Chasseloup Laubat to M. le Minister of Foreign Affairs, October 12, 1863
M. the Minister of the Marine to M. le Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Monsieur le Minister and Dear Colleague: You have done me the honor to communicate to me the 25th of September last the copy, with its annexes, of a letter from M. the minister of the United States at Paris, relative to bargains entered into by Messrs. Arman & Voruz for the construction and delivery to the confederate government of several vessels armed for war.
In pointing out to my attention the gravity of this matter, which you recommend in a manner altogether special to my examination, you express the regret that my department had not thought proper to come to an understanding with that of the foreign affairs before answering the requests of Mr. Arman, who had obtained from the marine the authorization to provide his vessels with twelve cannon of 30.
As to that which concerns the authorization solicited by Mr. Arman, and which was necessary to him by the terms of the ordinance of the 12th July, 1847, I did not believe I ought to refuse it in consequence of the declaration of the constructor, who gave me the assurance, as, moreover, his correspondence with my department proves, that the vessels in construction in his work yards were destined to do service in the China seas and the Pacific—between China, Japan, and San Francisco. I could not, upon such a declaration, and knowing, besides, that the vessels of commerce which navigate the parts in question ought always to be furnished with a certain armament, in view of the numerous pirates which infest them, I could not, I say, answer negatively to the request of Mr. Arman, nor refuse Mr. Voruz the faculty of manufacturing the cannon destined to form this armament. This last authorization was the consequence of that given to the constructor to provide his vessels with artillery.
In granting to Mr. Voruz the permission to procure at Reuil the elucidations necessary to the manufacture of his cannon, I followed that which has always been done by my department in analogous circumstances, commerce only exceptionally giving itself to a manufacture which, in France, is almost never executed hut by the state.
As to the regrets expressed by your excellency, that the department of foreign affairs has not previously been consulted, I will cause you to remark that it was a question of arms to be caused to be manufactured by private industry, and not of material of war appertaining to the state, and delivered by the magazines of the state. This difference will not escape your excellency, and I would not have failed to come to an understanding with you if there had been asked of my department arms of the marine.
Upon the whole, my department has only conformed in this circumstance to its precedents. It could only trust to the declaration of Messrs. Arman & Voruz, and it could not be responsible for the unlawful operations which might be undertaken. I am going, however, to call forth from Messrs. Arman & Voruz explanations upon the facts of which you have spoken to me, and you may rest assured, M. and dear colleague, that the department of the marine will continue, as it has done up to the present day, to do everything which shall be necessary according to the wish of the Emperor, and conformably to the declaration of his government, in order that the most strict neutrality be observed in that which concerns the war which desolates America at this moment, &c.