No. 709.
Mr. Fish to Admiral Polo de
Bernabé.
Washington, December 2, 1873.
The undersigned has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the note of Admiral Polo de Bernabé, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the republic of Spain, of the 1st instant, informing the undersigned that he has not yet received certain instructions from his government at Madrid to arrange the details for the fulfillment of the agreement made for the surrender of the Virginius, her surviving passengers and crew, &c, and assigning reasons for the delay on the part of his government in carrying out its engagements in that respect, has been unavoidable and will undoubtedly be brief.
The undersigned is instructed by the President to say that the delay appears, from Admiral Polo’s statements, to have been unavoidable; but the sufficient reasons which have caused it will doubtless cease in a few hours, and the President will then rely upon the immediate execution of the agreement to complete the arrangement of the details for the surrender forthwith of the vessel and of the survivors of her passengers and crew, and for the salute to the flag of the United States.
Accept sir, &c,