Mr. Rawson to Mr. Graham.  August 19, 1863.

I am directed by the Governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th instant, and to state that he has, during the recent transactions, endeavoured to act in strict conformity with the wishes of Her Majesty’s Government; he will in like manner pursue the same course in any future cases which may arise.

I am to add that His Excellency has no reason to believe that either the Alabama or the Tuscaloosa have been allowed to remain in the ports of the Colony for a greater length of time than the state of the weather, and the execution of the repairs of which they actually stood in need, rendered indispensable.

Statement of Joseph Hopson.

Joseph Hopson, keeper of the Green Point Lighthouse, states: 

I was on the look-out on Wednesday afternoon when the Alabama and Sea Bride were coming in.  When I first saw them the steamer was coming round the north-west of Robben Island, and the barque bore from or about five miles west-northwest.  The barque was coming in under all sail with a good breeze, and she took nothing in when the gun was fired.  I believe two guns were fired, but the gun I mean was the last, and the steamer then crossed the stern side of the barque, and hauled up to her on the starboard side.  He steamed ahead gently, and shortly afterwards I saw the barque put round with her head to the westward, and a boat put off from the steamer and boarded her.  Both vessels were then good five miles off the mainland, and quite five, if not six, from the north-west point of Robben Island.

Statement of W.S.  Field, Collector of Customs.

I was present at the old Lighthouse, Green Point, on Wednesday afternoon, at 2 P.M., and saw the Alabama capture the American barque Sea Bride, and I agree with the above statement as far as the position of the vessels and their distance from shore.

I may also remark that I called the attention of Colonel Bisset and the lighthouse keeper Hopson to the distance of the vessels at the time of the capture, as it was probable we should be called upon to give our evidence respecting the affair, and we took a note of the time it occurred.

Statement of John Roe.

I was yesterday, the 5th day of August, 1863, returning from a whale chase in Hunt’s Bay, when I first saw the barque Sea Bride standing from the westward on to the land.  I came on to Table Bay, and when off Camps Bay I saw the smoke of the Alabama some distance from the westward of Robben Island.  When I reached the Green Point Lighthouse the steamer was standing up towards the barque, which was about five miles and a half to the westward of Green Point, and about four and half from the western point of Robben Island.  This was their position (being near each other at the time) when the gun was fired.

Statement of Signalman at the Lion’s Rump Telegraph Station.