Office of the Historian

Mr. White to Mr. Sherman.

Embassy of the United States,
Berlin, February 26, 1898.
No. 313.]

Sir: Referring to the last part of my dispatch No. 312, of yesterday, I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a note to day addressed by me to the foreign office, upon the strength of information just received from our consul at Dusseldorf, in regard to the different manner in which so-called “fruit waste”—skins and cores prepared in the same way as used in case of dried or evaporated fruit, of which large quantities are imported for the manufacture of fruit jellies—are treated by the customs authorities at various places in his district.

I am, etc.,

And. D. White.
[Inclosure in No. 313.]

Mr. White to Baron von Bülow.

Embassy of the United States,
Berlin, February 26, 1898.
No. 187.]

The undersigned, ambassador of the United States of America, has the honor to invite the attention of His Excellency Minister von Bülow, [Page 325] imperial secretary of state for foreign affairs, to the manner in which the provisions of the decree of the Bundesrath of the 5th instant, in regard to the importation of live plants and fresh fruit from America, are interpreted by the German customs officials at different places.

The undersigned is informed that at Hamburg, at which port the bulk of the fresh fruit arrives from America, no complaints are made. The expenses of cartage of the fruit which is to be examined at the Botanical Museum have as yet been borne by the “Zoll-Declarations Bureau,” and the only loss incurred by the importer consists in the value of the apples examined, and in the slight delay caused by the examination.

In the Rhine district, however, the case appears to be different. Here almost no fresh fruit is imported, but on the contrary there are large quantities of dried and evaporated fruit, and of so-called “fruit waste” (skins and cores), which is prepared in the same way as is dried fruit, and which is used in immense quantities in making fruit jellies brought into this country. There seems to be a difference of opinion in regard to this “waste” among the customs officials at the places where it is imported or sold, and it is understood that several firms (among the number, Mr. Jac. Kirberg, of Gerresheim, and Messrs. Kaiser & Hamm, of Mehlen) have entered protest. In some places the waste is admitted freely, it being treated as dried fruit and as not affected by the decree above referred to, while in other cases it has been treated as fresh fruit and been submitted to examination, and released only after considerable delay, and after the importer had been obliged to pay charges for unloading and reloading, as well as the costs of the examination itself.

The undersigned has the honor to request that His Excellency will kindly cause immediate attention to be given to this matter, so that uniform treatment may be accorded all fruit waste arriving in Germany, and the present uncertainty and the damages occasioned thereby terminated, and at the same time avails himself of this opportunity to renew the assurance of his most distinguished consideration.

And. D. White.