"On being visited by Mr. Archibald, Her Majesty's counsel, he informed me of the strong and unfriendly feeling which then existed against England in consequence of the building of the two ships of war in Liverpool for the Southern States, and from various other matters connected with the existing civil war, and that my reception would probably be unsatisfactory. This, however, was not the case; my visit was evidently acceptable, and proved most satisfactory, and I received every attention from the authorities, as well as private individuals, not only at New York, but also at Washington, as will be seen by the following correspondence: "'WASHINGTON, _November 30, 1863_. "'_Sir_,--Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Milne having reported to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty the great kindness and courtesy with which he was received at Washington by the President of the United States and the members of the Cabinet, I have been instructed to convey to the government of the United States the expression of the gratification which their lordships have felt at the courtesy and attention so handsomely shown to the vice-admiral. "'I have, etc., "'LYONS. "'The Hon. W. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State, Washington.' "'DEPARTMENT OF STATE, "'WASHINGTON, _December 3, 1863_. "_'My dear Lord Lyons_,--I have made known to the President and to the heads of departments the agreeable communication you have made to me in regard to the reception of Vice-Admiral Milne on the occasion of his visit at this capital. "'The just, liberal, and courteous conduct of the admiral in the performance of his duties while commanding H. M.'s naval forces in the vicinity of the United States was known to this government before his arrival, and it therefore afforded the President a special satisfaction to have an opportunity to extend to him an hospitable welcome. "'I am, etc., "'W. H. SEWARD. "'The LORD LYONS.'" About this time there came unfavorable reports from England of the affairs of the telegraph company. The work then was at a standstill, and on November 20th Mr. Field wrote to Mr. Saward: "If you have new and formidable difficulties you must make the greater exertions." And on December 16th Mr. Saward wrote, urging him to come immediately to England. On December 1, 1863, accordingly, he retired from business in New York, in order to devote his whole time to further the efforts then being made to lay a cable across the Atlantic, and on the 17th he gave up the building No. 57 Beekman Street, where his office had been for some years. His arrival in England early in January was reported in the London _Telegraphic Journal_ of February 6th in these words: