Minister O’Brien to the Secretary of State
Copenhagen, June 30, 1905.
Sir: At an informal conference to-day with Count Raben-Levetzau, Minister for Foreign Affairs, mention was casually made of the unratified treaty between Denmark and the United States touching the purchase of the Danish West India Islands.
He had lately seen a news item on the subject published first in New York and copied in some of the European capitals including this * * *. He said he had told the Crown Prince that of course there was no truth in the matter and I assured him that nothing whatever had come to me on the subject. He pointed out the mistake made by Denmark in failing to ratify the treaty and said the ownership was a continual financial burden to Denmark without any corresponding advantage—except the sentimental one of having a port in the south for its war vessels.
From other sources I learn that the opinion of Count Raben-Levetzau is quite general and that the number so thinking is larger than when the subject was imminent. Of course, I have not been here sufficiently long to be informed except superficially.
I have [etc.]