A.
By the verbal note of the 5th of October last the royal ministry of foreign affairs informed the legation of the United States that American citizens residing or possessing real or personal estate in Italy would be exempted from liability to contribute to the national loan, on the express condition that Italian subjects residing or possessing real or personal property in the United States should enjoy the same favor. In informing the legation of the United States of this decission, the urgency of obtaining the explicit declaration of reciprocity in question was insisted on, and it was added that it was of the utmost consequence that this declaration should be made as soon as possible in order not to delay the regular course of proceedings relative to this financial operation.
At the renewed solicitation of the royal ministry of finance the minister of foreign affairs thinks it his duty to recall the attention of the legation of the United States to the subject and to request it to make known, without delay, the decision of the federal government in relation to it. It must be observed on this point that executory proceedings in respect to the forced loan cannot be deferred later than the 15th of December next. In case of failure of an explicit declaration of reciprocity, his Majesty’s government could not apply the principle of favor, but would be obliged to extend the general provisions of the law to all foreigners residing in the kingdom.