Nicholas Fish to Edm. van Eetvelde , Administrator-General of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Independent State of the Congo. Ostend , August 1, 1885, August 2, 1885

Mr. Fish to Mr. Bayard.

Sir: I had this afternoon a visit from Count de Borchegrave d’Alténa the King’s secretary, who said that the King, having taken the title of Sovereign of the Independent State of the Congo, and that State having as yet no diplomatic agents accredited abroad, he had been charged by the King to inform me that Mr. Edmond van Eetvelde has been appointed administrator-general of the department of foreign affairs of the Independent State of the Congo. He said that owing to the fact that the relation of the new State and Belgium being exclusively personal, he, as the King’s secretary, had been charged with the mission of making Mr. van Eetvelde’s appointment known to me, with the request that I would communicate it to you, and also to request me to transmit an original letter to the President from the King notifying the latter’s assumption of the title of Sovereign of the Independent State of the Congo of which he furnished me with an office copy as well as the original.

Count de Borchegrave also left with me two open letters addressed to you by Mr. van Eetvelde, one notifying you of his appointment and the second giving you the official guarantee of the neutrality of the new State and defining its limits in accordance with the general act of the recent conference at Berlin.

* * * * * * *

I transmit herewith the originals and translations of all the documents, excepting Count de Borchegrave’s letter to me, of which I inclose a copy and translation. They are duly enumerated in the list of inclosures. I have only to add that I believe this method of making the communication has been chosen in order to more fully mark the distinction between the new title and that hitherto borne by the King.

I have, &c.,