in this port, to wit, the Pinta, Maria Galante, and Blasco de Garay. I am informed and believe that each of these vessels took on board for Cuba passengers not only Spanish born, but citizens of the United States, who had been concerned in the rebellion, and who, against the orders of the commanding general, conveyed themselves and their effects away from this department on board of these national vessels of war.

I have claimed the right to search them for criminals other than rebels, and after much difficulty the privilege was accorded on board the first two ships. My police found there many passengers without passes and who were not Spaniards. The decks of the Blasco de Garay were literally covered with passengers, selected with so little discrimination that my detective officers found on board as a passenger an escaped convict of the penitentiary, who was in fresh flight from a most brutal murder with his booty robbed from his victim with him on board this vessel of war. Now, if the Spanish Government are going into the passenger-carrying business by their national war vessels, which I cannot believe, as it would be unjust to private speculative enterprise in this branch of trade, I desire to be informed of the fact officially through his excellency the Spanish minister, so that I may subject these vessels to the same regulations as other passenger carriers; otherwise, I would desire the commanders of such vessels checked in this practice.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

BENJ. F. BUTLER,

Major-General, Commanding.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington City, November 3, 1862.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State:

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a report made to this Department by Major-General Butler, commanding at New Orleans, in answer to the complaints of the Prussian and French legations as to the enforcement of General Orders, No. 55, upon certain inhabitants of New Orleans claimed to be subjects of these respective Governments.

Your obedient servant,

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

[Inclosure.]

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, October -, 1862.

Honorable EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War:

SIR: I have the honor to report the facts and circumstances of my General Orders, No. 55, in answer to the complaints of the Prussian and French legations as to the enforcement of that order upon certain inhabitants of New Orleans claimed to be subjects of their respective Governments.*

Before discussing the specialty and personal relations of the several complainants it will be necessary, in a general way, to give an account of the state of things which I found had existed, and was

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*For General Orders, No. 55, see Series I, Vol. XV, p.538.

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