No. 174.
Mr. Sargent to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Legation of
the United States,
Berlin, February 10, 1883.
(Received March 5.)
No. 107.]
Sir: I have the honor to state that, on February 2,
I was the recipient of 4,000 marks from citizens of San Francisco, for the
relief of the sufferers in the inundated districts of Germany; of 5,000
marks [Page 334] received to-day from the
citizens of Stockton, Cal.; and am notified of 20,000 marks more on the way
from Pittsburgh, Pa. Besides these sums contributed through me, large
amounts have been sent by our generous people for this object through other
channels. Believing the surest and most impartial distribution, in
accordance with the benevolent intentions of the donors, could be secured
through the medium of the imperial authorities, who have the general work of
relief in hand, I sent the money so far received to the foreign office, in a
communication dated February 2, of which a copy is inclosed. On the 8th
instant I received a letter from the imperial chancellor, a copy and
translation of which are inclosed, acknowledging receipt of the money, and
tendering the warmest thanks of the Emperor for the warm sympathy of the
citizens of the United States for the sufferings of the inundated on the
Rhine, and expressing His Majesty’s great pleasure at perceiving in this
contribution another proof of the friendly relations between Germany and the
United States. As this letter is obviously designed as a general
acknowledgment of the generosity of our citizens in this matter, I take the
liberty of communicating it to the Department for such use as it sees fit to
make of it. Its request that I express the thanks of His Majesty to the San
Francisco donors, I beg leave to comply with by forwarding a copy through
the Department to Mr. Herzen, who telegraphed the money to me.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 107.]
Mr. Sargent to
Count Hatzfeldt.
Legation of the United States,
Berlin, February 2,
1883.
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the
United States of America, has the honor to transmit herewith to his
excellency Count Hatzfeldt, imperial secretary of state for foreign
affairs, the sum of 4,000 marks Contributed by the citizens of the city
of San Francisco, Cal., for the relief of the sufferers by the late
inundations in the Rhine district.
The undersigned has taken the liberty of sending this subscription
through the medium of the imperial foreign office, being convinced that
the surest and most impartial distribution, in accordance with the
benevolent intentions of the donors, will be thus secured, and
respectfully requests his excellency to take such measures as may seem
to him most proper, in order that this contribution to their relief may
reach the sufferers as directly and speedily as possible.
The undersigned avails, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
107.—Translation.]
Prince Bismarck to
Mr. Sargent.
Foreign
Office,
Berlin,
February 8, 1883.
The undersigned has had the honor to receive the esteemed note of the 2d
instant, inclosing the sum of 4,000 marks which the citizens of San
Francisco have placed at the disposal of the inhabitants of the Rhine
district devastated by the inundations, and has not failed to report the
contribution in the highest quarter. His Majesty the Emperor has noted
with deep interest the warm sympathy which the citizens of the United
States evince for the sufferings of the inundated on the Rhine. It
affords His Majesty great pleasure to perceive in this contribution
another proof of the friendly relations which unite Germany and
America.
The undersigned is authorized by His Majesty to express, in the name of
the inundated, their warmest thanks to the citizens of San Francisco who
made this contribution, [Page 335] and
would request the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of
the United States of America, Mr. Sargent, to convey these thanks to
them.
The undersigned gladly adopted measures looking to the speedy and direct
distribution of the money sent to this office, as was requested, and to
that end he asked the assiscance of the committee of the members of
Parliament, who represent the devastated district, now sitting in the
Reichstag, which was cheerfully accorded.
The undersigned avails, &c.,
