Mr. Hay to Mr. White.

[Telegram.—Paraphrase.]

(Mr. Hay acknowledges the receipt of Mr. White’s telegram mentioning the President’s name as possible arbitrator, and states that [Page 457] while the President would not decline any service which was desired by the powers interested for the settlement of pending claims he would like Mr. White to intimate, discreetly and unofficially, to the British minister for foreign affairs that he would regard it as altogether desirable that the matter should be referred to The Hague.)