Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-03-21
CASE OF TIE BLACK wApp,o.
Letter from Consul Robertson to Secretary b,,.,.

| SIR BY the United States steamer CurwIn Whit
patched 10 Charleston on the Isl instant oss
importance of the Intelligence had 10 commnns'a'i the
fed that course, advised you of the seizure by The us
house auhor.es mere appa'e9y or rather evidently win;
Island OF the cargo board the steamer Black ol he
New York, and Of the attempt to lay very heavy Of
the captain Of the vessel which fine Is said 10 ne ,gou
amount to The value othe cnrgo-all this under tho oe
If Bis having made false entry; witt thu. hp s,,taee
ship 10 be in ballast when she had co!ton on board '
stu eel II 10 be my duty 10 repeat the clrcums,,.
the case any thar may have cnmmnt
ted In ny despatch before mentioned numbered 81 e'
The steamer expected here from Mobile. on her ~
| to New York. the 26ih ullimo. Messrs Tynp 4 ny
her consgnces the hoy before, (25tb, Saturday, ro,
and cleared her in 6ui!-s Tnls has been cuslom,,v ~
steamers Of the Law and British mail lines nlc,m ny
that The Black Warrior has been entered ADD CLEARED ~ ~
1st since she commenced 10 about ninecen man,
past making two trips per monh withou! any objection"
The part the custom-house authorities VINO cannot ,.
Ignorance OF the fact, for Immediately that steamer d,o
her aucnor two custom house guards and IN unnEi
number of policemen public and secret, placed y.
board watch every passenger or package on tho chip M
attempt has ever been made that Of 10 conc,
the cargo Furthermore the captain OF the Black Warn.
has been In the habit deliver the authorities on sv
vera numbers of The public! journals Of New York o, M
bile of tho latest dates which contained the adversem.n
Of III. Black Warriors being a5>go 10 sal! on such at,s
expressing cargo she carried for her port OF destination
The ship arrived here on Tho morning OF ae 18th. Tn.
capnip delivered HE manifest IN ballast had been cu
fo,y He assures that he had always been under n.
impression that special coacessIon existed VII exempted
his vessel and other steamers from the !omaty OF man
the shp entertain tho belief On the day. 2,l
at about u O'CLOCK Mr. Tying sent s clerk 10 the custom
for the despatch OF the steamer 10 take the sameo
the cuptan Of ports the pass for her Leave
tho port; refused 10 him, and no was Informed thai
the ship stopped by order Of superior authority Ii.
royai excheouer. Upon this, Mr. Tying with the captain
came 10 my office and informed OF the state OF the cas-,
whilst the was enerihI protest, took the late.
with me to captain general: The object OF this in,e
lay before his exceency oil The circumstances
of tho case acuary 10 show that there had not ben
on the part OF Clptn Bullock or any one concerned 10 he
ship the least intention Of violating any law OF Spain
regulation Of port His cxcesncy courtcousy ls,eIs
20 me- and reT lied that report had been made TO him
the subec he recommended lharl should give him my
satemen, in a memorial official communication. Ia
metatcIy returned my Office and prepared my Letter 10
ihe cauain general OF this letter. In my anxiety bring
the afi TO satisfactory settlement without deay ip,
n, copy which regret In The mean TINS, Mr. Tying Wen,
IN the house. finding that the cause OF Inc oincuy
was the omission Of In tr1nsttu IN tho manifest
and thinking that The twe We hours allowed by i~'O
amend manifests had not elapsed and that by making
rhe an,enJmcn Ire difficulty would DO terminated he az
piled The collector stating ha 10 'ne course OIL hteen
minutes or half hour no would De prepared TO present
the corec, manifest. Tho collector replied mat could
not and should not be admitted because he mad ALREADY
appcd for vessels despatch or something TO this effect
Il Is true tina, Mr. Tying had applied for the dsspachi bar
NAV be well 10 bear in mind that 1t was not given; and Tia
question In nv opinion whether the steamer could be
sidrred az cleared in effect 50 far as regards the clearance
on the 25,h before she had arrived deem INFORMAL Dr.
