File No. 4001/122–123.
The Secretary of State to
the British Ambassador.
Department of State,
Washington, May 1,
1907.
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.,
[Inclosure.]
The Acting Secretary of the
Navy to the Secretary of
State.
Navy Department,
Washington, April 25,
1907.
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.,
[Subinclosure.]
The Secretary of the
Navy to the President.
Navy Department,
Washington, April 23,
1907.
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.,
The President.
The
White House, April 23, 1907.
Approved.
T.
Roosevelt.
