No. 17.
Mr. Delaplaine to Mr. Fish.

No. 749.]

Sir: I have the honor herewith to transmit copy of my note on the occasion of the retirement of Baron Lederer, addressed to the minister for foreign affairs, in pursuance of your instructions. Also copy of a translation of reply to the same, received at the legation this morning.

I have, &c.,

J. F. DELAPLAINE.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 749.]

Mr. Delaplaine to Count Andrássy.

F. O., 269.]

To his Excellency the Count Andrássy,
Imperial and Royal Minister for Foreign Affairs:

The undersigned, chargé d’affaires of the United States of America, has the honor to advise his excellency the Count Andrássy, minister of the imperial house and for foreign affairs, that he has received a communication from the State Department, at Washington, inclosing copy of a letter dated 24th April last, addressed to Messrs. Wm. T. Otto and Luis de Potestad, arbitrators in the American and Spanish Claims Commission, by his excellency the Austro-Hungarian envoy, Baron de Lederer, announcing his excellency’s resignation of the position of umpire to that commission.

The undersigned has been instructed by the honorable Mr. Secretary Fish to express to the imperial and royal government the regret with which the President learns of the retirement of Baron Lederer from duties for which he has shown such qualification, and the sense of the President of the ability and learning with which the baron has devoted himself to their performance.

The undersigned has been further instructed to request his excellency the minister for foreign affairs to be pleased to convey to Baron Lederer the thanks of the President for the valuable services rendered by him in the interest of the two governments represented in the commission.

The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to his excellency the Count Andrássy the assurance of his distinguished consideration.

J. F. DELAPLAINE.
[Page 30]
[Inclosure 2 in No. 749.—Translation.]

The Imperial and Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs to Mr. Delaplaine, dated 22d May, 1874.

7016, IV.]

To Mr. Delaplaine, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States of America:

The imperial and royal ministry of foreign affairs with pleasure hastens to advise Baron Lederer, the former envoy of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty at Washington, of the highly honorable recognition, by his Excellency the President of the United States of America, of the good services rendered by Baron Lederer as umpire in the American and Spanish Claims Commission.

While it proves a subject of sincere satisfaction to the imperial and royal government to learn that its representative has succeeded in justifying the confidence placed in him through his selection to that charge, the undersigned has the honor to claim the courteous mediation of the chargé d’affaires of the United States for the purpose of communicating to his Government the thanks of the undersigned for the favorable and generous opinion entertained by it which in the note of the chargé d’affaires, of the 16th instant, has been expressed in such complimentary terms.

The undersigned avails himself at the same time of this occasion to renew to the chargé d’affaires the assurance of his highest consideration.


For the minister for foreign affairs,
HOFMANN.