Mr. Bayard to Mr. Becerra.
Washington, March 20, 1885.
Sir: Acknowledging the receipt of your note of the 17th instant, wherein you complain of the alleged neglect of the United States authorities at the port of New York to enforce the provisions of the neutrality laws, I have the honor to inform you that the reports received at this Department indicate that the authorities mentioned have exercised the utmost vigilance to prevent any infractions of the neutrality laws.
It appears from the inquiries made by those authorities, that they are satisfied that no arms or munitions of war were taken on board the steamship Albano for Colombian ports. As a schooner or sailing vessel may leave the port of New York without clearing at the custom-house, it has been deemed proper to instruct the proper authorities to report forthwith any suspicious circumstance connected with the loading of any such vessel with arms or munitions of war.
Any information which may come to your knowledge, or to the knowledge of the consul from Colombia at New York, that would indicate an infraction of the neutrality laws, should be made known at once to the proper authorities,
Accept, &c.,