Edw’d Hamilton to [The other enclosures, with Mr. Adams’s No. 616, being correspondence respecting the Alabama and the iron-clad vessels at Birkenhead, the material portions thereof having been published in the United States diplomatic correspondence for 1863, are omitted.], February 29, 1864

Mr. Hamilton to Mr. Hammond.—(Received February 29.)

Sir: With reference to your letter of the 24th ultimo, I am commanded by the lords commissioners of her Majesty’s treasury to transmit to you herewith a copy of a report, dated 27th ultimo, from the commissioners of customs, and of a letter from Mr. Price Edwards, collector of customs at Liverpool, dated 26th ultimo, relating to a statement alleged to have been made by him in regard to the shipment of guns on board the ship Gibraltar, and I am to request that you will state to Earl Russell, with reference to Mr. Edwards’s letter, that it appears to this board to correct the wrong interpretation put upon Mr. Edwards’s statement by Mr. Klingender.

I am to observe that at the time of the conversation a clearance had been refused to the Gibraltar, because it was supposed that guns were about to be placed in her, not as merchandise, but as part of her armament, and intended to be used by her in hostilities; the refusal of the clearance being, however, only maintained pending further explanation.

In this state of things Mr. Klingender inquired from Mr. Edwards whether there would be any objection to the shipment of such guns to New York.

The meaning attached to this question by Mr. Edwards appears to have been that it related to guns shipped as merchandise, and not as part of an armament of a vessel of war, and he accordingly replied that there would be no objection, adding, that such shipments to New York were of common occurrence.

As soon as her Majesty’s government was satisfied that the guns in question were not and could not be intended to form part of the armament of the Gibraltar, the clearance was immediately granted.

I am, &c.,