File No. 4001/122–123.

The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador.

No. 50.]

Excellency: I have the honor to inclose herewith copies of certain correspondence received from the Secretary of the Navy regarding the request of His Majesty’s legation at Habana for a statement of the amount owed to the United States by the government of Jamaica on account of stores sent to Kingston by the American Atlantic Fleet at the time of the earthquake.

I should be very much obliged if you would be so good as to advise the Jamaican government, in accordance with the request of the Navy Department, that no charges lie against that government for the stores in question.

I have, etc.,

Elihu Root.
[Inclosure.]

The Acting Secretary of the Navy to the Secretary of State.

Sir: The honorable Secretary of War has referred to this department a communication addressed to him by the provisional governor of Cuba, dated March 2, 1907, inclosing one addressed to Governor Magoon by the chargé d’affaires of the British legation, Habana, requesting, on behalf of the governor of Jamaica, a statement of the amount for which the government of Jamaica is responsible on account of the stores which were sent to Kingston by the U. S. Atlantic Fleet, in compliance with the request contained in the governor’s telegram of January 16 last, which read:

“Kindly send immediately bandages, lint, and wool for those injured by the earthquake, at cost of colony.”

In this connection I have the honor to inclose herewith, for your information, a copy of the department’s letter of the 23d instant to the President, recommending that in pursuance of the act of Congress approved January 18, 1907, entitled “An act for the relief of citizens of the island of Jamaica,” the issuance of the stores in question by the U. S. Atlantic Fleet be approved and that no charges therefor shall lie against the Jamaican government, which recommendation has been approved by the President.

It is requested that the British Government be advised accordingly.

I have, etc.,

Truman H. Newberry.
[Subinclosure.]

The Secretary of the Navy to the President.

Sir: On January 16 last, on the occasion of the earthquake and attending conflagration on the island of Jamaica, the governor of that island telegraphed the provincial governor of Cuba as follows:

“Kindly send immediately bandages, lint, and wool for those injured by the earthquake, at cost of colony.”

[Page 568]

A copy of this telegram was sent by Governor Magoon to the commander in chief U. S. Atlantic Fleet, asking him at the same time to respond, if possible, to the call of the governor of Jamaica.

The department cabled the commander in chief U. S. Atlantic Fleet on January 17, 1907, as follows:

“If in your judgment conditions require issuing stores to Kingston earthquake sufferers, you are authorized to do so.”

In compliance with the foregoing it appears that stores were furnished from the medical department of the several ships of the fleet, consisting of medicines, dressing materials, etc., at an approximate cost of $186.48.

The act of Congress approved January 18, 1907, entitled “An act for the relief of the citizens of the island of Jamaica,” authorized the President of the United States—

“to use and distribute among the suffering and destitute people of the island of Jamaica, such provisions, clothing, medicines, and other necessary articles belonging to the subsistence and other stores of the naval establishment as may be necessary for the purpose of succoring the people who are in peril and threatened with starvation on said island in consequence of the recent earthquake and attending conflagration.”

In pursuance of the foregoing act of Congress I have the honor to request that the issuance of the stores in question by the U. S. Atlantic Fleet be approved, and that no charges therefor shall lie against the Jamaican government.

I have, etc.,

V. H. Metcalf.

The President.


Approved.
T. Roosevelt.