Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 5, 1898

Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.

Embassy of the United States,
Berlin, December 14, 1898.

No. 663.]

Sir: I have much pleasure in transmitting herewith a copy and translation of a note which has just been received from the Imperial foreign office, in which I am informed that a less stringent examination for the San Jose scale is in future to be made in the case of American dried prunes imported into Germany. Although this may be of little importance in itself, it is satisfactory as indicating the good will of the Imperial Government, as well as the bona fides of the experts on whose opinions Count Possadowsky recently said the Government would base its future action regarding the treatment of American fruit.

I have, etc.,

John B. Jackson.

[Inclosure in No. 663.—Translation.]

Baron von Richthofen to Mr. Jackson.

Foreign Office, Berlin, December 13, 1898.

Referring to the correspondence in regard to the measures adopted against the San Jose scale, the undersigned has the honor to acquaint the chargé d’affaires of the United States of America, Mr. John Brinckerhoff Jackson, with the following:

According to statements made by German experts, who have been questioned on this point, most of the prunes imported into Germany from America are not only dried in the sun in America, but also undergo the so-called lye-dipping or pricking treatment.

The experts have furthermore stated that these two methods of treatment give a guaranty that any scale which might be on the prunes would be killed.

Under these circumstances, the Imperial home office feels no hesitation in ordering that in future dried prunes on their importation be treated as follows:

On the arrival of the shipment an expert acquainted with the different methods of preparing prunes is to examine several cases of each brand and to determine whether they have been treated by the lye-dipping or pricking method, and that only those prunes where this question would have to be answered in the negative, or where the treatment could not positively be determined, would have to undergo a further examination for the San Jose scale. The governments of frontier Federated States have received the appropriate notification from the Imperial home office as to the introduction of this less stringent treatment.

The undersigned at the same time avails himself of the occasion to renew to the chargé d’affaires the assurance of his most distinguished consideration.

Richthofen.