[3010) [URQUHART ET AL to DALLAS]
New Orleans 9th. May 1836.
A. J. Dallas Esqr. Commanding the U.S. Naval Forces in the Gulf of Mexico. Sir.
Owing to the officers and crew of the Invincible being discharged by the Judge, and Capt. Brown commanding said vessel, and capt. Hurd commanding the armed Sehr. Brutus having stated to R. L. Robertson the Inspector of their Insurance Offices as per his certificate before the U. S. district Atty. that their intentions were to indorse the Registers of all American Vessels which they meet, without the jurisdiction of the United States bound for any Port in Mexico, forbidding them to continue their voyage, and if afterwards they should be found doing so, by any Texian vessels, they would be captured and condemned as good prize, and as several American Vessels are now loading with valuable Cargoes for Tampico and other Ports in Mexico on which our respective Offices have taken Risks to a large amount, we take the liberty to request that you would dispatch a vessel to the Balize to convoy said vessels to their respective Ports of destination, and their captains will be requested to be there ready for Sea on or before the 20th Inst. The Offices having also issued Open Policies by Vessel or Vessels at and from any Port in Mexico to this in the belief that the American Flag would be respected by Texian Cruizers, and finding by the capture of the American Brig Pocket that it is no protection whatever they request that a National vessel may be employed between Tampico Vera Cruz, Matamoros and this Port in the transportation specie, and the general protection of this highly important commerce to this city and to the whole United St3.tee or we eha!J be liable to sustain h~avy losSt>s and this commerce [to be] totally distroyed, and we request the Merchants to whom our respective companies have is.sued said Open Policies to immediately address their correspondents requesting that so long as the present difficulties exist that not a dollar must be
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