No. 243.
Mr. Blaine
to Mr. Morton
.
Washington , August 9, 1881.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Pomeroy’s dispatch No. 495, of the 23d ultimo, transmitting a copy of a note received by him from the minister of foreign affairs of France as to the alleged results of the inspection of American pork by the French authorities and intimating that modifications will be made in the decree issued in February last, in relation to the importation of American pork into France.
I have read with surprise the statement in Mr. St. Hilaire’s note to the effect that microscopic researches made in the laboratory at Havre “have confirmed the existence of numerous trichinæ in the larger portion of salt meat of American origin.”
This statement is so much at variance with the results of the extended observations on this subject which have been made in this country, that it is believed by this Department that the conclusions arrived at by the French authorities at Havre must be owing to inaccurate inspections, or the result of accidental circumstances. I will therefore thank you to adopt judicious measures to inform yourself as to the accuracy of the inspections made by the French authorities, and at the same time to continue the efforts which your legation has heretofore been instructed to make, with a view to having all unnecessary restrictions upon the importation of American pork into France removed.
I am, &c.,