[Inclosure 31 in No. 9.] Mr. Coneley to Mr. Blanchard. CROWN LAW-OFFICES, Melbourne, February 11, 1865. SIR: I am directed by the law-officers of the Crown to acknowledge the. receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, addressed to his excellency the governor, and containing an affidavit of one John Williams relative to the shipment of men on board the Shenandoah in this port. In reply, I am to inform you that the above-named John Williams may attend on Monday morning next, at the office of the Crown solicitor, and if he can give evidence sufficient to support a charge of misdemeanor against any of the persons concealed on board the Shenandoah, or against any of the officers of that ship, proceedings will be taken immediately. I have, &c., A. W. CONELEY, Secretary. [Inclosure 32 in No. 9.1 Testimony of John Williams. I, John Williams, of No. 6 Richmond street, Boston, Massachusetts, do declare on oath : 1 That I shipped on board the bark De Godfrey, Captain Halleck, and sailed in said bark from Boston on the 6th of October, 1864; that nothing unusual occurred until the 7th of November, 1864, when a vessel under steam and sail, flying the English ensign, ran down to us, lowered the English flag, and hoisted the confederate flag, which I knew, fired a cannon for said bark to heave-to, which said bark did; that a boat from said steamer, containing two officers and six men, all armed, came alongside; both officers came on board said bark, and ordered the captain and first mate to go on board said steam-vessel, and take the bark's papers with them; that the captain and mate, as ordered, did go; that one of the said armed officers took charge of the bark in the captain's absence; that when Captain Halleck returned, he was allowed to take only part of his clothing; that we were all then ordered on board the said steam-vessel; that before I had reached the said steam-vessel I saw the bark I had left on fire, and I watched her until the mainmast went over the side; that after I got on board I was ordered to go into the cabin and work, and all hands called to splice main brace. That the next day the captain of said steamer, Mr. Waddell, said I had better join the ship, as it would be better for me; that as colored people were the cause of the war, if I did not join it would go hard with me; that said Waddell said he wanted to get all the colored persons he could; that I offered to work, but refused to join ship; that he then said he would put me in the coal-hole for six months; that he then offered me a month's advance (£6) which I refused, because I am a loyal citizen, and have served my time in the Navy of the United States; that I was in the Congress when she was sunk in Hampton Roads, and had with me my discharge from the Minnesota; that I have been triced up by the thumbs seven times for upholding my country; that I have been triced up after my work was done from 6 o'clock p. m. until 9 o'clock p. m.; that I told Mr. Whittle that I was forced to join said Shenandoah, and if the Minnesota was [71] *here, she would blow this vessel out of the water; he then ordered me to be triced up by the thumbs, which was done by the master-at-arms; that I continued at work on board said vessel until her arrival in the port of Melbourne, and until Monday night last, when I swam ashore, to find the United States consul; that when I first went on board the said steamship I saw that her articles read "Shenandoah," but all parts of the vessel were marked "Sea King," of Glasgow; that two 12-pounder guns were marked "Sea King," with a crown, and the letters P. D., one on each side of the crown, and the said guns were so marked when I left the said Shenandoah on Monday last; that the cooking-stove that I used while on board was marked "Sea King," of Glasgow; that the said stove was on board on Monday last; that Captain Waddell told me he would get me a better stove as soon as the vessel went on the slip; that the bell, sideboard, wheel, and brass plate on the cabin door were all marked "Sea King" when I first went on board the said Shenandoah; that in all the captures made by said Shenandoah since I have been on board, the guns marked "Sea King," and having a crown and letters P. D. as before described, were used to bring the vessel to; that no other cannon have been fired since I came on board. (Signed) JOHN WILLIAMS. Subscribed and sworn to in duplicate, this 11th day of February, before me, as witness my hand and seal of office. (Signed) WM. BLANCHARD, United States Consul, Melbourne. [Inclosure 33 in No. 9.] Testimony of Walter J. Madden. I, Walter J. Madden, of Boston, Massachusetts, do declare on oath : That I sailed from Boston, Massachusetts, in the bark De Godfrey, Captain Halleck, on October 6, 1864, bound to Valparaiso; that on the 7th of November, 1864, the said bark was captured by a steamer which I afterward learned was called. Shenandoah, said steamer first showing the English ensign and after we showed our colors she hoisted the confederate flag; that I was then ordered on board the said Shenandoah; that after I got on board I was told that if I would not join said Shenandoah I would be put in irons and in the coal-hole until I did join or until said vessel arrived at a port to land me, which might be several months; that being sick at the time, and in order to avoid punishment, I consented to join her for six months, against which shipment I now protest; that when I came on board said Shenandoah, I saw the aprons on two