Mr. Roberts, Spanish minister, to Mr. Fish, Secretary of State.
April 3, 1896.
[732] *The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Spain, has become informed, by news communicated [Page 723] to him from the Cuban authorities, confirmed through other channels, that one of the Peruvian monitors which the Spanish squadron allowed to leave one of the southern ports of the United States, instead of continuing her course towards the waters of the Pacific, in accordance with the solemn promise made to the Government of this Republic by the accredited minister of Peru, Mr. Garcia, has violated this compromise by returning to the waters of the island of Cuba, and entering one of its ports called Puerto Naranjo.
The undersigned considers it his duty to call to this matter the attention of the honorable Secretary of State, to whom he doubts not such procedure will cause a feeling of disgust, adding that one of the Spanish war-steamers, the Fernando el Catolica, accompanied the said steamer to Inagua, which is at the extreme end of the island, and gave up the watchfulness which he exercised towards them, in the assurance that they would not fail to the agreement made with Spain through the mediation of the Government of the United States.
The undersigned thinks it proper that the honorable Secretary of State should have exact information about the matter, and it is the purpose of this note to send him herewith exact copies of what passed at the time my government acceded to the departure of the steamers mentioned.
[733] The undersigned avails of this occasion to reiterate, to the honorable Secretary of State the assurance of his highest *consideration.
The Honorable Secretary of
State
Of the United
States,