Mr. Woodford to Mr. Sherman.
Madrid, February 17, 1898.
Sir: Yesterday afternoon, February 16, instant, Señor Aguera, subsecretary of the ministry of state, and Señor Polo de Bernabé, chief of the commercial bureau of same ministry, called at my residence, stated that the Spanish minister of foreign affairs being indisposed, they had come by his direction and in his place to express the sincere sympathy of Her Majesty the Queen Regent and of the Spanish foreign office with the Government, the Navy, and the people of the United States in the sad misfortune which had befallen the U. S. S. Maine, its officers and crew, in the harbor of Habana.
I assured them of my deep appreciation of the prompt and kindly sympathy of the Spanish Government, and told them that I would telegraph to the State Department at Washington the fact of their visit and generous sympathy. Accordingly, I send you to-day the following dispatch:
Madrid, February 17, 1898.
Secretary Sherman, Washington:
The Spanish minister of foreign affairs has sent Señor Aguera, subsecretary of the Spanish foreign office, and Señor Polo de Bernabe, chief of the commercial bureau of same ministry, to express the sincere sympathy of the Spanish Government with the Government, the Navy, and the people of the United States in the sad misfortune which has befallen the U. S. S. Maine, its officers and crew, in the harbor of Habana.
Woodford.
I have, etc.,