Mr. Gresham to Count Reventlow.

No. 11.]

The Secretary of State has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Danish minister’s note of January 4 last, stating that, according to reports from His Majesty’s consuls in British ports, the shippers of live cattle from the United States to Great Britain—mainly from New York and Boston—appear to be in the habit of employing destitute paupers as cattlemen on board the steamers, giving them free passage but no pay whatever, and leaving them behind without any means of existence; and that if these men happen to be of Danish nationality by birth they recoil upon the Danish consuls.

The Secretary of State in reply has to inform Count Reventlow that this matter has been the subject of consideration by this and the Treasury Department with a view of remedying the evil complained of, but there seems to be no way of reaching it under present laws. The Secretary of the Treasury reports that most of the vessels shipping these men are under the British flag. Publicity was recently given to a report of the hardships entailed upon these men when left destitute in foreign ports, made by the United States commercial agent at Swansea, in the hope that the practice might be checked, in a measure at least, by calling public attention to it.

The Secretary of State renews to Count Reventlow the assurances of his highest consideration.