Mr. Adams to Mr.
Seward.
No. 1126.]
Legation of the United States.
London,
January 4, 1866.
Sir: In accordance with the desire expressed in
your despatch No. 1616, of the 2d of December, I addressed a note to
Lord Clarendon, on the 28th of last month, on the subject of the
“Osborne flotilla,” and the action of Sir Frederick Bruce in regard to
it, to which his lordship replied on the 30th in a very satisfactory
manner. Copies of the letters are herewith transmitted.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Adams to the Earl of Clarendon.
Legation of the United
States, London,
December 28, 1865.
My Lord: In a conversation which I had the
honor to hold with your predecessor the right honorable Earl
Russell, on the 25th of February, 1864, I acquitted myself of what
was to me a most agreeable duty, of signifying to her Majesty’s
government the high sense entertained by that which I have the honor
to represent, of the friendly proceedings of her Majesty’s envoy in
China, Sir Frederick Bruce, in regard to the disposition to be made
of the vessels then known as the Osborne flotilla.
I now have the honor to submit to your lordship’s consideration
copies of certain papers which have been transmitted to me for the
purpose of explaining the view held by my government of the further
measures which Sir Frederick has been pleased to adopt to facilitate
the complete execution of the plan proposed in that case.
I am instructed to express to your lordship the entire satisfaction
of the United States with the course pursued by Sir Frederick in
reference to this matter, as also in his relations with the
government at Washington, and to inform you that it would be
agreeable to it if the views to be presented should find favor with
her Majesty’s government.
I pray your lordship, &c., &c.
The Right Honorable Earl of Clarendon,
&c., &c., &c.
The Earl of Clarendon to
Mr. Adams.
Foreign Office,
December 30, 1865.
Sir: I have had the honor to receive your
letter of the 28th instant, and its enclosures, respecting the
disposition of the vessels known as the Osborne flotilla, and the
course pursued by Sir Frederick Bruce in the matter.
Her Majesty’s government learn with great satisfaction that the steps
taken by Sir Frederick Bruce in that matter, as also his relations
with the government at Washington, are acceptable to the
government.
Her Majesty’s government have also received from her Majesty’s chargé
d’affaires at Peking a copy of a note, dated the 26th of xiugust
last, in which his highness Prince Kung expresses himself grateful
to Sir Frederick Bruce for his conduct in regard to these vessels.
[Page 44] Her Majesty’s government
are using their utmost endeavors to wind up the affair in a manner
which shall be satisfactory to all parties; and I may state that I
have lately been informed by the board of admiralty that they are in
treaty with the Egyptian government for the purchase by that
government of the vessels, of the squadron now in this country, and
that the commodore commanding in India has been directed to take the
necessary steps for disposing of them at Bombay.
I have the honor, &c., &c.
P. S.—Since writing the above, I have been informed by the
admiralty that they have sold three of the vessels, namely, the
China, Pekin, and Tientsin, to the Egyptian government, for the
sum of thirty thousand one hundred pounds, (£30,100.)
Charles Francis Adams, Esq., &c.,
&c.,
&c.
