The Prometheus Affair
As reported in the New York Daily Times
December 2, 1851 --
On leaving the harbor at San Juan, the Prometheus was fired
into by the English brig of war Express, under the following
circumstances, as related by the Captain:
Steamship Prometheus,
San Juan, Friday, Nov. 21, 1851
In order to correct any misstatement that may be made of the circumstances of the English brig of war Express firing into the Prometheus, I beg of you to give the following statement an insertion in your paper:
At 2 P. M., I proceeded to get my ship under weigh to proceed to sea, having but just received the last of our passengers from the Pacific steamer, numbering in all about 500. At this moment the city authorities of Greytown,* constituted, as they stated, by authority of the Muskete King, came on board the ship with a police force, and served a process of attachment on the ship and myself for the amount of $123, claimed by the authorities for present and arrearage port dues charged on the ship, which we supposed to be illegally demanded, and had consequently refused to pay them, as I did in the present instance.
The port dues are made up from the weight of anchorage in the harbor, Captain of the Port's fees and pilotage.
I hove up my anchor and dropped down the harbor with the current, having alongside one of the river steamers, receiving from her the baggage of the passengers. The English brig-of-war laying a short distance from us, immediately got underweigh, made sail for us, and when within a quarter of a mile from us, fired a round shot over our forecastle, not clearing the wheel-house over ten feet. In a few moments another shot was fired, which passed over the stern so near that the force of the ball was distinctly felt by several passengers. I sent a boat on board the brig to inquire the cause of the firing into us.
The Captain stated that it was to protect the authorities at Georgetown in their demands; and if we did not immediately anchor he would fire a bomb-shell into us, and ordered his guns loaded with grape and canister shot; at the same time, our small steamer left us, and I proceeded under steam back to our anchorage, and anchored. The brig stood up the harbor, and anchored very near us; sent a boat on board of us with orders that our fires should be put out, and that an officer would be sent to see that the fires were extinguished. The shore authorities then came on board, and, under the circumstances of the case, the amount demanded was paid, and we were permitted to proceed to sea by the Captain of the brig.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
Henry Churchill,
Captain of Steamship Prometheus
January 12, 1852 --
The British brig of war Express, was at San Juan at the last
accounts. She had been ordered to Kingston, Jamaica, in order that the
conduct of her commander relative to the insult to the Prometheus,
may be investigated by the Admiral.
A Kingston letter says:
"I hear that Admiral Seymour is to have an inquiry made about the brig
Express firing into the steamer Prometheus. The brig is
ordered up from Graytown* for that purpose. We have several vessels of
war in port."
"Sir George Seymour, the Admiral of the fleet on the West India
station, has arrived at Kingston in the frigate Cumberland,
and it is expected that he will sail in a few days for Havana."
January 26, 1852 --
Washington, Friday, Jan 23.
Admiral Seymour, of the West India squadron, held an
investigation on this subject, and the results of it were lately
transmitted to Mr. Crampton, and is now on its way to England. When it
shall arrive, a prompt disavowal of the outrage, it is thought, will
be made by the British Government.
January 31, 1852 --
THE PROMETHEUS DIFFICULTY SETTLED
The Steamer Prometheus, Capt. H. Churchill, arrived at this
port yesterday morning from San Juan, bringing news from San Francisco
to the 2d of January...
The Prometheus sailed from New York, Jan. 5th, at 3 P. M. ----
Arrived at San Juan on the evening of the 13th, at 6 o'clock. The U.
S. steam frigate Saranac, Com. Parker, and sloop-of-war Albany,
Capt. Platt, and the English steam frigate Arrogant, Capt.
Robinson, sloop-of-war Calypso, and brig Express, were
lying in the harbor.
The British frigate Arrogant had been dispatched by the
Admiral of the West India station with the assurance to Com. Parker
that the British Government entirely disavowed the acts of the
consul and the Capt. of the brig Express in the exercise of any
authority whatever in connection with the Musquito** Government, or
interfering in any way with any commerce with San Juan.
The most friendly feelings existed between officers of both countries.
