Mr. White to Mr. Day.
Berlin, July 4, 1898.
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 384, of April 14 last, I have the honor to inform you that an answer has now been received from the German foreign office to my note, a copy of which was then inclosed, in regard to certain efforts which were about being made to continue the importation of American fruit waste into Germany.
In this note the embassy is informed that the contents of the embassy’s note were communicated to the Prussian minister of finance and that the chief custom house at Emmerich was instructed to comply as far as possible with the wish which had been expressed by the embassy. The shipment in question, which consisted of a partial load of 597 barrels, arrived at Emmerich at about half past 8 on the forenoon of April 30. As it was impossible to get at all the barrels, in order to take out samples, 43 of them had to be unloaded. The delay occasioned by this, and by the microscopic examination of the fruit waste, amounted, however, to about 24 hours only. The examination began about 2 o’clock on the 30th, and as, according to expert opinion, no objection was found to admitting the shipment, it was released (and the ship allowed to proceed) at noon on May 1, the 43 barrels above mentioned having already been put on board again.
The note goes on to say that the examination took place in accordance with provisions of the order of March 16 of the Prussian ministry of finance (see dispatch No. 377, of April 8, 1898) as the fruit waste had not been thoroughly dried by artificial heat, but only in the air and the sun. Although no San Jose scale were found, the expert of the custom-house at Emmerich discovered mites (Milben) and other small insects (Käfer aus der Familie der Lamellicornidæ), and this is considered as proving, in spite of the express statement of the shippers, that the manner in which the drying is done is not calculated to destroy all insect life which may be present in the fruit.
It is also stated that at Cologne, upon examination, scales of the “Chionaspis” and “Mytilaspis” species have been found, with eggs which did not appear to have been injured but which seemed capable of further development.
I am, etc.,