BOUTWELL, Secretary of the Treasury to Hamilton Fish, April 5, 1869

[33] *Mr. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury, to Mr. Fish, Secretary of State.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th ultimo, stating that you had been advised by the minister of Spain that he had received information of the fitting out of a steamer, supposed, to be the Salvador, at the port of Jacksonville or Fernandina, Florida, as a Cuban privateer, which might leave port under the flag of the United States, for the purpose of committing depredations on the maritime commerce of Spain.

In reply I have to inform you that inquiry was made of the collectors of the above ports, who report respectively that no such vessel is fitting out as alleged.

I inclose herewith a copy of the reports in question.

Very respectfully,