Mr. Hay to Mr. McCormick.
Washington, December 6, 1904.
Sir: The Department desires to consider the subject of contraband of war with the utmost care, and it would therefore be glad if you could kindly communicate copies of all written communications made by you to Count Lamsdorff on the subject and the substance of all oral communications which have passed between you.
Your dispatches have reported the substance of your communications, but in view of the critical consideration of the question by the Department it is desirable that verbatim copies of the correspondence be furnished as above indicated.
The public press has announced that the supreme court at St. Petersburg has rendered decisions on the appeals in the cases of the steamships Arabia and Thea. You will obtain copies of these decisions and forward the same to the Department, with exact translations thereof in French or English.
I am, etc.,