Mr. Herdliska to
Mr. Hay.
United
States Legation,
Vienna, August 4,
1900.
No. 115.]Sir: I have the honor to inform you that this
legation received a letter dated July 21, 1900, from the ladies of the
executive committee of the hospital ship Maine,
stating that the ship had sailed on the 12th of that month for Chinese
waters, and requesting the legation to notify the Government of this
country that if any of their wounded required aid they would be welcomed
on board the Maine, and that every possible
assistance would be given to them. A copy of this communication was
inclosed in a note addressed by me to the Austro-Hungarian foreign
office on July 24. On July 27 Count Szecsen, on behalf of the foreign
minister, stated that the communication had been immediately brought to
the attention of the naval section of the Imperial and Royal ministry of
war. He at the same time requested me to express to the ladies of the
executive committee the warmest thanks of the Imperial and Royal
Government for their kind offer. On the following day,
[Page 32]
July 28, the committee in question was
informed by letter of the steps taken by this legation, a copy of Count
Szeesen’s reply (in translation) being at the same time inclosed.
Copies of all the correspondence in this case are respectfully submitted
herewith.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1.]
American Hospital Ship Maine,
30 Curzon street, London
W., July 21,
1900.
The American Ambassador to the
Court of Austro-Hungary.
Sir: The ladies of the executive committee
of the American hospital ship Maine desire to
inform you that this ship sailed on July 12 for Chinese waters. Will
you please notify the Government to which you are accredited that if
any of their wounded require aid they will be welcome to the Maine, and every assistance possible will be
given them.
Faifthfully, yours,
- Jennie Randolph Churchill,
Chairman.
- Jennie G. Blow, Honorary Secretary.
[Inclosure 2.]
Mr. Herdliska
to Count Szecsen.
United States Legation,
Vienna, July 24,
1900.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
inclose to your excellency herein a copy of a letter received by
this legation this morning from London from the chairman and
honorary secretary of the American hospital ship Maine, in which the legation is informed that the Maine sailed from Southampton, England, for
Chinese waters on the 12th instant, and in which the legation is
requested to notify the Imperal and Royal Government that any of His
Majesty’s wounded in China who may require aid will be welcome to
the Maine, and that every assistance possible
will be given them.
In having the honor and pleasure of bringing this information to the
attention of your excellency, I avail myself at the same time,
etc.,
[Enclosure
3.—Translation.]
Count Szecsen
to Mr. Herdliska.
Referring to the esteemed note of the 24th instant, Foreign Office,
No. 82, the contents of which were immediately brought to the
attention of the Imperial and Royal ministry of war of
Austria-Hungary (marine section), the Imperial and Royal ministry of
foreign affairs has the honor to most respectfully request the
chargé d’affaires of the United States of America to convey to the
ladies of the executive committee of the hospital ship Maine the warmest thanks of the Imperial and
Royal Government for their kind offer.
The undersigned avails himself at the same time, etc.
Vienna, July 27,
1900.
For the minister:
(Signed)
Szecsen.
[Enclosure 4.]
United States Legation,
Vienna, Austria, July 28, 1900.
Lady Jennie Randolph
Churchill, Chairman, and
Miss Jennie G. Blow, Honorary Secretary,
Of the Executive Committee
of the American hospital ship Maine, London.
Ladies: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of
your very esteemed communication of the 21st instant, informing this
legation that the Maine sailed for Chinese
waters
[Page 33]
on the 12th instant,
and requesting this legation to advise the government of
Austria-Hungary that “if any of their wounded require aid they will
be welcome to the Maine, and every assistance
possible be given them.”
In reply I beg to advise you that, immediately upon the receipt of
your very kind note, I communicated the contents thereof to the
Count Szecsen, Imperial and Royal acting minister for foreign
affairs, and I am now in receipt of a reply from him, a translation
of which I have the honor to inclose to you herewith, in which he
requests me to convey to the ladies of the executive committee of
the hospital ship Maine the warmest thanks of
the Imperial and Royal Government for their kind offer.
I am, ladies, etc.
