Pinckney Walker to the Secretary to the Admiralty, December 17, 1863

Rear-Admiral Sir B. Walker to the Secretary to the Admiralty.

Sir: Referring to my letter, dated the 17th ultimo, reporting the seizure of the British colonial vessel Saxon, on the 30th October last, by the United States ship-of-war Vanderbilt, at Angra Pequena, on the southwest coast of Africa, I beg to enclose, for their lordships’ information, the statements of the master and crew of the Saxon, who have since returned to Cape Town, containing full particulars of the proceedings of the American officers and of the death of the chief mate of the Saxon, who was shot by one of them after the seizure of the vessel.

It is alleged that Penguin island, at Angra Pequena, near to which the Saxon was lying, is British territory. I find, on inquiry, it was annexed to this colony in August, 1861, together with Ichaboe and others, as a guano island, by a proclamation of Sir George Grey, subject to the approval or disapproval of her Majesty’s government, but it does not apppear to have been confirmed or noticed in any way from home.

I have, &c.,