Augusto Ulloa to Macdonell, August 14, 1874

Señor Ulloa to Mr. Macdonell.

Sir: I have received your note of the 5th instant, in which, by instructions from Lord Derby, you state to me that many months having elapsed since the occurrence of the sad events connected with the Virginius, the families of the English persons captured on board of her and executed at Santiago de Cuba renew their requests to Her Majesty’s government to obtain some indemnity for the relief of their misfortune.

The British government is aware of the reasons which have, up to this time, obliged the Spanish government not to refuse to arrange, but to put off the arrangement of this indemnity with regard to British subjects, but, as you very justly suppose in your note, the consideration of the present miserable state of the families of those unfortunate persons cannot but have an influence on the Spanish government and move them not to wait for the moment when, in a definitive and formal manner, the said families may receive some sum of money.

To that end, the executive power of the Spanish republic, without prejudging the essence of this matter, will have no objection to give orders for handing over a sum of money for distribution among the families of the British subjects captured on board the Virginius and executed at Santiago de Cuba, reserving the delivery of what may be necessary for the completion of the whole amount of the indemnity that may be agreed upon between the two governments when the principal question may have been definitely settled in that sense.

You can, if you think fit, bring this proposal to the knowledge of Her Britannic Majesty’s government, inspired as it is by the strongest wish not to delay the sending of succor to the parties interested, without precipitating the official course indispensable for coming to a right decision in the present question.

I avail, &c.