Mr. Choate to Mr.
Hay.
American Embassy,
London, May 17,
1902.
No. 861.]Sir: I have the honor to report that your cable
of the 12th reached me in the evening of that date. I immediately sent a
copy of it to Lord Lansdowne, stating that I would address him a formal
note next day. I received an informal acknowledgment the same evening,
of which I inclose copy. On the 13th I addressed to him the formal note
as promised. At our interview on the 14th (Wednesday) he informed me
that this had been sent to the King.
In the House of Commons on Thursday, the 15th, Mr. Balfour referred to
and quoted your sympathetic message and offer of aid, and I inclose a
copy of his remarks.
On the evening of the 15th Mr. Villiers addressed to Mr. White an
informal note, including an “extract from a letter just received from
the colonial office,” of both of which I inclose copies. On the receipt
of this the same evening I sent you my cable.
I have just received from Lord Lansdowne his formal reply, dated the
14th, to my note of the 13th, of both of which I send you a copy, and
have to-day sent you a cable summarizing its contents.
I need not state that the spontaneous and energetic efforts on the part
of our Government and people to aid and rescue the sufferers in St.
Vincent have created a most favorable impsession here.
I have, etc.,
[Page 525]
[Inclosure 1.]
Lord Lansdowne
to Mr. Choate.
Foreign Office, May
12, 1902.
My Dear Ambassador: I hasten to acknowledge
receipt of your letter covering the Secretary of State’s friendly
and sympathetic message.
The feelings which he expresses on behalf of the President and people
of the United States will be deeply appreciated in this country as
well as by the community which has suffered so much.
I reserve a more formal acknowledgment until to-morrow.
Yours, sincerely,
[Inclosure 2.]
Martinique and St. Vincent.
[The Times, Friday, May 16,
1902.]
Mr. Dillon asked the first lord of the treasury whether he was now in
a position to make a statement as to the measures which had been
adopted by the Government for the relief of the people of Martinique
and St. Vincent, and whether his attention had been called to the
precedent of the earthquake of Lisbon on November 24, 1755, when
that House, on a message from the King, voted £100,000 to the relief
of the sufferers by that disaster.
Mr. Balfour. I am well aware of the
precedent. I think it was in 1755. That is not a very recent date,
nor has it any very special relevance to the present subject. With
regard to St. Vincent, the honorable member will have noted that the
lord mayor has consented to open a relief fund at the mansion house.
Canada, Jamaica, the neighboring West India islands, and Mauritius
have already given or promised help in money or in kind, and I do
not doubt but that other colonies will be equally generous. In
addition, the governor has already been authorized to spend what he
considers to be necessary, and His Majesty’s Government, without
naming at this moment any definite sum, are prepared to supplement
the contributions from other sources to whatever extent may be
deemed necessary, and to augment to that extent the small West India
grant which is annually voted by this House. I ought to add that in
the above I have not taken account of the most sympathetic manner in
which the United States Government have—to use their own
language—“expressed their desire to share in the work of aid and
rescue.” [Cheers.] As to the exact manner in which this offer can
best be accepted, the governor of the Windward Islands is being
consulted. With regard to Martinique, Lord Lansdowne, on May 12,
telegraphed to our ambassador at Paris to say that “it would give
His Majesty’s Government pleasure to afford assistance in any manner
which might be found convenient to the sufferers by the Martinique
calamity. If we can do this by the loan of medical officers or by
gift of such supplies or medical comforts as can be provided from
British possessions in the neighborhood, we are prepared to act at
once.” To this the French Government have replied that they “accept
with gratitude the offer of His Majesty’s Government to send
provisions and medical comforts to Martinique from neighboring
British possessions.”
Mr. Dillon. Do I understand that the
governor of the Windward Islands has been authorized to expend
public money to any extent he may think necessary? I would ask the
right honorable gentleman also to state whether that expenditure
will apply both to Martinique and St. Vincent? I think it would be a
very unfortunate thing if a distinction were drawn.
Mr. Balfour. In the nature of the case
there must be a distinction drawn between our own colonies and the
colonies of other countries. We are prepared, as I have said, to
give assistance by the loan of medical officers and the gift of
medical comforts and of provisions to the sufferers of Martinique.
As regards the first question, the honorable gentleman has
accurately interpreted the answer I gave.
[Inclosure 3.]
Mr. Villiers to
Mr. White.
Foreign Office, May 15—7 p.m.
Immediate.]My Dear Mr. White: I inclose, for the
information of the ambassador, extract of a letter just received
from the colonial office. Lord Lansdowne will, of course, address an
official note to his excellency.
Yours, sincerely,
[Page 526]
[Subinclosure.]
Extract.
At the moment of writing the information received is so scanty that
it is difficult for Mr. Chamberlain to state what form of assistance
is most required, but he is communicating the substance of Mr.
Choate’s letter to the governor of the Windward Islands by
telegraph, and is requesting him to state what are the most
immediate needs.
On the receipt of a reply he hopes to be in a position to take
advantage of this generous offer.
In the meantime the governor of the Windward Islands, at St. Vincent,
will gladly receive and distribute any gifts sent to his care.
[Inclosure 4.]
Mr. Choate to
Lord Lansdowne.
American Embassy,
London, May 13,
1902.
My Lord: By a dispatch received last
evening from the Secretary of State, of which I had the honor to
send you at once a copy informally, I was instructed to express to
His Majesty’s Government the sympathy of the President and the
people of the United States in the affliction which has befallen the
people of St. Vincent, and their desire to share in the work of aid
and rescue.
My Government naturally deplores the appalling calamity which has
fallen upon His Majesty’s distant colonists as sincerely as if it
had happened to a portion of our own people, and has, I believe,
already taken steps for their relief. If your lordship can indicate
any aid or service which, by reason of our proximity to the scene of
disaster, we may render it will give me great pleasure immediately
to communicate it to the President.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 5.]
Lord Lansdowne
to Mr. Choate.
Foreign Office, May
14, 1902.
Your Excellency: I have laid before the
King your excellency’s note of the 13th instant, conveying, under
instructions from your Government, the sympathy of the President and
people of the United States in the affliction which has befallen the
people of St. Vincent, and their desire to share in the work of aid
and rescue.
His Majesty has commanded me to inform you that he has been deeply
touched by this message and by the sympathy shown by the President
and people of the United States on the occasion of the great
calamity which has overtaken one of the British colonies.
I would ask your excellency to be good enough to convey to the
President His Majesty’s message, together with the heartfelt thanks
of His Majesty’s Government and the assurance that the feelings to
which your excellency has given expression will be most highly
appreciated in this country and by the community which has suffered
so much.
I have communicated to the secretary of state for the colonies the
inquiry contained in your excellency’s note, and have requested him
to indicate any aid or service which would be acceptable to the
distressed colony.
On the receipt of Mr. Chamberlain’s reply I shall have the honor to
address a further communication to your excellency.
I have, etc.,
