fficer consulted is best given in
Palmerston's own words in a letter to Delane, Editor of the _Times_:

"_94 Piccadilly,
November 11, 1861_.

"MY DEAR DELANE,

"It may be useful to you to know that the Chancellor, Dr.
Lushington, the three Law Officers, Sir G. Grey, the Duke of
Somerset, and myself, met at the Treasury to-day to consider
what we could properly do about the American cruiser come, no
doubt, to search the West Indian packet supposed to be
bringing hither the two Southern envoys; and, much to my
regret, it appeared that, according to the principles of
international law laid down in our courts by Lord Stowell,
and practised and enforced by us, a belligerent has a right
to stop and search any neutral not being a ship of war, and
being found on the high seas and being suspected of carrying
enemy's despatches; and that consequently this American
cruiser might, by our own principles of international law,
stop the West Indian packet, search her, and if the Southern
men and their despatches and credentials were found on board,
either take them out, or seize the packet and carry her back
to New York for trial. Such being the opinion of our men
learned in the law, we have determined to do no more than to
order the _Phaeton_ frigate to drop down to Yarmouth Roads
and watch the proceedings of the American within our
three-mile limit of territorial jurisdiction, and to prevent
her from exercising within that limit those rights which we
cannot dispute as belonging to her beyond that limit.

"In the meanwhile the American captain, having got very drunk
this morning at Southampton with some excellent brandy, and
finding it blow heavily at sea, has come to an anchor for the
night within Calshot Castle, at the entrance of the
Southampton river.

"I mention these things for your private information.

Yours sincerely,

PALMERSTON[406]."

Not completely satisfied with this decision as reported to Delane, and
sincerely anxious to avert what he foresaw would be a difficult
situation, Palmerston took the unusual step of writing to Adams on the
next day, November 12, and asking for an interview. His note took Adams
by surprise, but he promptly waited upon Palmerston, and was told of the
latter's disturbance at the presence of the American ship _James A