No. 138.-Consul Giffard to Earl Russell.-(Received June 2.) (Extract.) Vera Cruz, May 2, 1862. By the present packet your Lordship will receive despatches from Sir Charles Wyke, announcing that his negotiation with M. Doblado at Puebla has been successful, and that he was only waiting for a communication from Mexico before proceeding to that city in company with Commodore Dunlop, where he would remain for the present; the Commodore himself returning to Vera Cruz in about 10 days. So long as Her Majesty's Legation remained at Vera Cruz, I have abstained from addressing your Lordship on matters which it was not my particular province to deal with. But the absence of Sir Charles Wyke makes it my duty to report to your Lordship whatever occurrence of importance may happen within my Consular jurisdiction; and it is for this reason that I now beg leave to inform your Lordship that the rest of the Spanish force under General Prim embarked this morning early for Havana, on board of several Spanish ships sent here a few days ago by the Captain-General of Cuba for that purpose. The French troops, therefore, are now in possession of the Castle of Ulloa, together with the city of Vera Cruz, and its Custom-House, Post Office, &c. In other respects this city is very quiet. Earl Russell. E. M. GIFFARD. No. 139.-The Secretary to the Admiralty to Mr. Hammond.—(Received June 2.) (Extract.) Admiralty, June 2, 1862. I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you herewith, for the information of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a letter dated the 29th April from Commodore Dunlop, reporting that the flags of Great Britain and Spain have been struck at Vera Cruz. E. Hammond, Esq. (Extract.) C. PAGET. (Inclosure.)-Commodore Dunlop to the Secretary to the Admiralty. Puebla, April 29, 1862. I HAVE the honour to acquaint you, for the information of their Lordships, that in accordance with my orders to the senior officer at Vera Cruz, given after previous arrangement with General Prim, our flag was hauled down there and at San Juan de Ulloa at the same time as that of Spain, at sunset on the 24th instant. Both flags were saluted by the French, which was duly returned. I hope their Lordships will be of opinion that I did right in ordering the British flag to be hauled down; both Sir Charles Wyke and myself, after full consideration, were of opinion that after what has occurred there could be no common action between the two countries in Mexico. The Secretary to the Admiralty. HUGH DUNLOP. No. 140.-The Secretary to the Admiralty to Mr. Hammond.-(Received June 2.) (Extract.) Admiralty, June 2, 1862. I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you herewith, for the information of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, extracts of letters from Commodore Dunlop dated the 22nd April and 28th April. E. Hammond, Esq. C. PAGET. (Inclosure 1.)-Commodore Dunlop to the Secretary to the Admiralty. (Extract.) Orizaba, April 22, 1862. I HAVE the honour to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the unexpected arrival of the French troops on the 20th instant, obliged General Doblado to return to Puebla, after having reached the gates of Orizaba, in order to meet Sir C. Wyke and myself. He has invited us to come to Puebla, for the purpose of conferring with him on the proposed Treaty for the redress of British claims and grievances of all kinds, and he promises to offer what he considers sufficient guarantees for the fulfilment of all that he undertakes on behalf of the Government. Sir C. Wyke and myself have determined to accept General Doblado's invitation to meet him in Puebla, for which city we leave this day, having procured "salvo conductas" from the French and Mexican Commanders. The Secretary to the Admiralty. HUGH DUNLOP. (Inclosure 2.)-Commodore Dunlop to the Secretary to the Admiralty. (Extract.) Puebla, April 28, 1862. WITH reference to my correspondence relative to the intention of Sir C. Wyke and myself to endeavour to negotiate a Treaty with General Doblado, on the part of the Mexican Government, for the redress of British grievances, I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of their Lordships, that we have this day concluded and signed a Convention that I trust will in all respects meet the approval of Her Majesty's Government.* I have in conclusion only to add, that whatever merit the Convention just signed may have belongs to my colleague Sir Charles Wyke to his ability and firmness the British claimants and creditors will owe any advantages they may derive from it. : * Page 573. I readily afforded such little assistance as my previous experience in Mexican affairs enabled me to give, but to my colleague the work belongs, and the credit which I trust he will receive for its execution. The Secretary to the Admiralty. HUGH DUNLOP. No. 141.-The Secretary to the Admiralty to Mr. Hammond.-(Received June 3.) SIR, Admiralty, June 2, 1862. I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you herewith, for the information of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a letter from Commodore Dunlop, dated 21st April, with copy of its inclosure, relating to the blockade of the Mexican ports of Tampico and Alvarado by the French squadron, and reporting that Vice-Admiral Jurien de la Gravière has given orders not to interfere with the communication of the British mail-packet with Tampico if she does not carry contraband of war, and also to allow specie to be exported in such mail-packet. I am, &c. E. Hammond, Esq. C. PAGET. (Inclosure 1.)-Commodore Dunlop to the Secretary to the Admiralty. SIR, Orizaba, April 21, 1862. I HAVE the honour to inclose herewith a copy of a letter from the Commander-in-chief of the French naval force in the Gulf of Mexico, stating his intention of ordering the blockade of the ports of Tampico and Alvarado, but that he has given orders not to interfere with the communication of the British mail-packet, on the assurance of the Commander that he does not carry contraband of war. I have, since receiving the above-mentioned letter, seen ViceAdmiral Jurien de la Gravière, on the subject of the exportation of specie from Tampico, and on my representing the great inconvenience it would be to the mercantile interests if any interference took place with the free exportation of specie in the British mailpackets, which takes place nearly every month, he at once assured me he would send orders to prevent any such interference. The Secretary to the Admiralty. I am, &c. HUGH DUNLOP. (Inclosure 2.)