quarter-deck cannons marked "Sea King," which words "Sea King" were about one month afterward erased; that the bell forward was also marked "Sea King," which words were erased; that I served on board said Shenandoah, as captain of the hold; that all the stores on board said vessel down to her kelson are marked "Sea King," except those taken from the vessels captured after I came on board said Shenandoah; that the letters "ING" cut in the head-board, which is broken off said ship Shenandoah, and painted over, were still visible when I left the vessel on the 7th February, 1864, in the port of Melbourne; that when I left the vessel on the 7th instant, there were men hid in the forecastle of said ship, and two working in the galley, all of whom came on board of said vessel since her arrival in this port; that the officers pretend they do not know that said men are so hid. That the guns on the quarter-deck, marked "Sea King," when I came on board, were the only guns on board said Shenandoah that were used to make prizes; that on the occasion of the capture of the Delphine one of the rifled guns of said vessel was cleared away for use, but the vessel hove to without a shot from said rifled gun. (Signed) WALTER JAMES MADDEN. Subscribed and sworn to in duplicate before me, this 9th day of February, 1865, as witness my hand and seal of office. (Signed) WM. BLANCHARD, United States Consul, Melbourne. [72] * [Inclosure 34 in No. 9.] Testimony of Thomas Jackson. I, Thomas Jackson, at present of the city of Melbourne, in the colony of Victoria' able seaman, make oath and say: 1. That I am a native of Yorkshire, England, and between three and four months ago I shipped at Liverpool on board the Laurel steamer, of Liverpool, to proceed on a voyage to the Gulf of Mexico, and was shipped and taken on board the said steamer Laurel, by Allen, chief engineer of Fraser & Co., of Liverpool, while under influence of drink, and the day after I was taken on board the said steamer a number of boxes were hoisted on board the said steamer Laurel from two tug-boats, while the Laurel was in the Mersey, and I assisted in putting the said boxes on board, and on the following day the Laurel proceeded on her said voyage, or supposed voyage. 2. That after the expiration of about five days from the said steamer's leaving Liverpool on the said supposed voyage she anchored at Madeira and took in coal, and waited at anchor there for about three days, when a steamer signalized the said steamer Laurel from outside, and the said steamer Laurel then weighed anchor and proceeded to the back of the island and waited for the aforesaid steamer, which came alongside, and I then saw the words "Sea King" on the bows. 3. That the cargo brought out in the said steamer Laurel was then transferred to the said steamship Sea King, such cargo being packed in boxes, and was put on board the Laurel at Liverpool while I was on board, and which I assisted in putting on board as aforesaid, and the said steamer Sea King immediately proceeded on her voyage and hoisted the flag of the so-called Confederate States of America, and the people on board the Laurel gave the Sea King three chcers, and the Laurel then proceeded, as I believe, to Nassau. 4. That I shipped on board the said steamship Sea King at Madeira as fireman, being engaged by Whittle, who is now first lieutenant of the steamship called the Shenandoah, having been first well supplied with rum to drink by the said Whittle and Bullock the sailing-master. 5. That about two days after leaving Madeira in the said steamer Sea King the said words "Sea King" were painted over, and the said Whittle, after the said cargo was put on board from the said steamer Laurel, and about a day after the said steamer Sea King left Madeira, read his commission to the crew, and told me that I was supposed to be a southern man, and the name of the said steamship Sea King was in future to be Shenandoah, and thereupon from that time afterward the said steamship Sea King was called Shenandoah. 6. That in about a month or six weeks after leaving Madeira, in the said steamer Sea King, (at this time called the Shenandoah,) the bell of the steamer bearing the words "Sea King" engraven thereon was brought to me by Grey, the gunner of the said steamer Shenandoah, who told me to help file the said words "Sea King" out of the said bell, which I did, assisted by Martin the store-keeper of the said steamer, and the next day the said Martin took the said bell back to one of the men, and I afterward saw the said bell on the top-gallant forecastle, and the said bell was on board the said steamer Shenandoah when I left her in Hobson's Bay, Victoria. 7. That all the officers on board the said steamship Shenandoah, with the exception of the first lieutenant, came from Liverpool in the said steamship Laurel, and went on board the said steamer Sea King at the back of Madeira as aforesaid. 8. That the said cargo put on board the said steamer at the back of Madeira from the Laurel, packed in boxes as aforesaid, was afterward opened, and consisted of cannon, carriages, shot and shell, and also powder; and the said cannon were afterward mounted on board the said steamer Sea King, now Shenandoah. 