John Bigelow to M. Drouyn de Lhuys, February 5, 1865

Mr. Bigeloiw to Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys.

Sir: I had the honor to communicate your excellency’s message this morning to his excellency the minister of marine, together with my proof already exhibited to your excellency of the identity of the steam ram Olinde, which recently sailed from the bay of Quiberon with the confederate steamer Stonewall, now lying at Ferrol, in Spain. His excellency the minister of marine informed me that his report in the case of the Olinde was ready, and he was on the point of sending it. While I was there I saw it placed in the hands of a messenger. His excellency the minister of marine purposed to wait upon your excellency to confer upon the subject of his report in the course of this afternoon, but he recommended me to wait upon your excellency again, after you had ha I leisure to peruse the papers, when he thought I might receive some intimation to guide me in my communication to-night with our agents in Spain. In compliance with this suggestion, I called at the ministry of foreign affairs, but was so unfortunate as to find that your excellency had gone out. Had I been fortunate enough to have seen your excellency on the occasion of my second visit, I should have taken the liberty of urging the expediency of to-day instructing Mr. Mercier to request the Spanish government to detain the Stonewall until you had finished the inquiry which had been instituted into the circumstances attending her equipment and departure from France, which there was reason for believing had been effected in violation of the laws of France. I had also intended to suggest, as a precedent to the Spanish government, if any were needed, and to show that the imperial government asks no more than it is willing to concede, the case of the Victor, alias Rappahannock, now lying at Calais, by virtue of a procedure precisely similar in all important particulars to that which I propose should be instituted against the Stonewall. If your excellency should estimate the importance of preventing this steamer from leaving the west coast of Europe, under the flag of the so-called confederate government, as highly as I do, you will pardon the earnestness with which I press a course of proceeding which promises a speedy, natural, and satisfactory solution of what otherwise threatens to become a very troublesome case.

I beg to renew to your excellency the assurance of the very distinguished consideration with which I have the honor to be your excellency’s very obedient and very humble servant,