No. 1039.] Mr. Hill to Mr. Vignaud. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 26, 1902. SIR: I inclose a copy of a letter from the Secretary of War forwarding a report from the officer in charge of the supplies donated to the sufferers in the Martinique disaster. SIR: I have the honor to inclose, for the information of your Department, copy of the report of Capt. H. J. Gallagher, commissary, United States Army, the officer who was sent by the Department to Martinique in charge of the supplies donated by the Government and people of the United States in aid of the sufferers from the disaster of May 8 last. Very respectfully, [Subinclosure 1.] ELIHU ROOT, Secretary of War. Captain Gallagher to the Adjutant-General. WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF SUBSISTENCE, Washington, June 13, 1902. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report in connection with the Martinique expedition: In obedience to paragraph 18, Special Orders 112, Adjutant-General's Office, current series, I proceeded on May 12 to New York City, and on the 14th proceeded aboard the U. S. S. Dixie, with $5,000 in cash and the subsistence stores. The Dixie sailed about 9 o'clock p. m., May 14, and reached Martinique on the morning of May 21. In company with Captain Berry, of the Dixie, an official call was made by Captain Sewell, Dr. Clayton, and myself upon the governor, during which tenders of assistance were made and gratefully accepted by the governor. One-half of the stores aboard the ship were put ashore at Martinique. On behalf of the Government I offered to employ a gang of laborers to handle the stores, with the object of hastening the unloading and to put money in the hands of refugees who might need it. The offer was declined with thanks. The stores were placed in lighters by the sailors of the Dixie and Cincinnati and then taken charge of by a French naval officer detailed for that purpose. Receipts for the stores were signed by the governor, M. L'Heurre, who likewise sends a letter of thanks, which is hereto attached. On May 22 the Dixie proceeded to St. Vincent, and on the 23d an official call was made on the governor and assistance offered, as at Martinique, and gratefully accepted. The remainder of the stores were unloaded here and receipts therefor given by the governor, Sir Robert Llewellyn. There was some delay in unloading at St. Vincent, due to rain and a shortage of lighters. I offered, as at Martinique, to employ a gang of laborers, and the offer was accepted in a letter sent by the governor, which is hereto attached. I employed a gang of 118 men for two days. These men were refugees, and the money was very acceptable. The total amount expended for labor, transportation, and telegrams was $527.29. On May 29 the Dixie proceeded to San Lucia to take on coal, and on the 30th to Fort de France, sailing therefrom on the 31st for home. She reached New York on the evening of June 6. I wish to invite special attention to the willing and energetic manner in which the sailors aboard the Dixie labored in loading and unloading the stores on this expedition. They labored unceasingly when there was anything to do, without a murmur, and the rapidity with which the stores were handled was due to their energy and willingness. Their hearts seemed to be in their work, and, encouraged by their splendid officers, nothing seemed to tire them. The stores were well selected, and met the needs of the people. By the destruction of St. Pierre, Martinique, the great storehouse and source of supplies of the island was lost; consequently many of the necessaries of life were not available for the people, and nothing could have been more opportune than the arrival of the Dixie. The wants of the needy people were promptly and sufficiently relieved, and on all sides I heard the people murmur their blessings on the American Government for sending assistance to them in this emergency. The same can be said of St. Vincent, where, perhaps, there were more people thrown upon the public because many in the area of devastation escaped with their lives, while but few escaped at St. Pierre. From its conception to its conclusion, the expedition was one of which the American people may feel a pardonable pride; it was a noble and generous thought that conceived it; it was timely in reaching its destination; it was most gratefully received by officials and people, and I hope I will be pardoned when I say that the officers appointed to carry out the will of the Government on this occasion, while performing their duty as ordered, could not help being filled with an extraordinary pride in the fact that they had been chosen to perform duty in connection with this completely successful and most humane expedition. Very respectfully, HUGH J. GALLAGHER, Captain, Commissary, U. S. Army. [Subinclosure 2.] The governor of Martinique to Captain Gallagher. FORT DE FRANCE, May 22, 1902. CAPTAIN: You have been so good as to turn over to us the stores which the United States Government so generously offered to the sufferers of the colony of Martinique. Permit me on this occasion to beg you to present to your Government, through the Secretary of War, my personal thanks and the expression of the sincere gratitude of the entire population of the colony which suffered so greatly by the disaster of May 8 last. SIR: I am directed by his excellency the governor to convey to you his cordial thanks and acceptance of the kind offer made by you this morning in person on behalf of the United States Government to defray the expense of the employment of some 100 to 200 of the eruption refugees, with a view to affording them employment and expediting the landing of the cargo now being put on shore from the U. S. S. Dixie. I have, etc. EDWARD J. CAMERON, Mr. de Margerie to Mr. Hay. [Translation.] EMBASSY OF FRANCE, MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: The French minister for foreign affairs has been advised that important supplies of provisions have been brought to the sufferers in Martinique by the Sterling, Captain McDonald, on board of which was Commander Mentz, of the U. S. Navy, and Captain Crobs, of the Federal infantry; by the steamer Loubenback, Captain Betts, on board of which were embarked Mr. McLeary, supreme judge of Porto Rico; Mr. Harlan, attorneygeneral, and Mr. Geltz, correspondent of the New York Herald, as well as by the sloop Dauntless. In conformity with the wish expressed to me by Mr. Delcassé, I should be very much obliged to you if you would be so kind as to kindly convey to all those generous donors the thanks of the Government of the Republic. In thanking you in advance, I beg you, Mr. Secretary, to accept, etc., P. DE MARGERIE. No. 492.] Mr. Hill to Mr. de Margerie. