Mr. Runyon to Mr. Gresham.

No. 230.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt to-day of the Department’s instructions No. 237, of the 11th instant, relating to the kinds of certificates and stamps used by the Department of Agriculture in connection with the microscopic examination of meat intended for export, and to inclose herein a copy of my note addressed to the Imperial foreign office in compliance with the directions therein contained.

I have, etc.,

Theodore Runyon
.
[Inclosure in No. 230.]

Mr. Runyon to Baron Marschall.

The undersigned, ambassador, etc., of the United States of America, has the honor to inform His Excellency Baron Marschall von Bieberstein, Imperial secretary of state for foreign affairs, that his Government, having recently learned that pork which had not been microscopically inspected has been shipped to Germany, and allowed entry probably because the officials were not informed as to the difference in the meat inspection stamps and the certificates used by the Department of Agriculture for the two kinds of inspection, has instructed the undersigned to inform his excellency that all pork slaughtered in the United States for either interstate or export trade is inspected at the abattoirs by veterinarians, and that that which is to be shipped to Germany, France, Denmark, and other countries which require the microscopical inspection is subjected to such inspection in addition to the veterinary inspection at the abattoirs; that pork which has been inspected microscopically is distinguished by a purple stamp upon the package, which stamp bears the word “Export,” and that the stamp upon the package of the pork which has not been microscopically inspected is a white stamp, which has upon it the same printed matter except that it does not contain the word “Export.” And further, that the certificates issued with the microscopically inspected pork have the following words stamped across the face thereof: “Microscopically examined in addition to regular inspection.”

The undersigned has the honor to inclose herewith to his excellency a copy of the regulations adopted by the Department of Agriculture recently (February 7 last), and also specimens of the certificate required for pork which is to be exported.

The undersigned avails, etc.,

Theodore Runyon
.