Office of the Historian

Messrs. Hopkins & Hopkins to Mr. Hay.

Washington Loan and Trust Building,
Washington, December 12, 1899.

Sir: We have the honor to invite your attention to the matter of the reported seizure of the British steamers Mashona and Maria, off the east coast of Africa, in the vicinity of Delagoa Bay, by Her Majesty’s cruiser Partridge. We infer that the seizures were made in [Page 530] order to prevent any portion of the cargo reaching the enemy via Lorenzo Marquez.

Portions of these cargoes, consisting of general merchandise, more particularly described in the copies of invoices herewith inclosed, are the property of our clients, Messrs. Flint, Eddy & Co., of New York, and were destined, as will be noted, for neutral citizens, domiciled in neutral territory.

While Her Majesty’s Government may be justified in seizing their own vessels, it appears to us at the same time that the British naval authorities are jeopardizing the property of American citizens, in that the vessels in question are under contract to deliver to the persons named in the invoices the merchandise therein specified, none of which is contraband of war.

For the further information of the Department we beg to inclose letter from Messrs. Flint, Eddy & Co., in which certain of the facts are stated in more detail.

We respectfully request that suitable inquiry and representation be made in regard to the matter without unnecessary delay.

We are, etc.,

Hopkins & Hopkins.
[Inclosure No. 1.]

Messrs. Flint, Eddy & Co. to Mr. Hopkins.

New York, December 9, 1899.

Dear Sir: According to cable advices in to-day’s newspapers and the report of the New York agents of the steamship Mashona, this steamer has been seized at Algoa Bay by the warship Partridge.

We find on referring to our books that we made two shipments by that vessel—one for account of Messrs. F. Bridler & Co., Delagoa Bay, and the other for account Messrs. Fowlie & Boden, London. So far as the shipment to Messrs. Fowlie & Boden is concerned, we do not know the ultimate destination of the goods, but in regard to Messrs. F. Bridler & Co., we would state that this firm is in Delagoa Bay, and do a large local business in that city; not only that, but to the best of our knowledge and belief it is a German firm, and we are quite sure that they are not citizens of either the Transvaal Republic or the Orange Free State. The seizure of this steamer, and consequently the goods which we shipped by her, would mean a very serious loss to us unless the British Government at once release them.

The documents covering this shipment were forwarded by us under date of November 3, 1899, and our draft covering the same was made at four months’ date; consequently payment of the draft will not be made until March 3, 1900. It is natural to assume that if the customer does not receive the goods he will never pay the draft, so that unless our clients get the goods the loss will ultimately fall upon us. Not only this, but we have purchased merchandise for account of the same people amounting to nearly $5,000, which we intended shipping by steamer sailing this month, but under the circumstances we will have to defer same until some settlement is made of the Mashona matter. This is not only a great loss to us in business, but at the same time is a very serious loss to our clients, as their stock of goods will be completely exhausted, thus necessitating their closing out their American business.

We beg to inclose herewith memorandum of shipments made by us to Delagoa Bay, together with copies of invoices covering those made to Messrs. F. Bridler & Co., and a form of bill of lading used by the steamship company.

We have already been advised that the Maria, which sailed August 25, had been seized by the British Government on the coast of Africa before dispatching her Delagoa Bay cargo.

The steamship Beatrice, which sailed about October 17, we have never heard whether or not her cargo was landed, and the agents of that steamer told this morning that they had no advice on the subject.

We wish you would take this matter up at once with the Department of State and see if something can not be done in the matter, so that we may feel safe about forwarding [Page 531] any shipments we may have for Delagoa Bay, provided, of course, they are not consigned to any burghers of the Transvaal or Orange Free State.

Under the present conditions we are absolutely blocked from shipping goods to Delagoa Bay, which means a very serious loss to us and to any American firm doing business in that country. This matter is of such vast importance that we wish you would at once take the matter up vigorously with the proper department.

Yours, faithfully,

Flint, Eddy & Co.,
Per Seth R. Abrams
(?).
[Inclosure 2.]

Invoice of merchandise shipped by Flint, Eddy & Co. on board the S. S. Maria, bound for Delagoa Bay, for account and risk of Messrs. F. Bridler & Co., of Lourenço Marquez, consigned to order. Marks:
F., B. & Co.,
Delagoa Bay

