Report of Flag-Officer Bell, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. naval forces, Mediterranean Sea, of proposed capture of American merchant ships by Confederate privateers in those waters.
U. S. Flagship Richmond,
Genoa, May 18, 1861.
Sir: A gentleman came on board to see me to day by the name of Augustus Collingbridge, late a captain in the British East India service, who states that a few days since, while at Frankfort on the Main, he was waited on by a Spaniard, agent for the firm of Garcia & Co., bankers of Barcelona, and an offer made to him to furnish commissions for privateers on the part of the Southern Confederate States. He was informed by this agent that, as the United States squadron had been recalled and would soon leave the Mediterranean, there would be a fine opportunity of capturing all the American merchant ships in that sea.
Captain Collingbridge thought, from information that he had received, that the American consul at Cadiz would not object to promote this affair, and that the American consul at Genoa was in the same category. As both these gentlemen come from a section of the country noted for its filibustering propensities, and from what I have seen and heard of them myself, I have no doubt there is some foundation for this suspicion.
In ten days this ship will be on the Atlantic, and then the Mediterranean will be entirely exposed to these marauders. There are now six American vessels in this port. I left several at Leghorn, and there are probably a number at Marseilles and Malaga.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours,
Chas. H. Bell,
Flag-Officer, Commanding U. S. Naval Forces, Mediterranean.
Hon. Gideon Welles,
Secretary of the Navy.