Right Honorable Earl Russell to Charles Francis Adams, January 15, 1863

Earl Russell to Mr. Adams.

Sir: With reference to my letter of the 1st instant, in which I acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the 30th ultimo, respecting the sale of the Sumter at Gibraltar, I have now the honor to inform you that her Majesty’s naval and military officers at that port have received instructions not to give any protection to that vessel beyond the waters of Gibraltar; but it will of course be clearly understood that those instructions do not preclude the owners of the Sumter, if that vessel should be taken by United States cruisers, from appealing, according to usage and practice of international law, to the prize court in the United States against the captors; nor will her Majesty’s government be precluded from taking any course which may hereafter appear to them proper, if the Sumter, now assumed to be British property, should be hereafter condemned, or otherwise dealt with in any manner which might not be, in their judgment, warranted by international law.

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