Mr. Runyon to Mr. Olney.
Berlin, January 5, 1896. (Received January 17.)
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 432, of December 18 last, relating to the incidents of an interview which I had had a few days before that date with Baron von Marschall, the imperial secretary of state for foreign affairs, in regard to the action of the Prussian authorities in respect to American insurance companies, and the action of the German Government as to the exclusion of American cattle and fresh beef, I would now add that I have to-day had another interview with the same high official upon the same subjects, but principally upon the former. In my dispatch above mentioned I state that the imperial secretary assured me that the subject of the withdrawal of the concessions from the insurance companies would be considered by the new Prussian minister of the interior, Baron von der Recke. To that end I requested him to send the papers which I had furnished him in the matter to the new minister if he had not already done so, and he promised that if the papers had not already gone they would be sent.
In the conversation of to-day, I may remark, opportunity was afforded to make use of the communication from Mr. George S. Merrill, insurance commissioner of the State of Massachusetts, to Mr. von Koeller, the late Prussian minister of the interior, a copy of which was sent me, with your instruction, No. 499, of December 19 last, and to a certain extent of some of the facts furnished me in your instruction, No. 497, of December 18, and I availed myself of the occasion. In the conversation the imperial secretary informed me that the promised reconsideration (referred to in my dispatch) of the matter of the withdrawal of the concessions would take place, and that the subject would be referred by the new Prussian minister to new experts.
I have, etc.,