Mr. Olney to Mr. Dupuy de Lôme.
Washington, October 12, 1895.
Sir: Referring to the memorandum handed on the 8th instant to Mr. Adee by Dr. Gaytan, embodying the substance of a telegram received by your legation from the Spanish consul at Key West in relation to apprehended violations of the neutrality laws of the United States, I have the honor to say that the collector at Key West reported to the Secretary of the Treasury on the oth instant that he was taking and would continue to take every precaution to prevent the persons encamped on Pine Key from embarking for Cuba, but that it would be [Page 1205] a very difficult undertaking; that the revenue cutters McLane and Winona were rendering all the assistance in their power, and that he had requested the captains of those vessels to confine their cruising ground to the neighborhood of the key on which the suspected persons were encamped; that notwithstanding the presence of the vessels the men might be removed to another island without the fact becoming known to the cutters, as the latter could not use the inside route, whereas the Cubans could move in small boats from one island to another. The collector added that should any steamer attempt to take the men off’, he had instructed the cutters to seize her and bring her into port.
Accept, etc.,