File No. 867.48/608
The Spanish Ambassador ( Riaño ) to the Assistant Secretary of State ( Phillips )
[Received May 3.]
My Dear Mr. Secretary: Confirming our conversation over the telephone this afternoon, I beg to inform you that I have received a telegram from the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Madrid, in which he says that in order to organize a service for the relief of Christians in Syria, he would like to know what quantity of foodstuffs the Joint Relief Committee is prepared to send to Spain, as a ship must be selected to transport them from Spain to Asia Minor.
The Minister also instructs me to enquire the amount of foodstuffs and medicines on the Caesar in order to arrange that the ship sent with provisions from Spain, after landing them at Beirut, may collect the supplies from the Caesar and return with them to Beirut, taking on board there, if possible, for Spain, the American citizens who may be in that district.
[Page 545]According to my telegram, Germany accepts in principle that a Spanish relief ship should be sent to Asia Minor, but requires to be notified six weeks in advance, of the date and details of the trip.
Although in view of these conditions this trip will not be able to take place before two months from now, the difficulty in finding a suitable ship to take it is so great, that it is very important to obtain as soon as possible the information which is asked, and I shall esteem it a great favor if you will kindly help me to procure it.
Believe me [etc.]