Mr. Adee to Mr.
Depuy de Lôme.
Department of State,
Washington, August 6,
1897.
No. 283.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of Mr. Soler’s note of the 5th instant, in which he states that,
as he informed me in a personal interview of the same date, your
legation has confidential information that a filibustering expedition is
preparing to leave New York on Saturday, the 7th instant, and he
requests that prompt measures be taken by this Government to watch and
seize any vessels attempting to violate the neutrality laws.
I beg to inform you in reply that a copy of Mr. Soler’s note has been
communicated to the Secretary of the Treasury and to the Secretary of
the Navy for consideration and appropriate action.
Accept, etc.
Alvey A. Adee,
Acting Secretary.
Memorandum.
[Translation.]
[Handed to Mr. Adee at the State Department,
by Mr. Pla, August
21, 1897.]
The Spanish legation has been informed that the schooner Donna F. Briggs is 83 miles south by
southeast of Gape Hatteras, awaiting a meeting with the Dauntless or the Alexander
Jones in order to carry a filibustering expedition to
Cuba.
In addition to the memorandum of yesterday, the legation of Spain
asks that the orders relating thereto which have been sent to
Savannah,
[Page 533]
where the Dauntless now is, and from where she went
this morning towing a barge, be reaffirmed in order that this vessel
may be prevented from violating the neutrality laws; and, at the
same time and with the same object in view, that proper precautions
be taken in Brunswick, Ga., at which place the Alexander Jones is anchored, to prevent this vessel
assisting in carrying an expedition.
Antonio Pla,
Attaché of Legation.
Memorandum.
[Translation.]
[Handed to Mr. Adee at the State Department,
August 26,
1897, by Mr. Pla.]
The Spanish legation, having been informed that the steamer Dauntless, which returned last night to
Savannah, has come back with the object of taking on board a
filibustering expedition and to make the last preparations for
sailing to meet the schooner Donna F. Briggs,
begs the Government of the United States to place on board said
vessel a representative of the Government that he may prevent a
violation of the neutrality laws, or that the vessel be watched by
United States cruisers.
Antonio Pla,
Attaché of Legation.
