I
therefore wrote to the Governor to obtain the opinion of the
Attorney-General of the Colony upon this subject, which correspondence
is inclosed.
7. On the 8th of August the tender Tuscaloosa, a sailing barque, arrived
in Simon's Bay, and the boarding officer having reported to me that her
original cargo of wool was still on board, I felt that there were
grounds for doubting her real character, and again called the Governor's
attention to this circumstance. My letter and his reply are annexed. And
I would here beg to submit to their Lordships' notice that this power of
a captain of a ship of war to constitute every prize he may take a
"tender," appears to me to be likely to lead to abuse and evasion of the
laws of strict neutrality, by being used as a means for bringing prizes
into neutral ports for disposal of their cargoes, and secret
arrangements--which arrangements, it must be seen, could afterwards be
easily carried out at isolated places.
8. The Alabama, after lying three days in Table Bay, came to this
anchorage to caulk and refit. She arrived here on the 9th, and sailed
again on the 15th instant. Captain Semmes was guarded in his conduct,
and expressed himself as most anxious not to violate the neutrality of
these waters.
9. I should observe that, from the inclosed copy of a letter from
Captain Forsyth to the Governor, it would appear that the vessel Sea
Bride, taken by the Alabama off Table Bay, was beyond the jurisdiction
of neutral territory.
Pages:
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487