Mr. Day to Mr. Powell.

No. 45.]

Sir: I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 68, of the 9th ultimo, in regard to the terms proposed by His Excellency the President of Santo Domingo for the settlement of the Ozama River Bridge claim, in view of the decision of Mr. Alfred Noble awarding Mr. Thurston the sum of $74,411.17, with interest at 6 per cent from December 20, 1895. The terms proposed by President Heureaux are as follows:

Cash $22,000
January 1, 1899 22,000
July 1, 1899 22,000
January 1, 1900, balance with interest at 6 per cent from December 20, 1895.

I am charged by the President to express his gratification at the prospect of an early settlement of the long pending claim, and to say that the mode of payment is entirely satisfactory to the Government of the United States, which has no wish to exact harsh or onerous conditions from that of the Dominican Republic.

I accordingly telegraphed you to-day as follows:

Sixty-eight, July 9, received. Proposed settlement Ozama Bridge claim satisfactory. Collect and transmit $22,000, first cash payment.

[Page 291]

The draft No. 10137, dated July 4, 1898, on Messrs. Muller, Schall & Co., of New York, for $1,489.02, in payment of Mr. Noble’s expense account, has been indorsed to his order and forwarded to him.

Congratulating you upon the happy termination of this incident, I am,

Respectfully, yours,

William R. Day.