The Minister of Marine to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, January 5, 1864

The Minister of Marine to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Monsieur le Ministre and dear Colleague: I have just received the letter which you did me the honor to write me the 4th of this month to transmit to me the copy of a further communication which has been addressed to you by M. the minister of the United States at Paris, in reference to the early departure from the port of Calais of the confederate vessel the Rappahannock, and by which he makes known his intention to attribute to us from the present movement responsibility for the injuries this vessel might inflict upon the federal commerce. Your excellency knows that the Rappahannock entered into the port of Calais in a veritable state of unseaworthiness, that we have not accorded to it any other authorization than that of putting itself in condition to go to sea, and that no other thing has been furnished to it, and always as a commercial transaction (par le commerce) except what was absolutely indispensable to it in order that it might navigate. I will add, in fine, that this vessel has been on the part of the authorities of Calais the object of the most active surveillance.

It appears, indeed, by a letter from M. the commissary of maritime inscription, received this morning even, that a fourth visit has yesterday been made on board, and according to the formal declaration of M. the inspector of the customs, there has not been in any shape an embarkment of objects with a view to an armament of war.

I could not then, for my part, admit the pretension of Mr. Dayton of wishing to impute to us the injury which the Rappahannock might cause to the federal commerce after its departure from our waters. This pretension is so much the more unsustainable, as this vessel could not be available as a cruiser except in so far as it should be furnished with arms, which it would not be able to procure for itself upon our territory. So M. the minister of the United States, who understands this very well, pretends that these are to be delivered to it in the open sea by an English vessel—an act for which our responsibility cannot be engaged. It would then be much rather to the government of her Britannic Majesty that Mr. Dayton ought to address himself, since this delivery of arms would constitute an act contrary to neutrality.

So in regard to what has passed in our waters, you will recognize, Monsieur le Ministre and dear colleague, that our conduct has continued in every respect, as well in regard to the Rappahannock as the other confederate vessels, the Georgia and the Florida, and the federal vessel Kearsarge, in the line of the strictest neutrality traced out by the declaration of the 10th June, 1861, and that the government of the Emperor could not in any form assume the responsibility which the minister of the United States would wish to put upon it.