9. That about two days before the said steamer Shenandoah arrived in Hobson's Bay the said words "Sea King" were still visible on the bows of said steamer Shenandoah, and the said Whittle told some of the crew to paint over the bows of the said steamer again, which they did, and painted a white streak around her stern back. 10. That about six weeks after leaving Madeira as aforesaid, some plates with the words "Sea King" engraved or cut therein affixed between the cabin doors and other places on the said steamship then called the Shenandoah, were unscrewed by the carpenter (O'Shea) and thrown overboard. 11. That I have sailed eight or nine years backward and forward from the United States of America, and have a protection as a United States citizen, which is now, together with all my clothes, on board the said steamer Shenandoah. 12. That the said Sea King had on board of her when I joined her from the [73] said *Laurel near Madeira two mounted cannon, and that the said two mounted cannon did not come out in the said Laurel; that the said two mounted cannon were the only cannon used to make captures or prizes with, while I was on board the said Shenandoah; that the cannon taken from the said Laurel had never been fired since they had been put on board the said Shenandoah, and I left the Shenandoah on the 27th day of January, 1865, at the port of Melbourne. (Signed) his THOMAS + JACKSON. mark. Subscribed and sworn to in duplicate (first reading of the above oath to Thomas Jackson in the presence of J. B. Swasey and Simeon Gage, who witnessed also his mark) before me, this 8th day of February, 1865, as witness my hand and seal of office. (Signed) WM. BLANCHARD, United States Consul, Melbourne. [Inclosure 35 in No. 9.] Mr. Blanchard to Governor Sir C. Darling. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SIR: I have the honor to forward to your excellency, inclosed herewith, the affidavits of three persons, taken before me, in relation to the Sea King, alias Shenandoah, which affidavits go to show the real character of said vessel, and are in support of the several protests I have had the honor to forward to you : 1. John Williams, late a prisoner from the American bark De Godfrey, and an impressed cook on board the said Sea King, alias Shenandoah. 2. Walter Madden, late a prisoner from same bark, and captain of the hold on board said Sea King, alias Shenandoah. 4. Thomas Jackson, late a seaman on board the Laurel, and fireman on board the Sea King, alias Shenandoah. I have, &c., WM. BLANCHARD. [Inclosure 36 in No. 9.] Mr. Warde to Mr. Blanchard. PRIVATE SECRETARY'S OFFICE, SIR: In acknowledging the receipt of your letter of this date, I am directed by his excellency to acquaint you that the matter to which it more particularly refers, and which was first brought under his notice in your letter of the 10th instant, has engaged, and continues to engage, the earnest attention of the colonial government. I have, &c., (Signed) L. H. WARDE, [Inclosure 37 in No. 9.] Mr. Blanchard to Governor Sir C. Darling. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SIR: I have the honor to forward to your excellency, inclosed herewith, the affidavits of F. C. Bebrucke and Hermann Wicke, late prisoners from the American bark Alina, and impressed sailors on board the Sea King, alias Shenandoah, taken before me this day, which affidavits are in support of my protests, and also tend to show a continued violation of law by persons on board said vessel. [74] I have, &c., *[Inclosure 38 in No. 9.] WM. BLANCHARD. Testimony of Hermann Wicke. I, the undersigned, Hermann Wicke, now of the city of Melbourne, solemnly declare and make oath: That I am a native of Port Hanse, district Achem, kingdom of Hanover, Germany; that I shipped as ship's boy, on the 5th October, 1864, at Newport, England, on board the American bark Alina; that on the 6th October the Alina sailed from Newport for Buenos Ayres, and that up to the 29th October nothing unusual occurred; that on the 29th October, at about 10 a. m., a steamship, with steam up, and under full sail, was descried coming toward the bark Alina, and on nearing about two miles the English ensign was hoisted on said steamer, whereupon the bark Alina hoisted the United States colors; that about 1 o'clock on same day, when within a distance of three quarters of a mile, the said steamer fired a blank shot, lowered the English flag, and hoisted the flag of the Confederate States of America; that the bark Alina thereupon hove-to, and was boarded by a boat from said steamer manned with five sailors and two officers, who were all fully armed with revolvers; that the captain and mate were ordered on board the steamer, whereas the crew was required to remove such stores from the Alina with two boats from Alina and two from the steamer, as were pointed out by an officer of the steamer who was left on board; that the crew was informed that the ship was a prize of the Confederate States of America, and that each of the crew would be allowed to take one bag of clothing on board the steamer; that I went with others on board the steamer, on the bell of which I saw the name Sea King, which subsequently was erased; I was told the name of said steamer was Shenandoah; Captain Waddell, of steamer Shenandoah, asked me to join ship; I was intimidated, and, not understanding English properly then, I replied yes to everything I was told and asked; I signed, being afraid that by not doing so I might lose my life; that I served on board the Shenandoah as coal-trimmer, and on the passage to Melbourne eight ships were captured by the Shenandoah, for the heaving-to of which two ordinary ships' guns aft alone were used; I never saw any of the two rifled guns out of the four 68-pounders used or fired; that William