Mr. Limburg to Mr. Seward
Sir: The government of the King has just instructed me to submit to the most serious consideration of the government of the United States the grave causes of complaints which have been given at the port of New York to a large number of captains of merchant vessels and to several Netherland ship-owners.
There has been forwarded to me a document, drawn up and signed at New York, on the 21st of July last, by L. Van Geelkerke, captain of the ship Delft; G. G. Leori, captain of the ship Samhiri; B. J. Fergast, captain of the ship Nederwaard; H. A. Harms, captain of the ship Elizabeth; J. de Veer, captain of the ship Christina Maria; A de Boer, captain of the ship Elizabeth; K. Blonpot, captain of the Syne Jacobs; H. W. Koetse, captain of the Fennechicna; D. Van Amerongen, captain of the Catharina Maria; J. Klein, of the Picterdina; J. Snock, of the Wilhelmina, all declaring to have been put to great difficulty in consequence of the desertion of their seamen, who, from their arrival in the waters of the United States, were tampered with, on hoard even of their own vessels, by numerous kidnappers, who rushed on board of them without any respect for the foreign flag or the authority of the captain; tempting the seamen by bounties and high wages; seducing or stupefying them with intoxicating liquors; menacing the captains with violence should they land, and frequently with the revolvers which they held in their hands. They there represented and exercised a system of barbarity which certainly would not be tolerated by the government of the United States. On several occasions, when the captain, in order to prevent desertion, had caused the chests of the seamen to be placed in his cabin, the kidnappers took them away by force; and when our consul general addressed himself to the American authorities, he was unable to obtain any efficacious suppression.
[Page 330]On one occasion it was answered him that the captain only had to cause himself to be respected; that he only needed to blow out the brains of whomsoever against his consent should come on board his vessel, and should there commit acts of violence. The government of the United States would doubtless regret, as much as myself, similar extreme measures. I am convinced that it shares my opinion, that they should be avoided; that in every civilized country the just and lawful suppression of kidnapping and violence must be exercised by the authorities of the country, and should not be abandoned to the individuals themselves.
The ship-owners of Rotterdam, Woogerand, Weldervank, and Veedam, Messrs. Rouche & Co., W. G. Ledebver, Yan Overgee, H. & S. Kroner, De Boer, and Vander Goot, who addressed themselves by petition to the minister for foreign affairs, declare that unless there be an energetic suppression thereof on the part of the authorities of the United States, the commerce of the Netherlands should cease with New York; and they insist upon it, with the government of the King, that, in the unexpected event of a refusal of justice, the vessels of the United States shall not be admitted to enjoy, in the ports of the Netherlands, the rights and advantages which the vessels (commerce) of the Netherlands should find refused to them in American ports.
I am convinced that it will only be necessary to bring these grave abuses to your knowledge, sir, in order that the just government of the United States may induce the competent authorities to protect our merchant vessels against any future invasion from the tamperers and kidnappers, and cause all those who should board them, in spite of the captain, to be severely punished; to cause those to be dealt with agreeably to the full rigor of the laws who shall bring about the desertion of our seamen, a crime in itself quite as reprehensible as the invitation to desert the American flag, and which no government would be willing to cover with its protection.
According to our treaty of commerce and navigation with the United States, concluded at Washington on the 19th of January, 1839, article third, we have the right to ask for our consuls (as we accord it with us to the consuls of the United States) “protection and assistance as may be usual and necessary for the duly exercising of their functions, in respect also of the deserters from the vessels (whether public or private) of their countries.”
Hence our captains complain that, far from finding protection and assistance in the port of New York, desertion is there tolerated, if not favored; that in order to have deserters arrested and imprisoned, they have to incur such high expenses that ordinarily they prefer to desist from their pursuit. This inconvenience is indeed grave, but it has been borne with patience. It may be that foreigners have not the right to expect a gratuitous interposition from the police to recover and keep seamen deserting. But what does seem undoubted is, that our captains must be shielded from the invasion of their vessels by tamperers and kidnappers, who come to induce desertion, and lend to it violence—main force.
I flatter myself, sir, that this unpleasant reclamation will be met by the government of the United States, and particularly by you, Mr. Secretary of State, whose obliging and just spirit towards foreigners is known and appreciated, with all the consideration which the grave facts which have rendered it necessary deserve; and that I shall soon be enabled, through your kindness, to communicate to the government of the King the measures which will be adopted to protect our vessels, reassure our captains and ship-owners, and render possible the continuation of our ancient commerce, and peaceful navigation with the United States.
I have the honor, sir, to renew to you the assurances of my very high consideration,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.