Mr. Choate to Mr. Hay.
London, November 24, 1900.
Sir: Referring to your instruction No. 482, dated the 1st instant, relating to the desire of the American friends of Mr. William Smith, a prisoner at St. Helena, to procure his release, I have the honor to report that by means of unofficial inquiries I have reliably ascertained that no application for the discharge of any particular prisoner at St. Helena would be entertained; that requests for the discharge of other prisoners similarly situated, made by other nations, directly and officially, have been refused, and that it would therefore not be expedient to present an application in his case.
I have, etc.,