Chargé Sleeper to
the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Habana, February 2,
1906.
No. 1457.]
Sir: I have to acknowledge receipt of
department telegram of January 30, 1906, in regard to granting the
reciprocity treaty rate to foreign rice milled in the United States and
shipped to Cuba by the Seaboard Rice Milling Company.
On receipt of the aforesaid telegram, and after consultation with the
company’s agent here, I addressed a communication to the foreign office
urging the Cuban Government to grant to the Seaboard Rice Milling
Company the benefit of the aforesaid treaty rate and advised the
department by telegraph of my action.
I inclose herewith copy of legation note to the foreign office and
confirm on the overleaf my telegram to the department of January 30,
1906.
I shall advise the department of the result of my representations on
receipt of Doctor O’Farrill’s reply.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Chargé Sleeper
to the Secretary of State and Justice of the
Republic of Cuba.
American Legation,
Habana, January 31,
1906.
Your Excellency: Referring to the
assurances given to Mr. Hawley by the Cuban treasury department,
under date of July 27, 1904, in reply to an inquiry in regard to
granting the benefit of the reciprocity treaty rate to foreign rice
milled in the United States, and therefore clearly a product of the
industry of the United States, and shipped to Cuba by the Seaboard
Rice Milling Company, I am instructed to urge that your excellency’s
Government give the benefit of the aforesaid rate to a shipment of
350 bags which entered this port by steamship Titlis from Galveston on the 1st instant, and to such
further shipments as may be contemplated by the aforesaid Seaboard
Rice Milling Company.
If the benefits of the reciprocity treaty are withheld from this and
further shipments, a great financial loss will result to the
shippers and at the same time work an injury to an established
industry of the United States.
I reiterate, etc.,
