No. 158.
General Schenck to Mr. Fish.
London, April 26, 1873. (Received May 9.)
Sir: On the 8th of this month, Earl Granville being out of town, I had an interview at the foreign office with Lord Enfield, one of the under secretaries of state for foreign affairs, and, among other matters, I brought to his attention the subject of your No. 345, the oppressive fines exacted in Cuba of vessels trading to that island.
I placed in his lordship’s hands one of the printed copies of your instructions to General Sickles, with the inclosed memorandum for the minister for foreign affairs at Madrid, and I explained that it was the desire of the United States that Her Majesty’s government, having interests in the matter identical with our own and those of other maritime [Page 355] powers trading to Cuban ports, should give such instructions to their minister at Madrid as would enable him to co-operate with General Sickles in support of such change in the tariff laws and regulations of Cuba as might relieve vessels from the burdensome and unreasonable exactions to which they are now subjected.
Lord Enfield, although in charge during the absence of the principal secretary of state, and although Lord Granville had referred me to him for any communication I might wish to make while he was away, gave no other reply than to promise that he would bring the matter to the notice of his chief, and would forward the copies of papers I delivered to him. He did not doubt but that what I communicated would be received with interest, and meet with prompt attention.
Yesterday I met Lord Granville himself, by appointment. In our conversation I brought up this subject. He expressed views entirely concurrent with those I presented to him. He said he regretted to have to state that the complaints made of similar treatment of British vessels trading to Cuba had been numerous, and constant instructions had been addressed to Mr. Layard, Her Majesty’s minister at Madrid, to make earnest representations on the subject. He thought it was desirable that the two countries should, as suggested, either by identical or simultaneous representations, endeavor to obtain a complete reform of the grievances. Simultaneous action, though separate, he believed would probably be the better. The only question in his mind was whether this particular moment was the most opportune for the purpose.
He thought not, because of the immediately existing political trouble in Spain; but would keep the subject in mind, with a disposition and readiness for concurrent influence to be exerted at any more auspicious time.
I have, &c.,