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: In compliance with the request contained in your note of the 24th instant, it has given me pleasure to make known to the persons named in your note that the Government of the French Republic thanks them for such assistance as they rendered to the sufferers from the recent volcanic eruption in Martinique. Accept, etc., DAVID J. HILL, Mr. de Margerie to Mr. Hay. [Translation.] EMBASSY OF FRANCE, Washington, September 25, 1902. MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: The minister of foreign affairs, after perusing Captain Gallagher's report, who was requested to carry to Martinique the assistance which the Government and people of the United States granted for the victims of the catastrophe of May 8, has directed me to renew the expression of thanks from the Government of the Republic for the generous initiative displayed by the Government of the United States toward the afflicted people of our colony. I esteem myself particularly happy, Mr. Secretary of State, to be directed to perform that agreeable duty, and I beg you to accept the renewed assurance of my high consideration. P. DE MARGERIE. Mr. Adee to Mr. de Margerie. No. 509.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 30, 1902. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 25th instant, expressing anew the thanks of the Government of the French Republic for the aid extended by the United States to the sufferers in the recent volcanic eruption of Mont Pélée. It was with gratification that I made this known to the Secretary of the Navy. Accept, etc., ALVEY A. ADEE, PROTECTION OF CUBAN INTERESTS BY UNITED STATES CON No. 1035.] SULAR OFFICIALS. Mr. Vignaud to Mr. Hay. EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your cable" of the 24th ultimo, instructing the embassy to ascertain whether the French Government would have any objection to our consuls using temporarily their good offices in representation of the interests of Cuba and of its citizens, and to notify the consuls if permission is granted. The French Government having promptly acquiesced in our desire, I have notified Consuls-General Gowdy and Skinner and asked them to advise the consuls in their respective districts. I have, etc., HENRY VIGNAUD. PROTECTION OF FRENCH CABLE IN HAITI BY UNITED STATES OFFICIALS. Mr. de Margerie to Mr. Adee. [Telegram.-Translation.] EMBASSY OF FRANCE, Manchester, Mass., August 7, 1902. I receive from the manager of the French Cable Company at New York a telegram saying that the Haitian vessel Crête à Pierrot intends to cut the cables of the company. The superintendent of the station of the French Cable Company at Port au Prince has informed the commander of the American cruiser Machias of this danger. Commander McCrea seems to be disposed to protect the cable which lands in Haiti, but he would be glad to receive instructions from the Navy Department at Washington on the subject. I should be very grateful to you, if you see no objection, if you would request the Navy Department to send at once, by cable, to the commander of the Machias the necessary instructions to protect the French cable in Haiti from any attempt at destruction, all nations being equally interested in the working of this cable. PIERRE DE MARGERIE, a Printed, page 6. FR 1902, PT 1—27 No. 496.] Mr. Adee to Mr. de Margerie. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 11, 1902. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that your telegram of the 7th instant was at once sent to the Navy Department, and that that Department has instructed the commanding officer of the Machias to act in his discretion to prevent any destructive or injurious act against foreign interests or property in Haiti not in the line of hostilities. Accept, etc., ALVEY A. ADEE, AMENDATORY AND ADDITIONAL AGREEMENT TO THE COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT OF MAY 28, 1898. Signed at Washington, August 20, 1902. Proclaimed, August 22, 1902. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas the United States and the French Republic have concluded, on August 20, 1902, an Amendatory and Additional Agreement to the Commercial Agreement of May 28, 1898, between the same contracting parties, entered into in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Tariff Act of the United States approved July 24, 1897, which Amendatory and Additional Agreement is, in the English and French texts, word for word as follows: The United States of America and the French Republic, finding it expedient to amend the Commercial Agreement between the two countries, signed at Washington on the 28th day of May, 1898, have named for this purpose their respective Plenipotentiaries, to wit: The President of the United States of America, the Honorable Alvey A. Adee, Acting Secretary of State of the United States of America; and The President of the French Republic, Mr. Pierre de Margerie, Chargé d'Affaires of France at Washington; Who, after having communicated each to the other their respective full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the following additional and amendatory articles to be taken as part of said Agreement: ARTICLE I. The High Contracting Parties mutually agree that the provisions of the said Agreement shall apply also to Algeria and the Island of Porto Rico. It is further agreed on the part of the French Republic that coffee, the product of Porto Rico, shall enjoy until the 23rd day of February, 1903, the benefit of the minimum customs tariff of France on that article. |