Office of the Historian

Mr. Sickles to Mr. Hay.

Legation of the United States,
Madrid, June 5, 1902.
No. 665.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your cable instruction, that was received here in the early morning of May 26, and which I have deferred from acknowledging until I could inform the Department of the action that the Spanish Government intended to take in the matter.

An answer to the note that I addressed to the Spanish ministry of state immediately on receipt of your cablegram, although bearing date May 31, was only received to-day, and I beg to inclose herewith a copy of the same and a translation.

I have informed this morning, by telegraph, the consul-general of the United States at Barcelona, Mr. Julius G. Lay, of the contents of your cablegram and of the reply of the Spanish Government in this connection, instructing him to use his good offices in the representation of the interests of Cuba and of its citizens until Cuban consuls shall have been appointed, and requesting him to likewise instruct all our consular officers in Spain.

I have, etc.,

Stanton Sickles.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

The Duke of Almodóvar del Rio to Mr. Sickles.

Ministry of State, Madrid, May 31, 1902.

My Dear Sir: I have the honor to inform you, in reply to your courteous note of the 26th instant, that the Government of His Majesty, yielding to the wishes of the President of the island of Cuba, and of the Cabinet at Washington, that were therein conveyed, accedes with pleasure to the request that the consular agents of the United States in Spain represent the interests of the said island and of its citizens until Cuban consuls be appointed to that end.

I take this opportunity to renew, etc.,

The Duke of Almodóvar del Rio.