Mr. Sherman to Mr. Beak.
Washington, March 17, 1897.
Sir: Referring to your dispatch No. 51, of November 25 last, relative to the discrimination alleged to be made by the Cantons of Zurich and Schaffnausen against American meat upon the ground that borax is used in curing the same, I have to inform you that, in accordance with the suggestion contained in your dispatch, the Department, on the 11th of December, 1896, issued a circular instruction to the consular officers of the United States in Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, and Switzerland, directing them to inform the Department, as promptly as [Page 556] possible, whether in their respective districts borax is used in the curing of pork, and if so whether any of the pork thus cured is exported to Switzerland.
I transmit herewith, as indicated below, copies of the reports1 on the subject which have been received from our consular officers in the countries above named. It seems from the tenor of these reports that, while there is considerable diversity of practice in different places in the use of borax in curing pork, there is no question but that the use of that article is forbidden in most, if not all, the Cantons of Switzerland. The information thus far obtained does not appear to clearly establish the claim that there is discrimination in Switzerland against the importation of American pork upon the ground that borax is used in curing the same.
The Department will await a further report from your legation on the subject before taking any action in reference thereto. Respectfully, yours,
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