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"Her Majesty's ship" "Elbe", in this Harbor
The United States' Consul exhibited to me a copy of a letter from the Prussian Vice Consul to the address of the Acting Harbor Master of this Colony, by which it appeared that the Acting Harbor Master had applied for the rendition of the seaman Brown, and that the Commander of the "Elbe" declined to give him up, upon the plea that the man's proper name was Sulkofsky, and that he had deserted from the Prussian Man of War "Arcona", and that there was evidence on board the "Elbe".
I took the information of the master of the "Sancho Panza", which I enclose, and thereupon issued a Warrant for the apprehension of Brown, at the same time writing a note to the Russian Vice Consul representing that, if evidence existed on board the "Elbe" that the man claimed was a deserter from the "Arcona", the Court would hold that as establishing a claim preferable to that of the Master of the American Ship.
I directed the summoning officer of the Court, after delivering the note, to proceed on board the "Elbe" and request the delivery of the man, but to proceed no farther. The Officer returned and reported that the