Salutes were exchanged, on the 16th, on the Commanders visiting each
other's ships. Com. Parker was highly complimented by Capt. Robinson,
of the Arrogant, by hoisting the American ensign at his main
during the salute. It was returned by the Albany, with the
English ensign at her main -- a compliment rarely if ever shown but to
crowned heads or Presidents. The officers were informed by Com. Parker
that the subject of the Musquito question with the United States and
Great Britain was in process of adjustment, and that the whole matter
would, without a doubt, be soon arranged to the satisfaction of all
parties.
The Saranac and Arrogant would leave in a few days.
The U. S. sloop-of-war Cyane was expected daily from Chagres,
to relieve the Albany.
February 13, 1852 --
Correspondence in the Prometheus Affair.
The correspondence between our Government and that of Great Britain,
respecting the affair of the Prometheus, was transmitted to
the Senate on Wednesday, and was received by the House yesterday.
The first dispatch is from Mr. Webster to Mr. Lawrence, dated Dec. 3,
instructing the American Minister to inquire whether the conduct of
the captain of the brig Express, was in consequence of
instructions from his Government, and protecting against the outrage.
Several dispatches follow, in which the British Secretary requests a
delay until he receives a report from the Admiral of the station.
On the 10th of January Lord Granville addressed the following letter
to Mr., Lawrence, viz.:
LORD GRANVILLE TO MR. LAWRENCE.
The undersigned, her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs, has the honor to acquaint Mr. Abbott
Lawrence, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the
United States of America, that her Majesty's Government have just
received the Vice Admiral commanding her Majesty's naval forces in the
West Indies, a report upon the subject of the Prometheus,
which is to the following effect: That on arriving at St. Thomas, the
Admiral received a dispatch from the commander of her Majesty's sloop
Express, stating that on the requisition of Mr. James Green,
her Majesty's Consul at Greytown, who is also a principal officer of
the Mosquito** government at that place, he had, by force, compelled
the American steamer Prometheusto pay the port dues demanded
of her by the authorities of Greytown.
To this dispatch Vice Admiral George Seymour had immediately replied
by saying that neither he, nor, to his knowledge her Majesty's consul
had received any orders to allow her Majesty's ships to be employed in
such service, or in enforcing the fiscal regulations of Mosquito
(sic), the sole object of the presence of a British ship of war at
Greytown being to defend the town and inhabitants from aggressive
attempts to deprive the Mosquito Government of possession, pending a
settlement by negotiation of the question relative to its relative
position. Sir George Seymour had further expressly forbidden the
commander of the Express from again employing force to compel
the levy of duties for the Mosquito Government.
The undersigned has now to state to Mr. Abbott Lawrence, for the
information of his government, that her Majesty's government fully
approve of the vice Admiral's conduct in this matter, and that they
entirely disavow the act of violence committed by the commander of the
Express and also the requisition from her Majesty's Consul,
under which the commander acted, so far as he acted by any authority
derived from the British crown. Under these circumstances, her
Majesty's government have no hesitation in offering an ample apology
for that which they consider to have been an infraction of treaty
engagements; and her Majesty's government do so without any loss of
time, and immediately upon receipt of the official intelligence above
alluded to, inasmuch as in their opinion it would be unworthy of the
government of a great nation to hesitate about making due reparation
when the acts of their subordinate authorities have been such as not
to admit of jurisdiction.
As Her Majesty's Government have full confidence that the Government
of the United States is actuated by a similar feeling, they hope that
this mutual confidence will induce each other , in all cases of such
disputes, and until due time has elapsed for the necessary
explanations to be received to defer taking any steps which might lead
to collisions, and thus much aggravate the original difficulty. The
undersigned request, &c., GRANDVILLE
Foreign-affair office, Jan. 10, 1852
-----------
Mr. Lawrence replied, expressing his gratification, and trusts that
the question out of which the difficulty grew, will be speedily
settled.
See: Log of HMS
Express during "Prometheus Affair."
* spelling varies (Graytown/Greytown)
** spelling varies (Mosquito/Musquito).
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