[Translation.]

Mr. Tassara to Mr. Seward

The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of her Catholic Majesty, has had the honor to receive the note of yesterday (26th) from the Hon. Secretary of State, according to which the consul-general of the United States at the Havana makes report to this department, that it has come indirectly to his knowledge that orders had been given that United States ships-of-war should not be permitted to hold communication with the ports of that island by means of boats, but must themselves enter said ports whenever they should have to communicate with them.

The undersigned has the antecedent which he communicated to the Hon. Secretary of State, in his note of the 20th October last, upon the affair at Marianao, that it had been in effect until that time allowed, through mere toleration, to ships-of-war or merchantmen of this country to remain outside of the port of Havana; and in communication with the shore through that channel, when the perpetration of that offence having given ground to believe that the communication of the boat of the Montgomery with the consul-general of the United States had given occasion to it, that permission was withdrawn. The measure now spoken of refers, without doubt, to that.

The undersigned will, nevertheless, ask for information from Cuba, and will communicate the result to the Hon. Secretary of State.

The undersigned avails of the present occasion to reiterate to the honorable Secretary of State the assurance of his highest consideration.

GABRIEL G. TASSARA.

Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.