No. 711.
Admiral Polo de Bernabé to Mr. Fish.

The undersigned, minister plenipotentiary of Spain, has had the honor to receive the note which the honorable Secretary of State of the United [Page 990] States was pleased to address to him under date of to-day, requesting him to appoint a certain hour of this very day for the purpose of discussing the conditions of time and place for the surrender of the Virginius to the United States, &c, &c, in virtue of the powers which have been conferred upon the undersigned for this purpose, according to information received by telegraph from the minister of the United States at Madrid.

The undersigned has, indeed, been authorized by his government to treat concerning the settlement of the points above referred to, but since he is at the same time instructed (as could not have been done otherwise) to proceed in this matter in conjunction with the superior authority of the island of Cuba, the undersigned has referred the matter to his government, and as soon as he shall have received a reply he will place himself at the disposal of the honorable Secretary of State for the purpose in question.

The undersigned avails, &c,

JOSÉ POLO DE BEENABÉ.