Mr. Garrett to Mr.
Hay.
American Legation,
The
Hague, January 29,
1904.
No. 702.]
Sir: Referring to Department unnumbered
dispatch of August 19, 1903,a in which it is stated that the Secretary of Commerce
and Labor [Page 520] desires to prevent
by every lawful means the immigration into the United States of persons
afflicted with loathsome or dangerous contagious diseases, and with this
end in view, instructing this legation to inquire of the Netherlands
Government whether it had any objection to granting permission to the
United States to station at the ports of embarkation officers of the
United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service to make medical
inspections of all persons intending to emigrate to the United States
from these ports.
I have the honor to inclose herewith copies of Mr. Newel’s note of August
28, 1903, to the Netherlands minister of foreign affairs; Baron de
Lynden’s reply dated January 27, 1904, together with translation of a
memorandum on this subject submitted by the ministry of waterstaat,
commerce, and industry.
I have, etc.
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Newel to
Baron de Lynden.
American Legation,
The
Hague, August 28,
1903.
Sir: My Government advises me that the
Secretary of Commerce and Labor states that in its efforts to
enforce the act of March 3 last, to prevent the immigration of
aliens into the United States, “his Department desires to prevent by
every lawful means the immigration into this country of persons
afflicted with loathsome or dangerous contagious diseases;” that
this work would be greatly facilitated and the hardships of the
steamship lines would be decreased if permission were given by the
principal countries from which emigrants leave for the United States
to the Government of the United States to station at the ports, of
embarkation officers of the United States Public Health and
Marine-Hospital Service to make a medical inspection of all persons
intending to emigrate to the United States.
Under these circumstances I am instructed to make inquiry of the
Government of the Netherlands whether it has any objection to such
course on the part of my Government.
Accept, etc.,
[Inclosure
2.—Translation.]
Baron de Lynden
to Mr. Garrett.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Consular and
Commercial Bureau,
The
Hague, January 27,
1904.
Mr. Chargé d’affaires: Referring to the
letter from his excellency Mr. Stanford Newel, dated September 5
last, I have the honor to send you herewith a note from the minister
of waterstaat, commerce, and industry, from whence you will observe
that Her Majesty’s Government, to its regret, can not consent to the
request of the United States Government conveyed in the
above-mentioned note.
Accept, etc.,
[Page 521]
[Subinclosure—Translation.]
In view of a request from the American minister, the supervisory
committee appointed by the law of June 1, 1861 (Official Gazette No.
53), as revised by that of the law of July 15, 1859 (Official
Gazette No. 124), relating to the transit and conveyance of
emigrants, to superintend the conveyance of such persons at
Amsterdam and Rotterdam, has been consulted, and both committees
state that they regard the proposed measure as being neither in the
interests of the emigrants nor of the shipping companies. In this
connection they refer to the American immigration law of March 3,
1903, containing the provision that at the “port of arrival” it
shall be determined whether or not immigrants shall be admitted, so
that eventual sanction before embarkation will be no guaranty that
disembarkation will be allowed, while as far as the steamship
companies are concerned they for some time past have instituted the
necessary investigation by experts as to any symptoms of skin
disease and a short time ago as to any appearance of any ocular
disease among emigrants, they being the parties the most interested
in avoiding the imposition of a heavy fine to which they would be
liable for the importation of sick immigrants.
In 1892, on account of the prevalence of the cholera in Hamburg, the
United States Government stationed an American medical officer at
Rotterdam. In 1900, too, such a step was taken, but the medical
officer thus stationed was in no official relationship to the
Netherlands Government and only acted as adviser to the American
consul. Nothing more was done than to acquaint the Government with
his presence.
On former occasions when the American Government has placed medical
officers in this country with the said object the committee has
reported no difficulties, but subsequently they have arrived at a
different opinion. For instance, the Rotterdam committee has given
notice that during the cholera time one of such officers on the
exportation of Sumatra tobacco desired to have the stipulation
relating to “vegetables” applied. It is apparent that when once
officially allowed the medical officer here referred to will assume
more authority, which, as was evident from the above-cited instance,
proved detrimental to trade.
The measure proposed by the United States Government does not strike
the Netherlands Government as either effectual or necessary in
regard to the emigrants or the steamship companies; and hence, on
the grounds of past experience, a negative answer must be given to
the request made by Mr. Stanford Newel in the last clause but one of
his note.
