Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay.
Vienna, August 12, 1902.
Sir: Replying to the Department’s No. 55 of the 22d ultimo, I have the honor to advise you that “the steps which have been taken to raise the Austro-Hungarian mission at Washington to the rank of an embassy” were embodied in the budget for the year 1903, passed by the Delegations on June 9, 1902, copy of which was sent to the Department without covering dispatch, the intention thus expressed to take effect when the sum thus appropriated for the increased expenses of the mission in its new capacity would become available, namely, on the first day of January next. In his speech on the budget, delivered before the Delegations, Count Goluchowski spoke as follows, with reference to the raising of the rank of their representation at Washington to the rank of an embassy:
The gigantic progress and the ever-increasing importance of the United States, as far as international politics are concerned, as well as the growing interest which we have to take in regard to the numerous Austrian subjects living in the United States, do not admit of any delay in placing our representative on an equal footing with those of the other great powers. For this reason I consider it advisable to put down the amount thus rendered necessary in the estimates of this year, and trust that this measure will meet the approval of the honorable assembly, the more so as it is in conformity with a desire repeatedly expressed here as well as in America, and the compliance with which commends itself on political and economic grounds. A law has been in force in the United States for some time which gives to the President [Page 33] the right to raise the rank of diplomatic representations abroad to embassies, thereby-rendering unnecessary the passing of a special act by Congress in order to confer the same rank on the representative accredited to the Imperial and Royal court. The latter will take place as soon as an analogous measure lias been adopted in regard to our mission in Washington.
By the adoption of the budget this Government considered that it had raised the rank of its mission to that of an embassy, the delay in the appointment of an ambassador, or the putting into effect the act of the Delegations until January 1 next, being in keeping with the law and custom of this Government. His Excellency, Count Lützow, first secretary of state, informed me that this information and explanation would be transmitted to the Department through Mr. Hengel-müller, the Austro-Hungarian minister in Washington.
I have, etc.,