Mr. Jackson, to Mr. Hay.
Berlin, September 10, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to report that, at the foreign office yesterday, on the occasion of the usual Tuesday afternoon reception, no reference was made by Baron Richthofen or myself to the recent German-Haitian [Page 443] incident—the seizure of arms, etc., on board the German merchant steamer Markomannia, and the subsequent sinking of the Haitian insurgent (Firminist) gunboat Crête-à-Pierrot by the German cruiser Panther. Several colleagues in the diplomatic corps, however, were inquisitive as to the attitude which would be taken by the United States in the matter.
The German press generally has reviewed the incident quietly, and has expressed considerable satisfaction at the manner in which it has been commented upon in the American press. The opinion is general that the summary punishment given by the German vessel will be to the advantage of all nations having commercial interests in South and Central America and the West Indies, and that the incident shows that the Monroe doctrine does not mean that the United States will object to the proper protection of its commercial interests by a European power.
It was announced yesterday that the Haitian minister here had given notice that the provisional government had closed the ports of Gonaives, St. Marc, and Port de Paix to foreign shipping, and that in consequence no bills of lading, manifests, and other documents for these ports will be issued at Hamburg for the present.
I have, etc.,