JOHN BIGELOW, Charge, & c ., to Horatio J. Perry , Secretary of Legation, February 5, 1865

Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Perry.

Sir: The confederate steamer Stonewall, referred to in your telegram received this morning, is undoubtedly one of the rams built at Bordeaux; originally for the confederates, but ultimately sold, conditionally, to the Banish government. She left Bordeaux last September for Copenhagen, but not answering to the specifications of the contract was refused. She left, as was given out to the public and stated in the shipping articles of the crew, for. Bordeaux early in January, with a Danish crew, shipped by Arnons de la Bieere, (the agent of Mr. Arman, the builder, ) who accompanied her to Copenhagen and returned with her. She stopped in the bay of Quiberon, just inside the isle of Honat, when she discharged her Danish crew and received at the same time from the Duke of Richmond, (an English steamer,) a crew, guns, and munitions of all kinds. From a steam-tug sent from St. Nazaire she also received thirty tons of coal, which replaced what had been consumed on her voyage from Copenhagen, where she had also taken only thirty tons, that being the extent of her capacity at that time, from which I infer that she left Bordeaux full of coal, and that her final destination for the confederates was planned before she left Bordeaux.

The name she bore when she left Bordeaux was the Stoerkodder; after passing into the confederate hands, as I presume she did immediately after clearing at Copenhagen, she took the name of Olinde, which she bore on her stern while lying in Quiberon bay. I heard a report current, a day or two after she sailed, that great things were expected (by the confederates) from a ram which had just left France, called the Stonewall, and that the utter destruction of our blockading fleet off Charleston was to be one of the least considerable of its achievements. Of the identity of these two vessels I have no doubt, nor do I believe any is entertained here, either at the department of marine or foreign affairs, both of which I visited immediately upon the receipt of your despatch.

I proposed that his excellency the minister of foreign affairs should telegraph this afternoon to his minister at Madrid to ask the Spanish government to detain the Stonewall, at least until the investigation which the government here is now making be completed, and the guilty parties, if there are any, to the equipment of this vessel in French waters, be ascertained. I assured him that our legation at Madrid would unite in such an application if necessary.

Unfortunately he had not yet received any report from the department of marine, without which he could not take any step of that gravity.

I took measures to have the report of the minister of marine reach him within an hour after my interview, and I hope that one of the results of a perusal of the evidence will be a telegraphic direction this afternoon to Mr. Mercier to do what may be necessary to detain the vessel.

I write you all these facts in detail that you may understand the position which the French government occupies, and to suggest that you put yourself at once in relation with Mr. Mercier, and urge him to do what he can to make the Spanish government seize, or at least detain, the Stonewall. The more France can be made to take the initiative in this matter the more will our future course be simplified. Should Mr. Mercier receive no instructions, or should he decline to act, I would suggest that you make the application in behalf of your own government.

France has recently furnished Spain an excellent precedent for such a step in the case of the Rappahannock, which was fraudulently taken from English waters into Calais to be fitted out and equipped for the confederates. This government refused to let her leave, upon grounds which apply with exactness to the case of the Stonewall. In both cases they got an opportunity of flying the confederate flag by a fraud upon the government, under which they were equipped in part. France refused to recognize a nationality acquired in that way, and the Rappahannock lies at Calais to this day.

Have you any agent at Ferrol? If not, would you not do well to send one there at once? I hope you will keep me advised of the movements of the Stonewall by telegram.

I am. sir, with great respect, your very obedient servant,