Mr. Adee to Duke de Arcos.
Washington, October 9, 1901.
Sir: Referring to your note of the 25th ultimo, asking at the instance of the Spanish consul at New Orleans whether there is not some means, pending the consideration of a new treaty, to avoid the exemption from punishment of deserters from Spanish vessels in the United States, with particular reference to the recent desertion of some of the crew of the Barcelona steamship Puerto Rico, I have the honor to inform you that the Secretary of the Treasury, to whom the matter was referred, reports that his Department is not aware of any law or regulation providing for the punishment of deserters under the circumstances such as you describe. It may be stated further that in the act approved December 2, 1898, Congress formally repealed the laws then existing which authorized the arrest of deserters from vessels of the United States in ports in this country.
Accept, etc.,
Acting Secretary.