-Vice-Admiral de la Gravière to Commodore Dunlop. Orizaba, le 20 Avril, 1862. LE Soussigné, Vice-Amiral Commandant-en-chef, a l'honneur de porter à la connaissance de son Excellence M. le Commandanten-chef des forces navales Anglaises dans le Golfe du Mexique, qu'ayant pris ses mesures pour assurer, à partir du 1 Mai, le blocus des ports de Tampico et d'Alvarado, il a donné des ordres pour que sur une simple déclaration du capitaine que son bâtiment ne transporte aucune contrebande de guerre, le service du paquebot Anglais avec le port de Tampico ne soit entravé en quoi que ce soit. Le Soussigné a transmis note de cette décision au Gouvernement de Sa Majesté l'Empereur. Il saisit, &c. Commodore Dunlop. E. JURIEN. No. 142.-The Secretary to the Admiralty to Mr. Hammond.-(Received June 4.) SIR, Admiralty, June 2, 1862. I AM Commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you herewith, for the information of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a letter from Commodore Dunlop, dated the 17th April, in explanation of the proceedings of Her Majesty's Commissioners in Mexico, and relative to the arrest of General Miramon. I am, &c. E. Hammond Esq. SIR, C. PAGET. (Inclosure.)-Commodore Dunlop to the Secretary to the Admiralty. Orizaba, April 17, 1862. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge having this day received the duplicate of your letter to Sir A. Milne of 11th March, with Mr. Hammond's letter from the Foreign Office of 10th March, inclosed, relative to my despatch of 30th January, reporting the arrest of the ex-President of Mexico, General Miramon, and my intention to send him back to Havana; and stating that Earl Russell suggests that it should be pointed out to Commodore Dunlop that it is far from the wish of Her Majesty's Government to kindle a civil war in Mexico, and consequently the protection of the British flag, and the permission to land under it, were very properly withheld from General Miramon, whose arrival would probably have given rise to such civil war, but Commodore Dunlop must not suppose that Her Majesty's Government have undertaken to inaugurate a new era, or to attempt the reformation of Mexico, the object of Her Majesty's Government being definite, and limited to the protection of British persons and property. And it is further stated in Mr. Hammond's letter that Commodore Dunlop does not sufficiently explain why the restriction was applied to General Miramon alone, and not also to his numerous followers, &c. ; and that it is not explained why, as it was intended to send General Miramon back in a ship of war, a delay was suffered to take place before his departure, &c. I feel great confidence that when the whole of my corre spondence has reached their Lordships, and placed before them in detail each link of the chain of events in Mexico, they will see how very complicated and difficult a position the British Commissioners occupied, and what very great care was necessary to enable them to continue a united action with some of their colleagues until it was apparent that the Convention of October was no longer to be considered the basis of their policy, and that immediately this fact was clearly developed they did not hesitate to withdraw from a common action, which, if continued, would have involved Her Majesty's Government in serious difficulties. I am equally confident that when all these details are fairly laid before Her Majesty's Government, and the whole policy undeviatingly pursued by their Agents thus explained, it will be manifest that from first to last they have been guided solely by the Convention of October and their instructions, and that they have never for one moment lost sight of the one great object of adhering to the spirit of the policy indicated therein; that never for one moment have they lost sight of the paramount importance of placing above the possibility of doubt the fact that Her Majesty's Government had no concealed objects in view in sending a British force to Mexico, that the object of their doing so was fairly and honestly set before the world in the Convention of October, and that when that Convention ceased to be the rule of the united action of the allied Commissioners it was time for them to separate. The long intervals between the arrival of my reports in England led to a judgment being formed on isolated portions of my conduct, aud I regret to see that expressions used in some of my despatches have been supposed to imply an inclination on my part to follow a policy which I never for one moment contemplated, and that alarm was raised that I was the advocate of some wild and absurd scheme for the "regeneration of Mexico," and entertained a quixotic idea of "inaugurating a new era" in that Republic. In making use of the word "regeneration" in my letter to you of January 15, and of the words "inaugurate a new era" in my letter to Sir A. Milne of January 30, I did so in a very limited i sense. was far from entertaining the inflated idea that Her Majesty's Government, forgetful of the wrongs of British subjects and the large sums of money due to them, wished to appear only as the benefactor and guardian angel of Mexico, and had sent a force there with that view alone; my thoughts in making use of these words, were confined to giving our moral support to the formation of a strong Government, from which we might hope for a redress of our grievances. The formation of such a Government was the furthest reach of my hopes for the "regeneration of Mexico," and would indeed have been the "inauguration of a new era in its history." |