Señor Infante to Mr. Hay.
Washington, November 11, 1899.
Mr. Secretary: I have had the honor to receive your excellency’s note relative to the payment of the claims of the heirs of Patrick Shields.
With regard to this matter I should inform your excellency that my Government, in a note to me of September last, states “that it has sincerely regretted the delay in the dispatch of the Shields claim, in the final settlement of which the Government has’ no immediate concern.” The above-mentioned note states, moreover, that in spite of the efforts which the Government made in the period of the regular sessions of the congress to have this matter brought to a conclusion, as well also as that of the convention reviving the tribunal of Washington, nothing could be done to that end because of the many questions of importance that engrossed the attention of the legislative corps.
The Government assures me in the same communication that it will make especial recommendation for the dispatch of both these matters during the extra sessions, which commences in the month of October. That recommendation has been presented, together with the approval of the convention reviving the tribunal of claims, and I am confident that very soon there will be communicated to me by cable the authorization to deliver the sum agreed upon to the heirs of Patrick Shields.
Sincerely regretting on my part the unintentional delay to which I have referred, I am pleased to avail myself of this opportunity to renew to your excellency the assurances of my highest consideration.