Clark, also a coal-trimmer on board the Shenandoah, told me she sailed from London as the Sea King, and that he shipped in London on board the Sea King; that the said William Clark was still on board on the 12th instant, when I left the Shenandoah; that since her arrival at Hobson's Bay I did the work of "firemen's mess cook," consisting of bringing to and fetching from the cooking-galley the food for the firemen, and clearing table, &c.; that the rations in Hobson's Bay are served out by the master-at-arms, (I believe named Reed,) who gives the rations to Quartermaster Vickings, and this latter brings the rations to the gallery to be cooked by cook, known by the name of Charley; that said cook Charley was not on board the Shenandoah on her arrival in the bay; he went on board since her arrival, and he told me he would join the ship as cook; that he dared not do it in the port, but that he would do it when proceeding outward; that I also saw said cook take rations to a number of men concealed in the forecastle, who went on board since her arrival in Hobson's Bay; that on Saturday, the 11th February, 1865, when working and cleaning the Shenandoah, three boys who came on board the Shenandoah since her arrival in this port assisted in painting between deck, whereas the number of men so concealed (as mentioned above) worked on deck; that said men so concealed, in number about ten, receive rations cooked in same cooking-apparatus, and served in same way as the regular crew on board; they eat out of the ship's plates in the forecastle, such as were used by the prisoners while on the cruise; that they sleep on board, one part in forecastle, the other part between deck; that the cook Charley and another, which I could identify if seeing him again, wore sometimes the ship's uniform; that on the 12th instant I left the Shenandoah, on leave, and having joined her under intimidation, against which I hereby protest, I place myself now under the protection of the United States consulate at Melbourne. (Signed) HERMANN WICKE. Subscribed and sworn to, in duplicate, before me the 14th day of February, 1865, as witness my hand and seal of office. (Signed) WM. BLANCHARD, United States Consul, Melbourne. [75] *[Inclosure 39 in No. 9.] Testimony of F. C. Bebrucke. I, F. C. Bebrucke, of Lubeck, in Germany, seaman, do declare on oath : That I shipped on board the American bark Alina, of Boston, at Newport, England, on the 5th of October, 1864, and sailed in said bark on the 6th of same month, bound for Buenos Ayres; that nothing unusual occurred until the 29th of October, when a steamship neared us, flying the English ensign, which was then lowered, another flag hoisted, and a blank shot fired to heave our bark to; that the said bark hove-to, and was boarded by armed men from the said steamship; that said armed men ordered the crew to take one bag of clothes, and go on board said steamship; that all the crew of said bark did as ordered; that when I went on board said steamship I found eight guns mounted, on two of which guns I saw the words Sea King; that her crew consisted of twenty-three officers aft; that in addition to the above officers there was one gunner, two gunners' mates, four quartermasters, two cockswains, one boatswain, two boatswains' mates, two carpenters, one sail-maker, four firemen, one store-keeper, two coal-trimmers, one master-at-arms; that Sea King was also on the bell forward and the harness-casks; that on going on board steamship I was asked to join her, which I refused to do; that the master-at-arms was then called, who put me in irons, and in top-gallant forecastle, along with the sheep and hens, where I was kept from Saturday 3 p. m. until Sunday night 11 p. m; that to avoid such punishment I consented to join said steamship, against which imprisonment I now protest; that after I came on board the steamship, (which I heard called Shenandoah,) she made eight captures, some of which were burnt, some sunk, and some bonded and let go; that I remained on board said steamship until Sunday, the 12th of February, 1865, when I came on shore at Melbourne on liberty; that the only cannon fired while I was on board were the two guns that had Sea King marked on their aprons; that the said marks are not now on the said two guns; that all the prizes were hove-to with said two guns; that before I left the said steamship I saw about ten men concealed in said Shenandoah; some of said men told me they came on board to join; that several of the said men were at work with me on Saturday last, with the knowledge of the officers; that one of said men told me that he could not sign articles in this port, but was going to do so as soon as he got outside; that one man who was in the galley (who came on board in this port) wears the uniform, and performs his daily duty in said uniform; that said man in the galley has been wearing the uniform for about eight or ten days; that I heard said man in the galley called "Charley;" that all the said men who came on board since we have arrived in Melbourne have rationed from the said ship Shenandoah; that I have seen the master-at-arms serve out their provisions to Vicking; that after the provisions are cooked I have seen Quartermaster Vicking take it to them from the galley while concealed in the forecastle. (Signed) F. C. BEBRUCKE. Subscribed and sworn to in duplicate before me, this 14th day of February, 1865, as witness my hand and seal of office. (Signed) W. BLANCHARD, United States Consul, Melbourne. |