Mr. Hay to Mr. Jusserand.
Washington, September 1, 1903.
Excellency: I referred to the Secretary of the Navy your note of July 3 last relating to the stoppage of the French steamship Amiral Fourichon by a United States vessel of war on March 20 last.
I have now received that Department’s reply. It is dated the 28th ultimo and forwards the reports of the various naval officers connected with the incident.
From those reports it appears that on March 20 the United States Pacific Squadron was making passage from Acapulco to Pichilinque [Page 409] Bay, Mexico, and was, in the afternoon of that date, directly in the usual track of the American mail steamer, bound from San Francisco to Acapulco, by which the commander in chief of the squadron expected an important mail. At 5.10 p.m. the smoke of a steamer was sighted somewhat on the port bow of the flagship New York, and course was changed to meet the coming ship, as no doubt was entertained that the approaching vessel was the American steamer then due, from her scheduled time, at that point on her route. Finding that the course of the steamer would take her some distance from the squadron, at the speed under which the vessels were cruising, the commander in chief directed the Boston to proceed under full speed, intercept the ship, obtain the mail and rejoin the flag. Before the Boston was at all near the steamer it became dark, and as no signals could be made to or seen from the ship, a gun was fired from the Boston to attract attention and show the Boston’s desire to communicate; not as a peremptory demand to heave to. At no time was it possible to see the colors of the steamer, if she displayed any, and her nationality was unknown until a boat from the Boston was alongside. The boarding officer explained that the object of his visit was to obtain mail for the squadron if she had any, apologized for the delay caused, and promptly withdrew. This was at 8.05 p.m.
At the request of the ship’s master the United States boarding officer made an entry of the occurrence on the ship’s log, and the explanation given of the reason for the stoppage of the vessel was satisfactory to the master.
It should be added that about half an hour after the French vessel had proceeded on her way, the Pacific mail steamer looked for was sighted and the mail obtained.
The commander in chief of the squadron and the commander of the Boston had no intention of stopping a foreign vessel and did not claim to have any right of that character.
Hoping that this explanation will be deemed satisfactory to the Government of France, I avail myself, etc.