Evening star., 1898-12-05

Ihe commercial ARRANGEMENT made with
France on the 2sth OF May. 1928. under the
provisions of section of the Tariff Act Of
lS9I, went into effect on the lst day of
June following. 1t has relieved. portion
OF our export trade from serious embar-
rassment- Further negotiations are
pending under section of the same act,
with view to the increase of trade be-
tween the two countries to their mutual
advantage. Negotiations with other Gsv-
ernments, in part interrupted by the war
with Spain, are in progress under both sec
tions of the Tariff Act. L hope to be able
to announce some of the results Of these
ne gouations during the present session of
Congress
Negotiations TO the same end with Ger
many have been set on foot Meanwhile no
effort has been relaxed to convince the I'm
perial Government Of the thoroughness of
our inspection of pork products for exporta-
tion and II is trusted that the efficient ad-
mlnlstration of This measure by the Depart
ment of Agriculture will be recognized as
a guarantee of the healthfulness of the
1000 staples we send abroad to countries
where their use is large and necessary.
/ transmitted to the Senate on the 10th
Of February last, information touching the
prohibition against the Importation of fresh
fruits from this country, which had then
recently been decreed by Germany on the
ground Of danger Of disseminating the San
Jose scale insect. This precautionary meas
ure was justified by Germany on the score
of the drastic steps taken In several States
OF the Union against the spread of the pest
the elaborate reports of the Department of
Agriculture being put in evidence TO show
the danger to German ruit-growing inter-
ests should the scale obtain a Judgement in
that country. Temporary relief was AFFORD
ed in the case of large consig gnments of
fruit then on the way by inspection and ad-
mission when found non-infected. Later
the prohibition was extended to dried fruits
of every kind, but was relaxed so as to
apply only TO unpeeled fruit and fruit
waste. AS was to be expected, the alarm
reached to other countries, and Switzer-
land has adopted a similar inhibition Eff
forts are IN progress to induce the German
and Swiss Governments 10 relax the pro-
hibition in favor of dried fruits shown to
have been cured under circumstances ren-
dering the existence OF animal life irnpossi-
BILE.
Our relations with Great Britain have con-
| ttnued on the most friendly footing Assent
ing 10 our request, the protection of Ameri-
cans and their interests in Spanish turisdic-
ton was assumed by the diplomatic and con-
suiar representatives of Great Britain, who
fulfilled their delicate and arduous trust
with tact and zeal, elici;ing high commend
alton. l may be allowed to make fitting
allusion to the instance of Mr. Ramsden
Her Majesty's Consul at Santiago de Cuba
whose untinely death after distinguished
service and untiring effort during the siege
| of that city was sincerely lamented.
In the early part of April last pursuant
to request made at the instance of tho
Secretary OF State by the British Ambas
sador at this capital. the Canadian govern
| ment granted facilities for the passage of
four L nlted States revenue cutters from the
Great Lakes TO the Atlantic Coast by wav
of the Canadian canals and the St Law
| renee River. The vessels had reached Lake
Ontario and were there awaiting the open-
ing OF navigation when war was declared
between the United States and Spain. Her
Majesty's Government thereupon by a
communication of the latter part of April
stated that the permission granted before
the outbreak of hostilities would not be
Withdrawn provided the United States Gov
eminent gave assurance that the vessels
IN question would proceed direct TO a United
| States pore without engaging in any hos
tile operation. This Government promptly
agreed to the stipulated condition. il being
understood that the vessels would not be,
prohibited from resisting any hostile attack
1t Will give me especial satisfaction if [
shall be authorized to communicate TO you
favorable conclusion of the pending nego-
tiatfons with Great Britain in respect to the
Dominion Of Canada. 1t is the earnest wish
of this Government TO remove all sources of
discord and irritation in our relations with
the neighboring Dominion. The trade be-
tween the two countries is constantly in
creasing. and it is important to both coun-
tries that all reasonable facilities should be
granted for its development.
The Government of Greece strongly urges
the onerousness of the duty here imposed
upon the currants of that country amount
ing to 100 per cent or more Of their market
value. This fruit is stated to be exclusively
a Greek product, not coming into competi-
ton with any domestic product The ques-
ton of reciprocal commercial relations with
Greece, including the restoration of cur
rants TO the free list, is under consideration.
The iong-standing claim of Bernard
Campbell for damages for injuries sustain
ed from a violent assault committed against
him by military authorities in the Island
of Haiti, has been settled by the agreement
of that Republic 10 pay him sl0,0o0 in Amer
lean gold. OF this sum 5000 has already
been paid. 1t is hoped that other pending
claims of American citizens against that
Republic may be amlcably adjusted.
GOVERNMENT OF HAWAII
Pending the consideration by the Senate
of the treaty signed June 10, 1897, by the
plenipotentiaries of the United States and
of the Republic of Hawaii, providing for
the annexation of the Islands, a joint reso-
luton to accomplish the same purpose by
accepting the offered cession and incorpor-
ating the ceded territory into the Union
was adopted by the Congress and approved
July Z, 1895. / thereupon directed the L.
). S. Philadelphia to convey Rear-Admral
Miller to Honolulu, and intrusted to his
hands this important legislative act to be
delivered to the President of the Republic
of Hawaii, with whom the Admiral and the
United States Minister were authorized to
make appropriate arrangements for trans
ferring the sovereignty of the Islands to
the United States. This was simply but
impressively accomplished on the 18th of
August last, by the delivery of certified
copy of the resolution to President Dole,
who thereupon yielded up to the represent