4098.
No. 174.
(BARBADOS.)
LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.
MY LORD,
Temple, April 18, 1863. We are honoured with your Lordship's commands signified in Mr. Hammond's letter of the 6th instant stating that he was directed by your Lordship to transmit to us a letter from the Colonial Office inclosing a copy of a Despatch from the Governor of the Windward Islands forwarding copies of correspondence which had taken place between his Excellency and Rear-Admiral Wilkes, respecting a complaint made by the latter that undue partiality had been shown by the Governor to the Confederate vessel "Oreto," and to request that we would take the same into our consideration and favour_your Lordship with our opinion whether there has been any breach of Her Majesty's Regulations.
Mr. Hammond was also pleased to state that he was directed by your Lordship to enclose a previous letter from the Colonial Office on the same subject.
In obedience to your Lordship's commands we have taken these papers into our consideration, and have the honour to
Report
+3
We would
That we are of opinion that his Excellency the Governor of the Windward Islands does not appear to have been guilty of showing any undue partiality to the "Oreto or to have committed any literal breach of Her Majesty's Regulations. take the liberty of observing further that his Excellency owes no account to Admiral Wilkes of his conduct in the matter of the discharge of his duties towards Her Majesty, and that the very offensive tone and language of that officer's letter ought to apprize his Excellency of the inexpediency of long personal interviews and explana- tions with him. It is manifest that upon this as upon other occasions these interviews and explanations are made the pretext for writing subsequent letters of this descrip- tion, intended to be used hereafter very disingenuously, as proof of charges made at the time of the favour shown by Her Majesty's Officers to the Confederate States.
We feel ourselves called upon, while giving to Governor Walker full credit for honest and impartial conduct, to add that in our opinion the letter and spirit of Her Majesty's Regulations (quoted in Rear Admiral Wilke's Despatch of the 6th March 1863) have not been adhered to with sufficient strictness in either of the cases men- tioned--that of the "San Jacinto" or that of the "Oreto."
The limits of the supply of coal in particular prescribed by that regulation ought to be observed both as to the quantity of coal to be supplied in the first instance and as to the interval of time which in the absence of "special permission" (a permission not contemplated except under special circumstances, of a kind different in our opinion from those which occurred in the two cases in question) ought to elapse between two successive supplies of coal from British ports.
The Right Hon. the Earl Russell,
&c.
&c.
We have, &c. (Signed)
WM. ATHERTON ROUNDELL PALMER. ROBERT PHILLIMORE.
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
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