was al the time Informed that the cargo was con-
and the captan net according 10 The custom hone
regulations In the afternoon of The same day. have been
lpformed) gang OF men were sent alongside Inc snip 10
commence the discharge OF the cargo but nding mat The
nten and pnrser were shore the operation was deferred
until tho next morning. when they again appeared and The
officer the head of the party demanded OF Inc captain The
delivery of The cargo which Captain Bullock declined,
marking TO officer that If he took by force as ne must
u one single bale Of tho cargo he he coptaio would To-
slany haul down tis coos and abandon lis snip 10 them
This seemed TO make the officer hesitate He suspended his
peraton and came shoreno doubt TO lay the facts be-
lore his supeors and receive their directions he soou
turned on board opened the matches and commenced the dis
cha re whereupon Captain Bullock hauled down his flag and
with his officers and crew. abandoned The vessel to The SPau
lsh authorities
reply 10 my letter which far from satisfactory copy
and translation Of the were transmitted TO you with
nv communication, No. 3d. sent per steamer "Cofwln"
On tho lst al about IL O'clock the collector wrote com.
munlca, 10 MIR. Tying. send you copy OF this CON-
nuncaop as we'll that Of second letter from the same
Officer alec that Of Mr. Tyngs reply Enclosed you" vii!
Likewise find copy Of letter received ast evening from
HE Of the treasury aud OF my reply thereto
also accompany copy OF tho printed regulations which
arc handed oil captains OF vessels on the fret visit IRON
the custom house Officers.
have omitted say that an Informed that the 'ceula.
ons concerning steamers require that they shall manifest
quantity coal they hive board but that 10 no H.
stance has this law been complied with. This neglect
observance Of the laws by The authorities themselves has
rendered them therefore nappicabe AM also
assured law pescbes that when it is clearly shown
that there has teer intention Of infringing the lew DE-
auding her sestys revenues parties shall not be Geed
cupabc. Ia opnon II is simply ridiculous 10 uuppcea
for instant that the captain OF the Black Warrior had
any Intention - do otherwise than conform 10 oil established
regulations
Although had written the "lntendsne" LAST evening"
declining the request that should appoint person to take
account Of the cargo proposed TO be landed today So
present OF east the sembiance of sanction on the
part OF his consulate 10 tSeir proceedings, nevertheless
called upon him this morning. remarking by way OF Intro
duc,lon that presented myself only 10 the character
OF consul commercial agent but friend; that was
expecting the steamer Philadelphia to-day and was :nx.
the facts on both sides, that thy government might be pre-
prepared TO The demands aPon It for indemnify by nuo
cent parties interested in the that did not come 10
solicit that hls government should alter its posilon howeY
DESTROYS mig III. be 10 MD In preserving good eatons
between the governments but obtain facts. Ths
led TO discusson | renurkcd thar could not
wrongs made right that II might have been wrong
have entefcj and cleared The ship In ballast; but that the
captain through his consenee had attempted tho
error wiihn the legal time, ana he had been permitted
that this added 10 the long continued and by the authorizes
ekno"u, practice If entering in ballast when she had
cargo in transu. did not see how they could put them
selves in the right; s, that disposed
the law points oeariDg the case but that had given
much pain that the matter had been settled satisac;o
y and uTicaby, Us il should have been and finally that
opprehensipe that this niiir might great ogia
ton and difficulty from The circumstances OF there being
many parties interested who had nothing whatever 10 do
with the vessel TO all this the nendente said that he
grc,ed that he had not me before; that the mater
stood he did not know what 10 do, but no would exsnHs
carefully Into H. and Try bring 10 satisfactory tern!ni
tlon, or something to this effect,
But in the lme tho ship has been by order OF tho
authorities ulad to Of the wharyer and Of tho
cargo taken out There every appearance tina, Ia Intend
ed 10 proceed with the discharge.
in my dispatch mo "a ted that tho British mai! line
have also been In the habit CT entering clearing 10 54c
when they had cargo ON board. Mr. Crawford, The Bnnn
consul has insured me to day such the
Some Of the officers and all the OF the BLACK Waf
rIo board OF the United States steamer Fulton tie
transient passengers fourteen In number, shore
beg Of you 20 consider my anxiety lay before you ell
the circumstances thu, can bring mind In regard 10 the
unfortunate affair." ss sufficient apology for the engh o.
this deepatch
There three four other American vessels In dfcu
~ here at presently but do consider thal Of SUN
importance 10 require that shall trouble you with them
Until can ascertain the result and whether ills has no'
been In conformity ~ law.
have the honor be- sir with great respsct very
obedIcn! servant, WILLIAM H. ROBERTSON,
Acting CousuL
Hon. wM L. MACY,
Secretary Of State nf the U States. Washington.