AUGUSTO ULLOA, The Minister of State to the chargé d’affaires of Great Britain, August 18, 1874

The minister of state to the chargé d’affaires of Great Britain.

Dear Sir: I have received the note of your lordship, dated 15th instant, by which you have the goodness to inform me, in reply to that I had the honor to address you on the 14th instant, that your lordship is authorized by the government of Her Britannic Majesty to accept the proposition presented by me in the name of the executive power; a proposition to furnish the sum agreed upon by both governments, in order that the same be, in the nature of an advance, distributed among the families of the British subjects captured on board the Virginius and executed at Santiago de Cuba. Your lordship adds, in the note to which I have the honor of replying, that the number of these unfortunates amount to nineteen, of whom ten are white men, and the remaining nine colored, the government of Great Britain deeming it fit to fix the indemnity at the amount of five hundred pounds (£500) for each of the individuals of the white race, and at three hundred pounds (£300) for each of the colored, resulting in a sum-total of seven thousand seven hundred pounds, (£7,700) which the Spanish government is to furnish for the object agreed upon.

The executive power consents on its part to the amount fixed, and will give timely orders, through the minister of finance, for the immediate transfer of six thousand seven hundred pounds (£6,700) in London, to be placed at the disposal of Her Britannic Majesty, being prepared to forward the remaining thousand pounds to make up the total amount of seven thousand seven hundred pounds (£7,700) when the subject shall have been definitely terminated, in accordance with the proposition of my note of the 14th instant, the government of Great Britain, on its part, agreeing to refund to the Spanish government the portion or portions of those individuals, respectively, whose relatives should present no claim, or not clearly establish their right to receive the indemnity within a reasonable time.

I avail myself, &c.,