Mr. Runyon to Mr. Gresham.

No. 53.]

Sir: Referring to your instruction No. 52 of the 1st instant, in regard to the burdens imposed on the exportation of meat from the United States into Germany, I beg to say that (as I have already reported) the subject had, before that instruction came to my hands, had my attention. At once after the instruction referred to was received, I sought and obtained an interview with Baron von Marschall, the imperial secretary of state for foreign affairs, in which the matter was discussed at length. No decision was declared, but a promise was given that the matter should receive due consideration and that an answer should be given as soon as practicable. In the course of the conversation he informed me that the continued delay in replying to my request for information as to microscopical examination here, etc., under your instruction of June 21, last, No. 26,* was due to the necessity of obtaining information for such reply from the sovereignties composing the German Empire, inasmuch as the microscopical examination as to which inquiry is made, is, if made, made pursuant to requirements not of the Imperial Government, but pursuant to requirements of those sovereignties or of municipalities therein.

I ought here to say that I judge from his remarks that the German Government will claim that the advantages gained by it under the action of the President of the United States (proclamation of February 1, 1892), pursuant to section 3 of the act of Congress of October 1, 1890, entitled “An act to reduce the revenue and equalize the duties on imports, and for other purposes,” were acquired for a consideration given by it to, and received therefor, by the United States Government, and that they will be protected accordingly in any new tariff legislation on our part.

As to the microscopical examination in the United States of pork products exported from that country into Germany, it is claimed that that inspection was voluntarily undertaken by our Government, and was understood to be one of the considerations for, and a condition of, removing the prohibition. (See the correspondence preceding and leading up to the proclamation above referred to, and the regulations of March 25, 1891, made by the Department of Agriculture pursuant to the act of March 3, 1891, entitled “An act to provide for the inspection of live cattle, hogs, and the carcasses and products thereof, which are the subject of interstate commerce, and for other purposes.”)

I have, etc.,

T. Runyon.
  1. Not printed.