No. 2.
Mr. Gresham to Mr. Willis.
Washington , November 26, 1894 .
Sir: I have received your No. 75 of the 10th instant, transmitting a copy of a communication addressed to you on that day by the Hawaiian minister for foreign affairs in regard to a supposed filibustering expedition being fitted out at San Francisco, and confirming your cipher telegram of the 17th instant, which reads:
Steamer Rosalie or Alexandria reported to be shipping arms at San Francisco against this Government.
On the 19th instant the Hawaiian chargé d’affaires called at the Department on my invitation, and in reply to an inquiry said he had no information that arms had been or were to be shipped from San Francisco for use against the Government of Hawaii. I then handed him your telegram, which he read, and remarked that on the same day he received a telegram from his Government via San Francisco, but that it contained no such information. Mr. Hastings further remarked that he was familiar with our neutrality laws and that he did not think your telegram required action looking to their enforcement.
It does not appear why Mr. Hatch did not communicate to the United States through the Hawaiian legation at Washington information in his possession which he thought tended to show that a filibustering expedition was being fitted out at San Francisco against his Government.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,