Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1900

Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.

Embassy of the United States,
Berlin , July 18, 1899 .

No. 962.]

Sir: I have the honor to append hereto a copy of the text of your telegram¹ received this morning of a memorandum left by me with Baron Richthofen this afternoon at the foreign office, and of the text of my telegram¹ sent you after the interview.

On my informing Baron Richthofen of the object of my call, and after he had read my memorandum, he said that no new situation had been brought about, as far as we are concerned, by the decrees prohibiting the importation of fresh beef from Belgium. The Belgian Government has been informed some time ago, he said, that if the importation of American cattle to Belgium was permitted, the prohibition of the importation of fresh beef from Belgium into Germany would follow as a natural consequence, as, if the direct importation of American beef could not be permitted, its importation by way of Belgium could not either. The Belgian Government had answered that they would be compelled, in accordance with certain legal provisions, to admit American cattle, and the German prohibition had followed as a natural sequence. Baron Richthofen said that so long as the original prohibition is maintained no new cause for complaint can arise if Germany takes action to prevent the importation of American beef through other countries.

As three of the four points mentioned in your telegram, and repeated in my memorandum, apply to the general question I then requested him to consider that my representations had been made with reference to that question, although I held that as American beef and Texas fever had been especially mentioned in several of the proclamations, the American Government had a right to refer to the matter, which, although not concerning it directly, operated practically as a threat to all countries into which the importation of American cattle might be permitted.

Baron Richthofen promised to give me an answer to the general question at an early date.

I have, etc.,

John B. Jackson.

[Inclosure.]

[Memorandum left by Mr. Jackson with Baron von Richthofen, acting German secretary of state for foreign affairs, July 18, 1899.]

1. Texas fever has never been disseminated anywhere through the medium of fresh beef.

2. Texas fever has never been carried to Europe by cattle from the United States.

3. As yet no cattle have been shipped from the United States to Belgium under the new decree, and it is not likely that any will be so shipped until the regulations are more favorable.

4. Cattle from the noninfected district, even if infected, do not spread the contagion, and no cattle from the Texas-fever district are allowed to be exported to Europe.

No possible danger which may exist from Texas fever would therefore warrant prohibiting the importation of Belgian fresh beef because Belgium has taken action which is apparently favorable to American trade.

1. Printed ante.
1. Printed ante.