129. The Secretary of the Admiralty to Milne

[Milne Mss MLN/114/1]

Admiralty

1 December 1860

[received 18 December]

No 431 M

Sir

I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you herewith for your information a copy of a letter1 from Commander Wood of the Barracouta dated the 15th Ultimo reporting the state of health of the Supernumeraries and Crew on board the Ship under his command, and giving his reasons for having returned to Spithead instead of proceeding to Halifax as directed by Commodore Dunlop, and I am to acquaint you that their Lordships have fully approved of the steps taken by Commander Wood on the occasion, and also of his having ordered the Hydra to proceed to Halifax.

P.S. I am desired to express their Lordships regret at the sickness and loss of life on board the Hydra reported by Commodore Dunlop[.]

130. Aldham to Milne

[ADM1/5763]

Valorous off Vera Cruz

5 December 1860

Sir,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, on the 4th instant, of your Despatch of the 15th November, via New Orleans, enclosing a Copy of the opinion of the Queen's Advocate on the Legal mode to be pursued when claims were made on the Granadian Government.

2. The Communications from the Foreign Office, referred to in the Despatch, have not yet reached me, negotiations on the General points mentioned, have however been commenced, and I trust that an amicable arrangement on all [points] will be speedily come to without having recourse to coercive measures. Indeed, should it become imperative to adopt such a course, I hardly know, in the face of the Queen's Advocate's opinion, what would be the most efficacious mode of proceeding in regard to this Country.

3. To blockade the Port of a nation for the purpose of obtaining claims, he considers illegal, but it would be more so with this Country. To blockade Vera Cruz and Tampico would annihilate entirely our commerce, even now much impeded by high Tariffs, it would also cause the immediate Suspension of the Dunlop Convention, by which at present we are in receipt of more than 50 percent of the Custom's dues, which is the chief source of the Revenue of this Government, and the only hold we have at present on them for the payment of British claims.