Tilley to the Duke of Newcastle, January 18, 1864

Lieutenant Governor Gordon to the Duke of Newcastle.

I have the honor to transmit for your grace’s information the enclosed report of the examination before the police magistrate at St. John of the individuals charged with being concerned in the alleged piratical seizure of the United States steamer Chesapeake.

In my despatch of the 1st instant I had the honor to inform your grace that the honorable J. H. Gray, of St John, had applied to me, in behalf of the accused, for copies of the requisition of the United States consul upon which my warrant, authorizing the arrest of the parties was issued, and of the depositions accompanying that requisition. I also transmitted to your grace copies of Mr. Gray’s letter and of my reply.

I accordingly transmitted the required documents to Mr. Gray, along with the letter of which I have the honor to enclose a copy, and in which my reasons for declining to entertain his application as a matter of right, whilst I acceded to it as an act of courtesy, for which persons in the position of the accused might fairly look, are fully stated.

I hope the course which I have pursued may meet with the approval of her Majesty’s government, and I have much gratification in finding, from a despatch from Lord Lyons, of which I enclose a copy, that the government of Washington are fully satisfied with the action taken in at once authorizing the arrest of the parties implicated.

I have received information that, in the event of the conviction of the accused, an attempt to rescue them may possibly be made. I need hardly assure your grace that I shall take effectual means to prevent the possibility of such an occurrence, should it appear that there is any reason for apprehending the design to be seriously contemplated.