Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Third Session of the Fortieth Congress

Mr. Hale to Mr. Seward.

No. 145.]

Legation of the United States, Madrid, San Sebastian, August 27, 1868.

Sir: In the latter part of May I received from the consul of the United States at Mahon a communication complaining of the treatment shown to the officers and crew of the United States steamer Canandaigua, by the sanitary authorities of that port, and especially in that these authorities had forced the officers and crew of that ship to go on shore and pass review before one of the health officers, a proceeding which the consul qualified, I think justly, as dangerous for the ship and discourteous to the flag of the United States which had been confided to that ship’s company to keep and defend. I immediately represented the facts to the minister of state of her Catholic Majesty in such terms as seemed to be demanded by the occasion, and to that note, dated June 1st, I have now received a reply, dated on the 13th instant, at Lequeitio, a neighboring village on this coast, where the court of Spain is now sojourning, accompanied by the minister of state for foreign affairs. A translation of this note goes inclosed, and would seem to be satisfactory in so far as it recognizes the bad conduct of the employes complained of, states that they have been rebuked for the same, and expresses confidence that such incidents will not be repeated in future.

Yours, respectfully,

JOHN P. HALE.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

[Translation.]

Señor Roncali to Mr. Hale.

Ministerial Department of State, Lequeitio, August 13, 1868.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you, in reply to your note of the 1st of last June, that the ministerial department of the interior government of the kingdom has recognized the error of the employés of the quarantine ground at Mahon, in admitting to that lazaretto the war steamer of the United States Canandaigua, and in treating her crew as if they had come from a foul port, whilst the ship should have been subjected only to an observation of three days in one of the ports designated as quarantine grounds for observation; and also that it was abusive to order her officers and crew to disembark and go on shore for the health visit; on which account the disapprobation of the government of her Majesty has been manifested to those employes for their conduct on this occasion, and they have been warned in future to fulfill scrupulously the existing regulations.

I am confident that cases of this nature will not again be repeated, and I avail myself of this occasion to renew to your excellency the assurances of my most distinguished consideration.

THE MARQUIS OF RONCALI.

The Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States.