The Washington herald., 1914-04-23

Fifty years ago today the commander
of two French war vessels that were
lying at City Point. Va. inside the Con-
federate lines. was requested by the Fed
erai government to withdraw his vessels
from the James River.
This request introduced into the war
records one of the few references there
In relating to little-known interna-
tional incident Of the war.
The French vessels had gone up the
James with the consent Of the Federal
and Confederate governments, for the
purpose of bringing away 4 large guam
tity OF tobacco claimed to have been
purchaser by the French government
before the beginning of the war.
A limit had been set by the Washing
ton authorities oil their stay in the river
and this limit having been reached, and
the French ships not having left the
James. the Federal government sent 4
polite request to their commander. Count
Henri Marivault to bring his vessels to
Hampton Roads.
This request was forwarded through
Gen B. F. Butler. military commander
at Fort Monroe, and was conveyed up
the James by one of his aids. Col
Charles ]. Paine, on a steamer flying a
flag Of truce.
Frances Need of Tobacco.
The presence of the French ships in
the Jan 3 grew out of a diplomatic cor
respondence that had lasted since carly
in 1863, in which France, the Confeder-
ate States and the Federal government
were principals. and England an inter-
ested associate.
The French government had made
representations to the United States
government that at the beginning of
the war large quantities OF tobacco,
purchased by its agent, were stored in
Richmond: that the manufacture of to-
bacco was a French national monopoly.
and that a shortage OF raw material was
much felt. to the detriment of the ma
tional finances
The request, therefore. was made that
permission be granted France to send
ships for the tobacco.
Such permission was granted by the
United States, and later was revoked. on
the ground that 1t might establish a pre-
cedent that would Justify England in
making a similar request, possibly with
regard to cotton.
In the diplomatic correspondence on
the matter Secretary OF State Seward
pointed out that France had granted asy-
lum at Brest to the Confederate States
commerce destroyer Florida, and that the
governments disposition to do an act OF
nDerallty toward the frenCh government
had been adversely influenced by that
fact.
Having made sufficient capital under
this head. the government then proceed
ed to grant a second permit to France
to get its tobacco. and on November 10.
1875, an executive der was issued by
President Lincoln extending the privilege
TO both France and Austria. Austria s
interest does not appear from the records.
No Toast to Mr.. Davis.
France then had two ships in American
waters, and on November 3 one Of them.
the frigate Grenade. Capt. Bayot. pro-
ceeded from Hampton Roads up the
James.
The ships arrival at an anchorage OF
City Point caused some little pleasureable
excitement in Richmond. 1t made the
friendship of ,.ance for the Confederacy,
which was well understood. appear more
tangible than 1t had been.
However, when a party OF prominent
men and women # Richmond visited
the ship-which one Of the women de-
scribed in her diary as a dirty little
thing"-it was noted that in the drinking
of healths the French officers refrained
from mentioning the name of Jefferson
Davis.
There being a delay in the arrival of