Mr. Perry to Mr.
Seward.
No. 3.]
Legation of the United States,
Madrid, October 14, 1867.
Sir: On the 12th instant I received from our
consul at Teneriffe two communications, dated September 26th and October
1st, which came by the same mail steamer, and covered various documents
relating to the dismissal from that port of the American whaling vessels
Albert Clarence, Mattapoisett, and Minnesota. It will be borne in mind
that, by the Spanish sanitary system, only two full quarantine stations
are established—one at Vigo, on the Atlantic coast, and another at
Mahon, in the Mediterranean.
Thus vessels proceeding from ports declared foul by Spain, although they
bear clean bills of health are immediately dismissed from all other
Spanish ports to the lazaretto of Vigo or Mahon.
The three vessels above mentioned were but the forerunners of a much
larger fleet of whalers, accustomed to touch at the Canaries at this
season to leave their oil, refresh their crews, and lay in provisions
for their winter’s cruise. The merits of their case will be found
succinctly stated in the memorandum sent by me to the Spanish minister
of state, to which I beg leave to refer you.
On receiving the consul’s letters I immediately took the papers to the
state department; and finding the minister engaged in cabinet council,
saw and explained verbally to the sub-secretary of state and to the
chief of the commercial bureau the condition of things at Teneriffe,
translating verbally the
[Page 536]
documents and urging upon them the necessity of prompt action. I then
returned and addressed to the minister, in Spanish, the official note
and memorandum, of which I enclose copies translated. Yesterday was
Sunday; nevertheless I found means to again see the sub-secretary of
state and two of the chief officers of the department of state on this
business. Not finding the minister, however, I addressed him the
official request for an interview, of which I enclose a copy.
To-day, Monday, I have been early into the office of the bureau of public
health, and found that an officer from the state department, Count Nava
de Tajo, had already been sent in person to request the immediate action
of that bureau on the statement contained in the memorandum I had
furnished. I had, therefore, the satisfaction to see the orders prepared
to be transmitted by telegraph to Cadiz immediately, to go out by the
mail steamer which starts tomorrow, it being already too late to reach
her by post from Madrid.
The result is satisfactory. I have addressed a telegram to our consul at
Teneriffe announcing it, which, translated, you will find enclosed.
I have as yet received no official answer to my note, nor will it be
likely to reach me before the departure of the mail which takes this
despatch.
With sentiments of the highest respect, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Translation.]
Legation of the United
States, Madrid,
October 12, 1867.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a
memorandum of what has happened at Teneriffe relative to varions
whaling ships of the United States, and to call your excellency’s
attention to the special manner in which the recent sanitary
dispositions of her Majesty’s government have been interpreted in
that island, applying an order, based on the supposed sanitary
condition of America in August, 1867, to vessels which left those
countries in May and November of the year previous and have not
since returned.
Without exaggerating the importance of the traffic which the
provisioning of this numerous whaling fleet brings to the Canary
islands, forming a great part of their commerce at this season, and
which, once turned aside by the measures, no doubt unpremeditated,
of which they complain this year, can hardly be expected to return
in coming years, I would beg your excellency to notice the
circumstance that the mail steamer which leaves Cadiz on the 15th of
this month will be perhaps the last which can carry to Teneriffe, in
time to arrive opportunely, the resolution her Majesty’s government
may think proper to dictate.
The consul, whose information serves as a basis for this
communication, says that the whaling vessels, which usually resort
to the Canary islands at this season to refresh their crews and lay
in their provisions for the coming winter, will have all passed by
before the 15th of the next month of November.
Thus your excellency will not fail to be impressed with the urgency
of some resolution in the matter. And I avail myself of this
occasion to renew to your excellency the assurance of my most
distinguished consideration.
His Excellency the Minister of State
of her Catholic Majesty.
Memorandum.
On the 11th September last orders were received by the local
government of the island of Teneriffe, (Canary islands,)
declaring foul all the ports of the American continent, and
subjecting to vigorous quarantine all vessels proceeding from
them.
On the 16th September, arrived at Teneriffe the whaling schooner
Albert Clarence, which left the State of Massachusetts, in the
United States, on the 18th day of last February, and, after
being occupied seven months in the whale fishery, made this port
in search of a surgeon to set the leg of a man whose leg had
been fractured by a fall. She was immediately dismissed from the
port without receiving the succor she asked.
[Page 537]
On the 18th September, arrived the whaling hark Mattapoisett,
which left the United States on the 13th day of November, 1866,
and, after being engaged nearly a year in the fishery to which
she is destined, came into these islands, as is usual, to
refresh her crew, purchase fresh provisions, and prepare for the
cruise of the approaching winter.
On the 21st September, arrived also the whaling bark Minnesota,
which left the United States on the 29th May, 1866, or, in other
words, a year and three months before the publication of the
sanitary order which declares those ports foul and subjects
vessels proceeding thence to quarantine. Nevertheless, ail these
vessels were dismissed from Teneriffe under that order.
The consul of the United States in those islands made to the
governor of the same such observations as he thought the case
required, and it is presumed that the latter has consulted the
Queen’s government at Madrid, for the consul claimed that a date
should be fixed on after which the bill of health issued at
those ports should be considered foul, but which should exempt
from this measure vessels that left the United States months,
and even a year, previous to the circumstances which were the
motive for that order.
The decision is urgent, because the whaling fleet of the United
States, which seeks these islands at this season of the year, to
prepare for the fishery of the approaching winter, will have all
passed by before the 15th of November; and if the desired
amendment of this sanitary order should not leave in the mail
steamer from Cadiz on the 15th of October, there will be no
other mail to the islands in time to prevent the dismissal of
almost all of these vessels. And it is to be feared that this
numerous fleet, being thus dismissed this year, will not return,
the Canary islands thus losing what is for them an important and
lucrative trade.
[Translation.]
Telegram sent to Cadiz October 14 to be transmitted by the mail steamer of
October 15 from Cadiz to the Canary
islands.
To the Consul of the United States at
Teneriffe:
The quarantine question is arranged. Orders go out to admit to
free pratique all vessels which had left the United States
previous to the 1st of July.
HORATIO J. PERRY, Chargé d’
Affaires.