New York, Aug. 23rd, 1899.
No.—]
[Page 532]
Indent. No. 97, July 8, ’99.
Canned meats—Lbbys 11.
Nos. Gross. Net.
20 cases. 75 61⅖ 37 20 cases Vienna sausage 48/18=80 doz., $1.35. $108.00
5 cases. 83 56⅖ 39 5 cs. pigs’ feet 48/15=20 doz., $1.25. 25.00
5 cases. 85 74 48 5 cs. roast beef 48/15=20 doz., $1.15. 23.00
5 cases. 86 74 22¾ 5 cs. Hamburg steak and onions, 20 doz., $1.50. 30.00
5 cases. 76 61 5 cs. clubhouse sausage, 20 doz., $1.25. 25.00
5 cases 87 33 27 5 cs. mincemeat 36/12’oz., per cs., $2.00. 10.00
5 cases 77 60 33 5 cs. chipped beef 48/2=20 doz., $2.10. 42.00
5 cases 80 69 48 5 cs. tripe 24/2=10 doz., $1.45. 14.50
5 cases 81 69 48 5 cs. minced callops 24/2=10 doz., $2.00. 20.00
5 cases 74 60 39¾ 5 cs. lambs’ tongues 48/1=20 doz., $2.75. 55.00
$352.00
Less 1 per cent. $3.53
$348.97
Lard, “Bed Cross” brand.
20 cases. 88 141 100 20cs. ea, 20/5 lbs. =2,000 lbs., $7.40 148.00
20 cases. 89 149 100 20 cs. ea.50/2 lbs.=2,000 lbs., $9.40. 188.00
336.00 332.04
Beans and peas.
10 bags. 90 200 10 bags white beans, $4.30. 43.00
10 bags. 91 200 10 bags green peas, $3.75. 37.50
Indent, June 3, ’99.
Gross.
1 case 92 20 12½ 1 only Mogul lemon squeezer, $12.00 .09
1 only 1–nail puller. 7.75 .65
1 only 2–nail puller. 6.50 .55
1 only 3–nail puller. 6.00 .50
1.79
Box. .15 .15
Hardware.
[Less 10 + 5 per cent.]
1 case 93 60 45 1 No. 42 I. & C. lem. squeezer, $36.00. 2.57
1–45 Acme lem. squeezer, $15.00 1.07
1–47 L. vitæ squeezer. .36
1–47 boxwood squeezer, $4.50. .32
1–47½ Samson squeezer, $4.50. .32
1–46 5th ave. squeezer, $9.00. .64
1–25 cork puller, $27.00. 1.92
1–26 cork puller, $30.00. 2.14
1–28 cork puller, $10.00. .71
1–17 corkscrew, p. gro., $27.00. .16
1–39 corkscrew, $30.00. .18
1–34 corkscrew, $27.00. .16
10.55
Less 2 per cent. .21
10.34
Cartage. $0.35
Stamps and patties. $1.55
Revenue stamps .20
1.75
Freight prepaid. 99.79
876.28
Insurance premium $1,030, at 1 per cent 10.30
886.58
Commission, 2½ per cent 22.17
Value net cash, U. S. gold. 908.76
E. & O. E.
Certified correct.
(Stamped) Flint, Eddy & Co.,
Per Seth R. Abrams.
(?)
[Inclosure 3.]

Invoice of merchandise shipped by Flint, Eddy & Co. on board the S. S. Mashona, bound for Delagoa Bay, for account and risk of Messrs. F. Bridler & Co., of Delagoa Bay, consigned to order.

New York, October 31st, 1899.
No.—.]

Marks: F. B. & Co., Delagoa Bay.

Order Oct. 11, ’99.
Flour.
Nos. Nos. Nos.
50 bags ..... 100 98 50 98–lb. bags “Sphinx,” at $2. ..... $100.00
50 bags ..... 100 98 50 98–lb. bags “Ultra,” at $2. ..... 100.00
50 bags ..... 100 98 50 98–lb. bags “Snowden,” at $1.75 ..... 87.50
50 bags ..... 100 98 50 98–1b. bags “So. Beauty,” at $1.65 ..... 80.00
$367.50
Flour.
Cable order Oct. 20, ’99.
200 bags ..... 100 98 200 98–lb. bags “Orion,” $1.80. ..... ..... 360.00
Order No. 97, July 8, ’99.
Canned soup (Libby’s).
5 cases. 109 77 48 5 cases ox-tail soup, 48/1, 20 doz., $1.10 ..... 22.00
Less 1 per cent. ..... .22
21.78
Order No. 106, Sept 2, 99.
Quaker oats.
25 cases. 108 92 72 25 cases, ea. 36 2–lb. pkgs., $2.92½ ..... ..... 73.13
822.41
Stamps and petties. ..... 2.05
Revenue stamps. .18
2.23
Freight prepaid. ..... ..... 232.21
1,056.85
Insurance premium on $1,225, at 1 per cent. ..... ..... 12.25
Commission, 2½ per cent. 26.73
Value net cash (U. S. gold). ..... ..... 1,095.83
E. & O. E.
Certified correct.
Flint, Eddy & Co.,
Per Seth R. Abrams,