The French ambassador to the Secretary of State.
Washington, April 22, 1898.
Mr. Secretary of State: I have the honor to inform you that before leaving Washington, and in fulfillment of the instructions of his Government, Mr. Polo y Bernabé confided to me and at the same time to the minister of Austria-Hungary the protection of Spanish subjects and interests in the United States.
With a view to simplify in practice the accomplishment of the mission which our respective Governments have accepted, the minister of Austria-Hungary and I have made in common accord the following arrangements:
- First. The archives of the Spanish legation in Washington will remain stored in the legation of Austria-Hungary.
- Second. The care of the consular archives and the protection of Spanish interests will be confided to the consulates-general of Austria-Hungary in New York and Chicago and the consulates of France in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
- Third. In those localities where only one of the two countries has a representative, he will assume the protection of Spanish interests; in those places where the two countries are only represented by consular agents, such protection will be exercised by the French agent.
- Fourth. Questions the adjustment of which many necessitate representations to the Department of State will be dealt with either by the minister of Austria-Hungary or by me, accordingly as the Austrian or French consul shall have had the initiative therein.
- Fifth. In all other cases I shall charge myself alone with the steps to be taken with respect to the Government of the United States.
I to-day send instructions in this sense to the French consuls, and I will be grateful to you to be pleased to invite the competent authorities to extend to them, the case arising, all the needful facilities.
Be pleased to accept, etc.,