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MY LORD,
No. 739A.
(GENERAL.)
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL to FOREIGN OFFICE.
Temple, December 10, 1871.
I AM favoured with your Lordship's commands signified in Mr. Hammond's letter of to-day addressed to me and Mr. Solicitor-General, stating—
1. That he was directed by your Lordship to transmit to us therewith a letter from the Spanish Minister at this Court with the answer returned to it respecting informa- tion that had reached him of a vessel being fitted out in some port of the United Kingdom for the service of the insurgents in Cuba.
2. That the Board of Treasury were immediately requested to cause inquiry to be made, and on Saturday evening the letter sent therewith was received from the Treasury, containing a police Report respecting a suspicious vessel in the River
Thames.
3. That this morning, however, Mr. Hammond had received from one of the Commissioners of Customs the inclosed copy of a Report from the Customs Authorities at Dundee, calling attention to a vessel named the sold to foreigners, and about to proceed from that port to Shields, if she had not already "Francesco Calderon" recently done 80.
4. That, as a measure of precaution, orders had been sent this morning to Shields,
by telegraph desiring the Customs Authorities not to permit any packages or goods
to be shipped on board the “Francesco Calderon" till further orders.
5. That Mr. Hammond was directed to request that we would take the papers and
the circumstances which he had stated into our immediate consideration, and report
our opinion as to the course which it would be proper to take to prevent any violation of the Foreign Enlistment Act, if such should be contemplated.
In obedience to your Lordship's commands, I have taken the papers into consideration, and have the honour to
Report-
27
or
That it is impossible to say that, with regard either to the "Francesco Calderon the "Scud," there is within the fair meaning of section 23 of 33 & 34 Vict. c. 90, reasonable and probable cause for believing that a.. contrary to the Act. The information of the Spanish Minister is
ship is about to be dispatched from the importance of the subject is clothed in exaggerated language, nor does tho
vague, and
apparently evidence furnished to the Treasury from the Custom-house officer amount to any real or substantial evidence against either ship. The Government will probably have to pay damages for the detention of either ship or both if it is determined to detain them. If, however, the Government have no objection to run the risk, which is undoubtedly considerable, it may be well to detain the "Calderon" at any rate for a few days, that further inquiries may be made concerning her. There is one circumstance connected with that vessel, her being built for extreme speed, which, as she is professedly a trader, certainly seems to show that she is built to be employed for some questionable object. This detention must be the act of the local authority, as I am unable to advise the Secretary of State that he could say that at present there was reasonable cause for his warrant. The warrant, as has been more than once done, may be issued afterwards under section 24.
I have, &c.
J. D. COLERIDGE.
The Rt. Hon. the Earl Granville,
&c.
&c.
&c.
341536-
25.-1,96.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TILTIC.O. 885
سالسا
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