No. 477.
Mr. Bayard
to Mr. Manning.
Washington, June 13, 1887.
Sir: In connection with my No. 108, of the 31st ultimo, I herewith inclose for your perusal a copy of a dispatch* from Mr. Henry C. Hall, your colleague in Central America, No. 652, of the 11th ultimo, concerning a contract between two Spanish subjects (Messrs. Carlos F. Irigoyen and José A. March) and the Government of Guatemala for the establishment of a line of steamers between Panama and San Francisco, which entitles goods imported by this line into Guatemala to a rebate of 5 per cent. of customs duties. There would seem to be concerted movement to obtain for the Spanish lines, from the Central American states as from Mexico, subventions of this highly obnoxious character.
I shall likewise inclose to Mr. Hall, for his information, copies of the Department’s No. 92, of April 25, 1887, and No. 108, of May 31, 1887, that he may see the similarity of our complaint against Mexico.
I am, etc.,