Gustavus Koerner to the Marquis of Miraflores , First, April 1, 1863

A.

Sir: On the 23d day of February last I had the honor to address a note to General Serrano, your excellency’s predecessor, according to his request, on the subject of certain important events which had happened in and near the island of Cuba, and on account of which I had been instructed by the President of the United States to make proper representations to her Majesty’s government, and to expect explanations which should prove satisfactory to the government of the United States. To this communication, as well as to others of less importance upon divers subjects, I have thus far received no reply.

I am not unmindful of what you remarked to me on the occasion of the two brief interviews which I had the honor to hold with your excellency on the 8th and 22d of March last, respecting the very large amount of business devolving upon you at your recent entrance into office as president of her Majesty’s council and first secretary of state, and the consequent delay which naturally would arise in the transaction of business, owing to the circumstances surrounding your excellency.

But your excellency having been pleased, in our last interview, to promise me an answer by note in a few days, and the questions pending being of such a character that my government has certainly expected me to report upon them a long time ago, I feel myself constrained to proceed according to my instructions, and to transmit to your excellency, enclosed, a copy of a despatch from the Secretary of State of the United States of the 30th of January last, relating to the events at and near the island of Cuba, with the urgent request that your excellency take the subjects therein mentioned into serious consideration, and act upon them as promptly as possible.

I beg to repeat here what I have stated in my note to General Serrano, viz: that the question as to the misdeed alleged to have been committed by her Majesty’s vessel-of-war the Princesa de Asturias, in firing upon and detaining the United States aviso W. B. Reaney on the open sea, is one which can be disposed of at once, since her Majesty’s government, as I have understood from General Serrano, is in possession of the facts of the case, as reported by the authorities of Spain at the Havana.

I embrace this opportunity of assuring your excellency of my most distinguished consideration.