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  4. Document 550

Ambassador Tower to the Secretary of State.

American Embassy,
Berlin, August 31, 1906.
No. 1016.]

Sir: In accordance with the instructions contained in Mr. Bacon’s dispatch No. 514, of the 25th of June, 1906, in relation to the importation of sweet potatoes into Germany and to the tariff rates imposed upon them, which question was raised by Mr. Hugo Malmedie in a letter which he addressed to the Department of State, I have the honor to report to you that I have brought this subject to the attention of the German Government and have received a note from the imperial secretary of state for foreign affairs, dated the 23d of August, 1906, a copy and a translation into English of which are hereto attached. In this note the secretary of state for foreign affairs informs me that the governments of the German frontier States, as well as the Imperial Statthalter in Alsace-Lorraine, have been notified that the so-called “sweet potato” (Ipomœa batatas, Convolvulus batatas, [Page 655] Batatas edulis) has no relation to the potato (Solanum tuberosum) and therefore is not included in the order of the 26th of February, 1875, which prohibits the importation of potatoes; and that instructions have been given to the authorities to bring this decision to the attention of the customs-house officers.

I have, etc.,

Charlemagne Tower.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to Ambassador Tower.

Berlin, August 23, 1906.

In reply to the note of the 14th of July, 1906, F. O. No. 854, the undersigned has the honor to inform his excellency Mr. Charlemagne Tower, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the United States of America, that the governments of the federated frontier States, as well as the Imperial Statthalter in Alsace-Lorraine, have been notified that the so-called “sweet potato”

(Ipomœa batatas, Convolvulus batatas, Batatas edulis) has no relation to the potato (Solanum tuberosum), and therefore is not included in the order of the 26th of February, 1875 (“Reichs-Gesetzblatt,” p. 135), which prohibits the importation of potatoes.

Instructions have been given to the authorities to bring this decision to the attention of the customs-house officers.

The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to renew to his excellency the ambassador the assurance of his highest consideration.

Von Tschirschky.