No. 417.
Mr. Wurts
to Mr. Blaine
.
Rome , July 27, 1881. (Received August 15.)
Sir: Your instructions Nos. 779, 780, on the subject of the Panama canal, were duly received about a fortnight ago, but until a couple of days since I was unable to have an interview with Mr. Mancini, minister of foreign affairs. Mr. Mancini is in very poor health and at this season is seldom to be found in Rome, or, if in town, he receives only on matters of urgency. The minister, to whom I translated the principal points in your instruction, listened with much attention to the views of the President therein set forth and showed that the subject was not new to him; he said he could not pronounce any opinion in regard to them before consultation with the cabinet of Italy and those of other countries concerned; meanwhile he desired to have a copy of No. 779, and requested me moreover to address him a note embodying the substance of your No. 780. I complied at once with these requests, and my note has doubtless been forwarded to Naples, where Mr. Mancini is passing the summer; but as the members of the ministry are scattered in different parts of the kingdom, and likely to continue away from the capital until the exceptional heat of this summer is over, it is not probable that there will be any reply to my note for some weeks, if not months.
I have, &c.,