[33] *Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury,
to Mr. Fish, Secretary of
State.
Treasury
Department,
Washington, April 5,
1869.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 20th ultimo, stating that you had been
advised by the minister of Spain that he had received information of
the fitting out of a steamer, supposed, to be the Salvador, at the
port of Jacksonville or Fernandina, Florida, as a Cuban privateer,
which might leave port under the flag of the United States, for the
purpose of committing depredations on the maritime commerce of
Spain.
In reply I have to inform you that inquiry was made of the collectors
of the above ports, who report respectively that no such vessel is
fitting out as alleged.
I inclose herewith a copy of the reports in question.
Very respectfully,
GEO. S. BOUTWELL,
Secretary of the
Treasury.
Hon. Hamilton Fish,
Secretary of State.
[Inclosure No. 1.]
Mr. Mondy,
collector, to Mr. Boutwell,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Jacksonville,
Florida,
Custom-House, March 26,
1869.
[34]
Sir: I have the honor, in reply to
your letter of 22d instant, directing that I examine and report
if there be any such vessel fitting out in *this port, as
Salvador or other, with intent of being a Cuban privateer;
&c., to inform you that there is no steamer or other vessel
in this port fitting or preparing to fit out for any such
object. There are no steamers in this port, except our regular
river-boats, besides the steam pleasure-yacht Fire-Fly, of New
York, belonging to Mr. T. P. James, who is on board with his
family.
I am, very respectfully, &c.,
Hon. Geo. S. Boutwell,
Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D.
C.
[Inclosure No. 2.]
Mr. Roux,
collector, to Mr. Boutwell,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Custom-House,
Fernandina, Florida,
March 29, 1869.
Sir: Respectfully referring to your
letter of the 22d March instant, I have the honor to reply—
That there is no steamer in or near these waters named Salvador,
nor any steamer else than small tow-boats employed
hereabout.
[Page 775]
Should any movement be developed, your instructions relative to
the neutrality act of April 20, 1818, will be duly enforced.
I have the honor to be, yours, &c.,
Hon. Geo. S. Boutwell,
Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D.
C.
