To the Hon. William M. Evarts to John Welsh, March 25, 1879

No. 193. Mr. Evarts to Mr. Welsh.

Sir: I inclose herewith copy of a dispatch of the 3d January last, No. 42, from the United States consul at Zanzibar, and of the correspondence which accompanied it, between that officer and the British consul-general there, relating to the seizure, on the ground of their being slaves, of three negroes from on board the American whaling bark Laconia, of New Bedford, Mass., by order of Captain Earle, senior naval officer of Her Majesty’s fleet on that station.

You are instructed to bring the matter to the attention of the British Government, and to state that the search for the purpose herein named appears to have been without probable cause, and as it was made in violation of the provisions of the first article of the treaty of 1862, it is expected that the British officer who ordered the search will be held accountable therefor by his government.

I am, &c.,