No. 445.
Mr. Rublee to Mr. Fish.
Berne , June 30, 1873. (Received July 24.)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch marked “separate,” of the 4th instant, informing me that a letter of credit will be forwarded to Messrs. Clews, Habicht & Co., of London, authorizing me to draw upon them for the sum of five thousand francs (5,000) to enable me to re-imburse the Swiss government for the money advanced to Mr. Staempfli, the Swiss member of the Geneva tribunal of arbitration, for his expenses in connection with the said tribunal.
Having been advised by Messrs. Clews, Habicht & Co. of the receipt by them of the aforesaid letter of credit, I have this day drawn upon them, through my bankers in this city, Messrs. Marcuard & Co., for the sum of one hundred and ninety-nine pounds three pence, the equivalent of the sum of five thousand francs, including the bankers commission, which amount I have paid over to the Swiss government.
I inclose herewith the note of Messrs. Marcuard & Co., showing the [Page 1088] rate of exchange paid, and further the receipt of the cashier of the federal treasury for the sum of five thousand francs reimbursed by the Government of the United States to the Swiss confederation, being one-half the amount advanced by the latter for the tribunal of arbitration held in Geneva in the year 1872.
The minister of Great Britain, accredited to the Swiss confederation, made a similar payment into the federal treasury several days ago.
I am, &c.