed to be either the,pirate Oreto or the Japan, and a statement received by the same gentleman from a friend in Malaga regarding the reports lately circulated in the Spanish newspapers that the arms found on board the British steamer Princess, recently seized at that port, were intended for the use of rebel corsairs.

I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,

From Mr. Sprague.

There is no foundation for what some Spanish papers have said with regard to the destination of the cargo, arms, &c., per Princess, being for supplying confederate steamers. There is no doubt that they were intended for either Italy or Circassia—most likely the latter. It is true that most of the arms are for ship’s use, or rather for being used on board ship; but, on the other hand, of what service would scaling ladders, pickaxes, shovels, sand-bags, and beds for wounded, be on board? The crew all signed articles for Ancona. They were to have £16 each for the voyage. The captain tells us that the person who seemed to manage all the affair looked and was said to be a Pole. A couple of days ago he received a letter from count somebody, saying that he was about starting for Madrid, and that he expected that the government would give everything back. The steamer herself has been pierced for carrying some small guns. She is a trumpery boat, but quite unfit for a confederate cruiser, and only adapted for river service.