Mr. de Margerie to Mr. Adee.
Manchester, Mass., August 7, 1902.
I receive from the manager of the French Cable Company at New York a telegram saying that the Haitian vessel Crête à Pierrot intends to cut the cables of the company. The superintendent of the station of the French Cable Company at Port au Prince has informed the commander of the American cruiser Machias of this danger.
Commander McCrea seems to be disposed to protect the cable which lands in Haiti, but he would be glad to receive instructions from the Navy Department at Washington on the subject. I should be very grateful to you, if you see no objection, if you would request the Navy Department to send at once, by cable, to the commander of the Machias the necessary instructions to protect the French cable in Haiti from any attempt at destruction, all nations being equally interested in the working of this cable.
Chargé d’Affaires.