No. 665.
Mr. Winchester to Mr. Bayard .

No. 105.]

Sir: The majority of applications to this legation for passports, especially during this period of the year, are made by parties holding passports that have been issued more than two years, and they are given to understand by the local authorities where they reside in Switzerland that they must obtain a renewal of their passports, which simply means a new passport, involving an outlay of 25 francs to the Government and the consular charge for making out the application, in order to continue in the enjoyment of their permis de séjour. This question was submitted fully to the Department in my No. 89, of November 30, 1886, how the practice originated, and the whole bearing of the matter as at present enforced. There has been a unanimous and urgent expression on the part of all our consular officers in Switzerland to have an expression from the Department for their guidance in such cases, and I feel constrained to repeat the request, which will be found distinctly and circumstantially submitted in ray No. 89, November 30, 1886.

I, am, etc.,

Boyd Winchester.