“russell to “The Lords Commissioners of her Majesty’s Treasury.”, May 11, 1865

[Copy of letter referred to.]

“My Lords: I have the honor to acquaint your lordships that in the existing state of the civil war in America, and the uncertainty which may be felt as to its continuance, it appears to her Majesty’s government that the time has arrived for ceasing to enforce so much of the orders which, in pursuance of my letter of the 31st January, 1862, were issued by the several departments of her Majesty’s government, as empowered the authorities of any port belonging to her Majesty, either in the United Kingdom or in the Channel islands, or in any of her Majesty’s colonies, or foreign possessions or dependencies, to require any ship-of-war or privateer of either belligerent which might enter any port, roadstead, or waters belonging to her Majesty, in order to obtain provisions or things necessary for the subsistence of her crew, or to effect repairs, to put to sea as soon as possible after the expiration of a period of twenty-four hours, without permitting her to take in supplies beyond what might be necessary for her immediate use, and not to suffer any such vessel as might have been allowed to remain within British waters for the purpose of repair, to continue in any port, roadstead, or waters, belonging to her Majesty for a longer period than twenty-four hours after the necessary repairs should have been completed, and also so much of the same orders as limited the quantity of coal, and the period within which it might be obtained, to be embarked on board any such ship-of-war or privateer of either belligerent.

“I have addressed a similar letter to the secretaries of state for the home, colonial, war, and India departments, and the lords commissioners of the admiralty.

“I have, &c.,