The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-31
CONFEDERATE PROPERTY.


WASHINGTON, July 27.-In response to the
senate resolution calling upon him Tor the evil
dence in the treasury department. relating to the
property OF the United States, or to which the
United States has valid claim, which is held
in adverse possession, the secretary of the
treasury today transmitted to the senate the
reports of IL. B. Littlepage, lately employed as
an agent of the treasury department.
The acting solicitor of the treasury, in his
report, says that there is no personal property
in the charge of his office; but it has been sug.
gested that there is personal property now held
in adverse possession to which the United
States has valid claim. If this be true it
would probably be advisable to recommend an
Apr opriation for its detection and recovery.
The commissioner Of internal revenue says
the only property in charge of his Office is the
real estate acquired under the internal reve-
nue. law. lie can furnish such statement, but
he says it will take some time. AS he is
doubtful whether the object of the resolution
was to obtain such statement, he asks for more
definite instruction in the matter. According
| to a letter from Littlepage to the solicitor of
the treasury, dated October 10, 1887, it seems
| that he was employed ito assist in the pre-
vention and detection of frauds upon the Gus
| toms revenue"
He says: after my conversations with you,
| l infer my special assignment will be to re-
| cover such properties belonging to the confed-
| crate states as have been fraudulently or i'm
properly diverted or concealed In conclud-
| ing, he says: ~ desire that my special assign
IL.
| In a letter. dated November 18th, 1887 Lit
| tlepage says he went to his home in King
| William county, Va, to examine his old con-
| federate papers, made and received while in
| Europe, under the order Of the then confeder-
| ate states government, to obtain accurate data.
! He says he found that in the winter of 1864 he
| was ordered to the confederate ship "TeXas,"
| alias the Pamparo," This vessel was built
at Glasgow as a number one sloop of war, and
was to have received her armament and equip
ment while lying off the coast of England by
another vessel. Captain Henry Sinclair, of
the confederate states navy superintendent the
construction of the vessel, her cost being
81 100000, all of which was fully paid by the
confederate government. The vessel, he says,
started to sea, but having been re-
ported as a confederate cruiser was
seized. Captain Sinclair, rather than
carry her through the courts, secured her
release by guaranteeing that she should not go
into the hands of the confederacy until they
should be entitled to have her. He then char
tered her, and when, a few months after, the
contederacy collapsed, she was sailing under
the same charter. He adds that this vessel
was fully paid for by the confederate govern
ment, and should belong to the United States
She is still valuable, and is now trading be-
tween Edinburg and Copenhagen. He adds
that there are several other Clyde built steam
ers constructed by the confederate government
similarly disposed of by their agents or cap
talns, which should now belong to the United
States. There were also two powerful rams
built by Laird 81 Co., on the Mersey, ostensibiy
for the Chinese government, but which were
inspected and tested by the confederate off
GERS. They We're, he says, seized by the British
authorities and were finally disposed of by the
confederate agents in charge, and are now in
the British navy, having recently been seen
by Admiral Luce at Bermuda, flying the Bri-
fish flag.
Mr.Lttlepage also speaks ofcertain powerful
Clyde built steamers and rams built in France
for the confederate government, and also states
that parties who recently visited Captain Sin
clair's house found that its linen, crockery
cutlery, etc., bore the letters q. S. N, where
articles are supposed to have come from ship
Texas" He adds that the two new Clyde
built steamers, "City of Petersburg and the
"Old Dominion" which were built for the
confederate government. and were paid for by
it. are now running between Liverpool and
! Dublin. He adds: II beg to file an itemized
statement of confederate properties unrecover-
ed by the United States government, but which
might have been recovered had proper steps
been taken l believe that a large amount of
property besides may yet berecovered, although
so many years have elapsed"
The statement here referred to enumerates
property of various kinds, including cash,
amounting in value TO $4,000 900, most Of
which is in English hands, He estimates that
there are $4,000, 600 worth of uncovered prop
erty i'll the United States, not including the
value of many millions Of dollars worth OF cot
ton belonging to the confederate government,
shipped from Brownsville, Galveston and
Matamoras since the war.