Messrs. Henry W. Peabody & Co. to Mr. Hay.
Sir: We beg to inform you that on the steamships Maria and Mashona, dispatched from New York for South African ports, we forwarded certain shipments for Delagoa Bay, concerning which we have as yet been unable to secure any definite information.
Our shipment by the steamship Maria included a parcel of lumber and general merchandise, valued at £128 9s. 11d.; a shipment of flour, valued at £12 16s. 10d.; a shipment of evaporated cream, valued at £195 10s. 10d., and on the steamship Mashona a shipment of 230 bags of meal, valued at $682.52.
As we know that the Department of State has taken some action concerning shipments by the steamers above mentioned, we should be obliged for any information which you can give us as to what has been done with the shipments for Delagoa Bay forwarded on these steamers, and should be further obliged if you would keep us advised as to what is being done, informing us of any necessary steps on our part, we depending upon the support of our Government in the event of delay or nondelivery of our shipments owing to international complications. You will please see that our name is filed on your record as shippers on the steamships Maria and Mashona, so that we may be sure to be kept advised of what is being done or to be done in relation to such shipments.
Yours, truly,