WILDING, Vice-Consul to Charles Francis Adams, July 26, 1864

Mr. Wilding to Mr. Adams.

Sir: Tn accordance with an order left by Mr. Dudley, I beg to transmit a certified copy of the register of the Georgia, the certificate dated yesterday.

I deem it my duty to state to you my fear that the recorded sale of this vessel is all a sham, and that there is no intention of converting her into a merchant vessel.

She has left the Graving dock at Birkenhead, where she has had her bottom cleaned and painted, some trifling repairs made, and her engines Overhauled, and is now in the Queen’s dock at Liverpool.

Nothing has been done to her to change her character beyond unshipping her guns, and taking up the tracks or rails on which they worked on deck; but the guns are in a warehouse at Birkenhead, easily attainable, and the rails still on board the ship.

She has also attached to her three of the men (non-commissioned officers, an engineer, quartermaster, and another) who were in her before, and one (the boatswain, I believe) from the Alabama. They are also going to fit up the nettings for the hammocks as they were before.

The chief foreman of the yard or Graving dock, where she was repaired, stated while she was there that Mr. Bates was going to send her out on her old trade,

I know also that Mr. Curtis, who advertises that claims for wages of deceased seamen of the Alabama are to be addressed to him, and is a confederate agent, is in communication with Mr. Bates.

And you will recollect also that Mr. Bates, some time since, in contradiction to the statements of the ship-owners of Liverpool in their memorial to the House of Commons, published a letter avowing himself a dissentient from the memorial, and, by inference, in favor of fitting out vessels for belligerents.

Of the facts of the rails being on board, and of the persons mentioned as being attached to the vessel, I can send you the deposition of the person who has seen them; I can also send you the deposition of the person to whom the foreman of the Graving dock made the statement referred to, if you think they will be of any use.

Very respectfully, I am, sir, your obedient servant,