No. 37.
Mr. Fish to Mr. E. B. Washburne.
This Government desires and intends to maintain a perfect and strict neutrality between the two powers now unfortunately engaged in war. It desires also to extend to both the manifestation of its friendly feeling in every possible way, and will allow to the vessels of war of each power, equally, the hospitality of its ports and harbors for all proper and friendly purposes.
But this hospitality is liable to abuse, and circumstances have arisen to give rise in the minds of some persons to the apprehension that attempts at such abuse have taken place.
I am not in possession of facts to justify me in saying that such has been the case, but I have deemed myself justified in calling the attention of M. Berthemy, the French representative at this capital, to the current rumors, sustained as they are by the presence of a number of French vessels upon the coast of the United States. These vessels have appeared at or near the entrance of the harbor of New York, off Sandy Hook; at the entrance of the Long Island Sound; at or near the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay. One or more is represented to have been anchored not far from Sandy Hook, (the main entrance to New York Harbor,) and there is a difference of statement as to the precise distance at which she lay from the shore; some claiming that she was within a marine league. But of this there is no positive evidence. She has entered the port of New York (as claimed by some) for the purpose of watching a German steamer about to sail thence. Three of them have put into the harbor of New London (which looks out upon Long Island Sound, the eastern entrance to the New York Harbor) avowedly for some small repairs; one recently asked permission, which was granted, to make some repairs at the Norfolk navy yard, near the entrance of Chesapeake Bay.
All this may be consistent with an intention of perfect observance of the neutral character of our waters and jurisdiction, and with an entire absence of undertaking any hostile movement against the vessels of North Germany, from those waters, or that jurisdiction.
[Page 71]A large trade has been carried on from the ports of the United States, approached by the waters in which these vessels have thus appeared, by vessels belonging to North Germany.
The appearance of French vessels in these immediate neighborhoods, in such numbers and force, does not fail to excite the alarm of these vessels, and must have the effect to a greater or less degree to diminish that trade.
The United States are not prepared at present to say that any actual violation of international law has been committed, or that the hospitality of these waters has been positively abused. But the hovering of the vessels of war of a belligerent on the coasts near the entrance of the principal ports of a friendly power does interfere with the trade of the friendly power.
The interruption of the regular communication with you, by reason of the investment of Paris, has lead me to represent to M. Berthemy our views on this subject, and to say that, although the vessels of either belligerents may not actually shelter within the jurisdiction of the United States and proceed thence against the vessels of its enemy, this Government would regard as an unfriendly act the hovering of such vessels upon the coast of the United States, near to its shores, in the neighborhood of its ports, and in the track of the ordinary commerce of these ports, with intent to intercept the vessels of trade of its enemy.
I have requested M. Berthemy to make known these views to the French government, and to express the confident hope of the President that there may be no cause of complaint on the part of this Government by reason of any such hovering by the vessels of the French government.
You will be pleased to take an early opportunity to present the same view to the minister for foreign affairs, which you may do by reading to him this dispatch.