Mr. Springer to Mr. Rockhill.
Habana, November 14, 1896.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your instruction No. 152, of 28th ultimo, covering certified copies of affidavits relative to the appointment of Ona Melton, one of the Competitor prisoners, as correspondent of the Florida Times-Union, of Jacksonville.
These documents, after having been translated and a certificate of same affixed, I transmitted on the 11th instant to the Governor and Captain-General, with the request that they be forwarded to the court having cognizance of Melton’s case, as they had been furnished by the Department of State, to be of use to him to establish before the court his character of a newspaper correspondent.
I have received a note from the Secretary of the General Government that the documents were transmitted the same day to the commandant general of marine, admiral commanding this naval station, being the authority having cognizance of the case of the seizure of the schooner Competitor.
I am, sir, your obedient servant,