Right Hon. Lord Lyons to William H. Seward, November 2, 1863
Lord Lyons to Mr. Seward..
Sir: I deem it to be my duty to call the attention of the government of the United States to representations which have been made to me that the British ship Sir William Peel was captured on the 11th of September last, while atanchor in Mexican waters near Matamoras, by the United States gunboat Seminole.
In order to put you in possession of the information which has reached me on the subject, I have the honor to transmit the following documents to you:
1. Copy of a despatch from the acting British consul at New Orleans, dated September 30, 1863.
2. Protest of the master, first officer, and second steward of the Sir William Peel, dated September 29, 1863.
3. Chart stated to show the position of the Seminole at the time she was captured.
4. Copy of letter from Mr. Mirrilees to the acting consul, dated September 30, 1863.
5. Extract from a report from Commander Martin, of her Majesty’s ship Buzzard, to Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne, dated October 2, 1863.
I beg you to be so good as to send the protest and the chart back to me.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.
[Untitled]
“At Matamoras Captain Hunt informed me that the Sir William Peel, English steamship, had been seized by the United States gunboat Seminole and sent to this port as a prize. At the time of her capture she was in Mexican waters; her papers in possession of the English consul at that port, and she was taking in cotton, having 904 bales already on board, expecting to take in 300. No preliminary investigation was made by the United States officer.
“On my arrival here I found the vessel already in the prize court; her master gives me her position when captured, as in the enclosed chart.
“Her Majesty’s consul is forwarding through the embassy a copy of the protest of the master of the vessel.
“I called onCommodore Bell, the senior officer of the United States navy at this place, on my arrival, and told him I was surprised that the Sir William Peel had been placed in a prize court. His answer was to the effect that his government had particular information about this vessel, which he supposed I was unaware of. I told him no preliminary investigation had been made by her captor. He said in such a position it was impossible to make a proper examination.”