Mr. Sherman to Mr. Depuy de Lôme.
Washington, October 29, 1897.
Sir: I have the honor to communicate for your information copy of a report of Captain Gooding, of the revenue cutter Winona, to the collector of customs at Key West, Fla., touching his action in relation to a reported filibustering expedition about to leave that district from the vicinity of Bahia Honda or Knights Key. This report has been received from the Secretary of the Treasury.
The instructions given to Captain Gooding do not appear to have been in consequence of any representations made by your legation, but to have been based upon some report or information received by and from the Spanish consul at Key West. The erroneousness of the consul’s information as to the occurrences at Knights Key is apparent from this report.
Accept, etc.