No. 658.
Mr. Thompson to Mr. Bayard.
Port au Prince, September 8, 1888. (Received September 20.)
Sir: On Friday, the 7th instant, I, in common with the other members of the diplomatic and consular corps, received for my signature a circular dispatch from the Count de Sesmaisons, minister of France, and dean of that body, requesting a meeting at his legation the day following to discuss an important question.
The day following, at 10 a.m., the meeting was held, when the French minister read the reply be had received from the provisional government (his dispatch referred to in my No. 206), wherein they said the subject was taken note of, and when they deemed it the necessary time it would be discussed among them. As reported before, the disease was local, and, according to Dr. Contraras, whom the dean had invited to attend our meeting, was in a benign state. Many sanitary features were discussed, and it was decided that, owing to the bad sanitary condition along the wharves, we as consular agents would advise all vessels during the continuation of the present excessive heat to lie further out in the harbor, where they will have more air, and not inhale the miasma arising from the low water along the shore. This will certainly cause them more trouble in discharging their cargoes, but as we feared during this extreme heat that whatever sickness they had might become contagious, for the preservation of life and safety toward those who arrived here well, it would be a precautionary measure and show the provisional government that to avert suchdanger, even at the inconvenience of our vessels, we were willing to take the initiative by advising captains in order to prevent contagion. I objected that any official communication be addressed to the government dictating in any way the measures to take, but accepted that a delegation be sent them to confer unofficially as to sanitary reforms. This was acceded to by all the members present, and a delegation named consisting of the French minister, the British consul-general, and myself. The members of the provisional government arranged to meet us this morning at 10 o’clock, and we enjoyed a very pleasant call, talked over the situation, and it was agreed that a sanitary commission be formed to keep the streets in better condition, to visit and ameliorate to their utmost any sources of contagion, even should the few cases of fever increase or diminish; in fine, our mission was both successful and accepted as amicable.
Of the cases of fever, it is said three or four were yellow fever imported here. They were isolated, but a form of intermittent fever has been contracted on a couple of vessels—on the American brig Water Witch, two cases, one of which is well, the other convalescent. There is no spread of the disease, and with these measures of precaution it is deemed that the city will continue in its normal state of healthfulness.
[Page 920]Owing to all conditions, the consular body consider themselves justified in giving clean bills of health up to the present, but we are watching scrupulously the status of each case of illness, and at the first alarming sign will carry out the duty of warning our respective Governments.
I am, etc.,