Cridland to John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, August 29, 1863

Mr. Stuart to Earl Russel.—(Received September 14.)

I have the honor to forward to your lordship the accompanying copies of five despatches from Mr. Cridland, reporting his arrival at Mobile, and the subsequent refusal of the confederate authorities to permit him to exercise his consular functions or even to reside in the State of Alabama.

Your lordship will perceive that Mr. Cridland eventually succeeded in obtaining permission from the secretary of state at Richmond to remain at Mobile until her Majesty’s government shall have had time to consider the whole subject—a month or two from the 3d of July being the time within which Mr. Benjamin supposed that Mr. Cridland might receive instructions from your lordship.

The question having been referred to your lordship, Lord Lyons considers it unadvisable that any instructions should be sent from hence to Mr. Cridland. His lordship has, however, observed to me that he has always been most anxious that his name or that of this legation should not be employed in any communications made to the confederate authorities by her Majesty’s consular agents in the south, and in instructing Mr. Consul Moore to send Mr. Cridland to Mobile he expressly desired that the letter of appointment should be made out by Mr. Moore as emanating from her Majesty’s government, instead of from Washington.

[For enclosure 3 in No. 5, Colonel Garner to Acting Consul Cridland, June 7, 1863, see enclosure 1 in No. 3.]

[For enclosure 4 in No. 5, Acting Consul Cridland to Colonel Garner, June 8, 1863, see enclosure 2 in No 3.]

[For enclosure 6 in No. 5, Mr. Benjamin to Acting Consul Cridland, June 8, 1863, see enclosure 3 in No. 3.]

[For enclosure 7 in No. 5, Acting Consul Gridland to Mr. Benjamin, June 13, 1863, see enclosure 4 in No. 3.]