HAMILTON EARL, Captain and Senior Officer, East Coast of Africa to Edward N. Kirk, December 27, 1878

Captain Earle to Mr. Kirk.

Sir: I beg to forward you, for the information of the United States consul, the circumstances under which three negroes, with the consent of the master of the Laconia, were brought on board this ship to be examined by interpreter officers.

It came to my knowledge that there were three slaves on board the Laconia; this information was obtained voluntarily from one of the crew of the Laconia.

I gave Lieutenant Johnson the necessary authority under the treaty to search the Laconia. When he arrived alongside the master was on shore. Lieutenant Johnson went to the master at his hotel and showed him his authority; the master said he would go off; he said he knew what it was about: he did not object to be searched; he supposed some of his crew had been talking about the negroes on board.

The master said the negroes were not on the ship’s books; he also said they smuggled themselves on board at Johanna; he could not enter them there because there was no consul, but that he was going to enter them here. Lieutenant Johnson found out from the negroes that two of them were fishermen who were fishing on the beach, and they were taken by force at night against their will, covered up with a sail and taken on board the Laconia; the other one states that he was sold to the master of the Laconia by a merchant at Johanna, but the slave did not know the merchant’s name.

These slaves not being on the books of the Laconia, Lieutenant Johnson asked the permission of the master to let them go to the London to be examined, which leave the master gave on condition that Lieutenant Johnson would be responsible for their safety. Lieutenant Johnson informed him that the negroes would be examined on board the London in my presence by the interpreter officers, and he presented my compliments and said I should be glad to see him on board if he would like to be present; he said he would wish to be present; but this morning I received a note from him, informing me that he did not intend to come to the investigation.

These slaves have been examined by Lieutenants Cut field and O’Neill, interpreters in Swahile language, and a signed statement of their evidence is attached.

The three negroes have been returned to the Laconia, as you have already been informed.

I have the honor, &c.,