Mr. Harvey to Mr. Seward.
Sir: A letter from the secretary of our legation at London, written in the absence of Mr. Adams, informed me several days ago that the rebel cruiser Georgia had left the port of Liverpool for Lisbon, having been ostensibly converted into a merchantman, and chartered by this government for a voyage to their African possessions.
My attention had been previously called to this matter by newspaper reports and by a telegram from Mr. Dudley, of the 12th instant, giving information that the Georgia had sailed the previous day. The ship-of-war Niagara was then in the Tagus, and the telegram was immediately communicated to Commodore Craven, her commander, who started from here on Sunday, the 14th instant, the third day after his arrival.
Although eleven days have elapsed since the Georgia left Liverpool she has not appeared here yet, and is not now expected. The contract for her voyage to the coast of Africa to carry the mails seems to have been made through the Portuguese consul at Liverpool, in ignorance of the liability of the Georgia to be taken as a good prize on the high seas, and in culpable disregard of her antecedents. He may have been imposed upon by the pretended transfer of the* cruiser and the fact that she was dismantled afterwards, which, together with the charter in question, were doubtless devices employed by the parties interested to put to sea under shelter of the British flag.
The government cancelled the contract for the Georgia when informed of the facts, and much feeling was manifested upon change and in the newspapers that any terms whatever should have been entertained or made with a vessel of such notorious character. This expression was the more emphatic because the commercial community are seriously embarrassed in their operations for the want of a direct means of communication with Africa, as they depended exclusively upon the charter of a special steamer after the government had dissolved a former contract.
I fear the Georgia has gone to some appointed rendezvous for the purpose of being armed and equipped to depredate upon our commerce. Every vigilance will be exercised here, but at this moment there is no ship-of-war within call, and I am quite ignorant of the movements of those now on this side of the Atlantic.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.