Señor Infante to Mr. Hay.
Washington, June 8, 1899.
Sir: Your favor of the 5th instant is at hand, in which I am informed of your excellency’s desire to receive the amount which has been agreed upon for the heirs of Patrick Shields.
I have the honor to inform your excellency in reply that the proper law to make this payment was not issued in the last period of sessions [Page 70] of the Chilean congress, and that the minister of foreign affairs in a communication which I have recently received informs me that he will ask for the early issue of said law in the first regular meetings of the congress. These meetings began on the first of the present month, and, therefore, I hope that I shall soon receive authority by cable to make the payment in question.
Accept, etc.,