Mr. Dabney to Mr. Greshum.
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, D. C., April 23, 1895.
Sir: In the report of Consul W. D. Warner, dated Cologne, February 9, 1895, attention is called to the fact that the municipal authorities of that city object to the importation of American dried apples for the reason that they are said to contain zinc. I understand that in other parts of Europe attempts have been made to exclude American dried fruits for a similar reason.
I beg you, therefore, to ask the consuls at places where such restrictions are imposed to secure samples of the fruits objected to and forward them for chemical examination.
When you receive these samples if you will transmit them to this Department they will be examined, in order to test the validity of the objections against their consumption in foreign ports.
I am, respectfully,
Assistant Secretary.