Mr. Porter to Mr. Hay.

No. 1185.]

Sir: It gives me much pleasure to report that the sending of our vessels of war to Marseille to salute President Loubet upon his return from the important visit he had just made to the French possessions in North Africa has given peculiar satisfaction to the French Government, and has been highly appreciated by the people and the press of this Republic.

President Loubet treated Admiral Cotton with marked consideration and respect, and after congratulating him upon his command and giving expression to many sympathetic messages to be conveyed to [Page 407] our Government, invited him and his aide-de-camp to Paris as guests of the Government. A handsome compartment was provided for him on the train, a state carriage was awaiting him at the station here on his arrival, a French officer was attached to his person as aide-decamp, he was assigned to a prominent seat at the banquet given by the President and at the breakfast of the minister of foreign affairs, both in honor of King Edward VII, who was visiting here at the time. The President invited the admiral to sit in his box with him and the King at the gala performance at the opera, sent him the President’s box at the Theatre Français the next evening and his box at the opera the evening after. These special marks of attention have been much commented upon and must be interpreted as a pronounced expression of appreciation of the Government of France of the courtesy shown it in ordering our vessels to participate so conspicuously in honoring the return of President Loubet and his ministers to France.

I inclose herewith a clipping from the Paris edition of the New York Herald.

I have, etc.,

Horace Porter.
[Inclosure.]

Extract from the Paris edition of the New York Herald, May 1, 1903.

A cordial greeting was exchanged yesterday afternoon between M. Loubet and Rear-Admiral Cotton aboard the cruiser Jeanne d’Arc, which had just brought the President of the Republic from Tunis.

Soon after the firing of the usual salutes, in which the ships of the American squadron took part, Rear-Admiral Cotton, accompanied by his staff and the commanders of the Cincinnati and the Machias went aboard the French cruiser, where they were greeted by Commandants Huguet and Boisse.

The drum-roll salute announcing their arrival, says the Journal, was drowned in the noise made by the cheering of the people on the quay and the tooting of whistles from the harbor craft.

Conducted by Commander Huguet, the American officers descended the companion way to the saloon, where M. Loubet was awaiting them.

After a mutual greeting, Rear-Admiral Cotton said that it had given him a great personal pleasure to be delegated by Mr. Roosevelt to convey to the President of the French Republic the expression of the sincere wishes for the welfare of France and its President entertained by the American people.

M. Loubet responded that he was deeply touched by this manifestation of friendship, for which France was deeply appreciative. He referred to the warm reception President Roosevelt recently extended to General Brugere and Admiral Fournier, and said that the French people were glad to see the popular President of the United States continue the traditions of Franco-American friendship.

M. Loubet expressed great admiration of the American war ships, and invited Rear-Admiral Cotton to dine with him next Saturday at the Elysée.

The admiral then presented his staff, and the party then repaired to the dining saloon of the Jeanne d’Arc, where a collation was served. The visitors withdrew after having been aboard the Jeanne d’Arc for twenty-five minutes.

The visit was returned on the part of the President by General Dubois, accompanied by Commandant Huguet, who proceeded aboard the Chicago a few minutes later. Rear-Admiral Cotton, surrounded by his officers, met Commandant Huguet on deck, while the marines presented arms and the ship’s band played.

After the first compliments had been exchanged, Rear-Admiral Cotton conducted his visitors to his stateroom and offered them a glass of champagne. General Dubois, in the name of the President, thanked the rear-admiral for his visit and asked him to convey to President Roosevelt M. Loubet’s expression of friendship. He also said that M. Loubet was extremely pleased that the rear-admiral had accepted the invitation to dinner. The rear-admiral’s flag officer and the naval attaché of the American embassy at Paris are included in the invitation.