Señor du Bosc to Mr. Sherman.
Washington, February 17, 1898.
Mr. Secretary: By express charge of the Government of His Majesty the King, my august sovereign, I have the honor to transmit to your excellency expression of the profound sorrow of the Spanish Government by reason of the catastrophe which has occurred on the United States war vessel Maine lying in the bay at Habana.
In communicating to you this manifestation of sympathy on the part of my Government, I join thereto the sincere expression of sorrow which fills my soul because of so heavy a disaster, and I avail myself of this occasion to reiterate to you the assurance of my highest consideration.