Mr. Hay to Mr. Loomis.

No. 402.]

Sir: Referring to your No. 564, of February 23 last, in regard to the visit of the U. S. S. Scorpion to Santa Catalina, I inclose for your information copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Navy, pointing out the distinction existing between the ordinary visit of a man-of-war and a visit for “scientific purposes.”

I am, etc.,

John Hay.
[Inclosure.]

Mr. Long to Mr. Hay.

Sir: The receipt is acknowledged of the letter of the Department of State of March 11, 1901, inclosing a copy of a letter from the United States minister to Venezuela to the State Department with copies of its two inclosures, being a letter of the United States minister to Venezuela to the foreign office of that country, and a copy of the translation of the reply thereto.

[Page 546]

In the practice of this Department there is a distinct and well-recognized difference between the visit of a man-of-war and a visit for “scientific purposes,” such scientific purposes being usually hydrographic and occasionally topographic examination of territorial waters or shores of a foreign country.

The Department would ordinarily not order one of its vessels to any port of any country having a recognized Government to conduct surveys or examinations, without having first not only notified that Government of its wish, but having obtained explicit permission for conducting the survey upon the occasion of the visit.

On the other hand, it would neither send notice nor request permission in case the visit was not undertaken for the purposes of conducting such survey or other similar purpose, unless the waters proposed to be visited were expressly denied to passage of men-of-war by national decree, as in the case of the Amazon.

Very respectfully,

John D. Long.