Right Honorable Earl Russell to Charles Francis Adams, April 25, 1865

Earl Russell to Mr. Adams

Sir: In my letter of the 1 st of February, I had the honor to inform you that due inquiry should be made respecting the proceedings of two vessels, the Virginia and Louisa Ann Fanny, to which you had called my attention in your letter of the 30th of January.

I have now the honor to state to you that a report has been received from the lieutenant governor of Bermuda respecting these vessels, as well as respecting the City of Richmond, which was mentioned in the letters from Mr. Morse which accompanied your note, and the steamer Ajax, to which the attention of the lieutenant governor of Bermuda had been called by a communication from her Majesty’s chargé d’affaires at Washington.

The lieutenant governor states, 1st, as to the Virginia, that she had been at Bermuda, but not since the 25th of January, when she left with cargo for Nassau; 2d, that the Louisa Ann Fanny cleared for Havana on the 8th of March, the day on which the instructions respecting her reached the lieutenant governor; 3d, that the Ajax had not appeared in Bermuda; 4th, that the City of Richmond had been at Bermuda, but had left for Nassau before the instructions respecting her arrived.

With regard to this latter vessel, the lieutenant governor states that as she arrived with the reputation of having been used for belligerent purposes elsewhere, she had been strictly watched, and her state and proceedings had been matters of especial consideration on the part of the authorities. But notwithstanding the vigilance used towards her, and the attention she attracted, the lieutenant governor was not aware of any fact whatever indicating that she broke the law at Bermuda, or was preparing to break it elsewhere. After the City of Richmond had obtained her clearance, the lieutenant governor was appealed to by various parties, between whom disputes respecting her had arisen, to cause the ship to be detained, but the lieutenant governor was advised that he could not interfere.

With regard to the Louisa Ann Fanny, the lieutenant governor observes that she arrived loaded, but that while at Bermuda she applied for permission to ship some saltpetre, rifles, and other merchandise, and that the lieutenant governor, having been advised that there was no sufficient cause for prohibiting the shipment, allowed it to take place. The lieutenant governor further states, that either this is not the same vessel as that mentioned by Mr. Morse in his letter to you, or else that Mr. Morse greatly overrates her draught, which differs little, so far as the lieutenant governor could ascertain, from that of several notorious blockade-runners, and affords no evidence that she was built for other than the blockade-running service. She was closely watched, but nothing was discovered to indicate that her employment was not strictly mercantile.

The lieutenant governor adds, that whenever a ship has arrived at the Bermudas, under reasonable suspicion of warlike intention, she has been strictly watched; that in no instance has it been proved that a ship has armed there, and that, on the other hand, there is good reason for believing that illegal purposes have been frustrated by vigilance.

I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, you most obedient, humble servant,