Mr. Cambon to Mr. Day.
Washington, July 12, 1898.
The ambassador of France has the honor to inform the Secretary of State of the United States that he received yesterday, through the War Department at Washington, a telegram from Havana, whereby Captain-General Blanco expresses a desire to receive a detailed official list of the Spanish officers who were taken prisoners after the naval battle which was fought off Santiago de Cuba between Admiral Cervera’s squadron and the Federal squadron.
Furthermore, at the request of the Spanish Government, the department of foreign affairs at Paris has requested the ambassador of France to send it a list of the dead, wounded, and survivors of Admiral Cervera’s squadron. As the crew lists were probably lost with the vessels, it is to be presumed that an exact list of the dead can not be prepared here; that of the survivors will, however, doubtless suffice to enable the Spanish authorities to prepare a list of those who have disappeared.
This information being intended for the families of the persons concerned, who are naturally anxious to be informed as to their fate, the ambassador of France will be grateful to the Secretary of State if he will have the kindness to send him, as speedily as possible, a list of the Spanish officers, noncommissioned officers, and seamen who have been made prisoners, together with a statement of the vessels to which they respectively belonged, and also one of the localities where they are held or of the hospitals where they are being treated.
Mr. Jules Cambon avails himself of this occasion to renew to Mr. W. R. Day the assurances of his highest consideration.