Office of the Historian

Mr. Choate to Mr. Hay.

American Embassy,
London, April 11, 1900.
No. 300.]

Sir: With reference to Mr. White’s dispatch No. 283 of the 15th ultimo, I have the honor to transmit herewith the copy of a note which has just been received from Her Majesty’s secretary of state for foreign affairs in relation to the consignment of flour shipped by the Pennsylvania Milling Company on board the steamship Maria.

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I am, for the moment, unable to obtain further information as to the details of the transaction therein referred to, but assume that they will be perfectly intelligible to the company.

I have, etc.,

Joseph H. Choate.
[Inclosure.]

Lord Salisbury to Mr. White.

Foreign Office, April 7, 1900.

Sir: With reference to my note of the 10th ultimo, I have the honor to inform you that I learn from the secretary of state for the colonies that of the 2,000 bags of flour which the Pennsylvania Milling Company consigned by the Maria, 1,959 were landed at Durban; of these 1,759 were sold locally and 200 shipped to Delagoa Bay by the Matabele, 41 having been “short landed.” Of the company’s other consignment of flour carried by the Maria, consisting of 1,512 bags, the whole was sold locally at Durban and cleared there. The price of flour at Delagoa Bay on the assumed date, November 2, was £14 to £15 per ton “goods in bond.”

I have, etc.,

Salisbury.