"_My dear Mr. Field_,--I am glad that you are doing your part towards making the stay of the naval officers of the _Good Queen_ in our metropolitan harbor agreeable to them. My faith is strong that the English government will yet see that the interests of mankind demand that there should be no alienation of the two great branches of the Anglo-Saxon family from each other, and will do its part towards removing all causes of alienation by full reparation for the injuries inflicted on American commerce by unneutral acts of British subjects, known to and not prevented by the responsible authorities. "That's a long sentence, but I believe it conveys my meaning. I am sorry I cannot accept the kind invitation of yourself and Mrs. Field (to whom please make my best regards acceptable) to meet these gallant officers. "Yours, very truly, "S. P. CHASE." The answer to this letter was written on October the 9th: "I fully concur in every word you say in regard to the conduct of the British government towards us: and hope, with you, that they will see it is for our mutual interest, as well as for that of all mankind, that friendly feelings should always exist between 'the two great branches of the Anglo-Saxon family.' Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne left for Washington this morning.... "I have been very glad to do everything in my power to make his visit to this city agreeable as possible, and I hope he will take away with him from our shores very pleasing impressions of them, and of the country and people." The coming of the English fleet to New York had been the subject of discussion both in England and America; this command had been given to the admiral: "The naval commander-in-chief on the North American and West India Station is especially directed by the eighth article of his instructions as follows: "You are strictly to abstain from entering any port of the United States unless absolutely compelled to do so by the necessities of the service." The order was not modified until the fall of 1863, when Admiral Milne sailed from Halifax in H.M.S. _Nile_, with the _Immortalité_, _Medea_, and _Nimble_ in company, and arrived off Sandy Hook early in October. To use his own words: