The Washington times., 1907-08-04
.SP PAIN To PAY Us
SUN OF $6OO,OOO
Debt Standing SeventyYears
For Damages to
Shipping.
Senor Pima Took Up the
Question on His
Arrival.

BY royal decree. issued by King Al
fonso. the government of Spain VIII
shortly pay to the Government Of the
United States the sum of 100000, TO
wipe out an old claim which has been
standing since the year 1884.
Announcement that such action Is 10
be taken was received by many officials
Of the Government with considerable
surprise. for more than one reason.
First, the claim was such an old one
and long had been regarded as hopeless,
so that It had passed out OF the minds
of many having to do with Il; second, 1t
was rot realized that Spain was pre-
pared to take W the payment Nof any
claims, Of whatever nature, and. third,
those who recalled the claim since the
spanish-American war presumed it had
been annuled by reason of the war. Al
any rate, scarcely any one ever expect
ed tc get the money
Debt Seventy Years Old.
/ It is news to almost everybody that
Spain has been in the debt OF the United
States for the last seventy years and
more. and It comes so surprising as to
be something like a shock that the debt
is about TO be paid. even since its exist
ence is recalled. and despite the fact
that a war has occurred between the
two countries in the meanume-a cOndi-
| ton which usually vitiatGs all contracts
end obligations.
The decree Of the young King Of Spain
was signed June 10 last. II authorizes
the minister Of finance TO pay TO the
Ucited States the debt acknowledged
I by the convention between Spain and
the United States in 1894. In that con-
vention the Spanish government
promised TO pay a balance due for dam
ages done to American shipping and
| commerce. amounting to 100000 "rials
veuon," which is approximately 100000
! IN American money, "in inscriptions OF
/ perpetual rentes." The rentes were TO be
distributed by the United States to the
claimants. In the meanwhile, interest
has been paid IN Paris, amounting to
about $4,000 the year.
Work of Mr.. Evarts.
About the year ISIS, Secretary Of State
| Evarts sent a note 70 the Spanish gov
ernment. calling attention to the fact
that the principal was stiH unpaid lie
cited that the certificates Of Indebted
ness had been delivered and the interest
| had been paid more or less regularly up
to that time. The convention OF 1884
| had provided for a sinking fund with
which 70 pay or the principal and MI.
Evarts said. II that provision had been
| carried out properly, there would have
/ been IN the sinking fund $4,000 or half
as much again as the amount of the
/ original claim
Senor Pima Took It Up.
II was thirty-fcur years ago when
/ Mr.. Evarts took UP the matter with the
| Spanish government Spain at that time
! failed TO accept this hint In finance and
/ only recently the matter Eas been taken
up again. with the result that the long
standing debt is at last 10 be settled IN
full. This was enc Of the first matters
| taken up by ScnOr Pima, the new Span
ish minister, upon his arrival a few
months ago, and his voluntary action,
which was surprising at first, relieved
! this Government Of what had begun 20
| appear TO be the necessity Of taking the
subject up once more, for a final under
| standing.