[Untitled], January 19, 1883.

[Untitled]

Sir: I have received from my government an instruction dated the 30th December, relative to the sanitary regulations injurious to the commerce of the United States, which the government of Spain has thought it necessary to enforce in spite of the observations heretofore addressed to your excellency on this subject.

But these instructions reach me at the same time with the official Gazette of the 17th. instant, which contains a royal order of the 14th instant greatly modifying the regulations heretofore enforced.

I notice, however, that these are maintained as regards New Orleans and other ports of the United States on the Gulf of Mexico.

The instruction from Washington before referred to contains the information that at New Orleans (and the statement may reasonably be regarded as covering all the Gulf ports of the United States) the epidemic disease which has been prevalent through the summer had ceased as usual with the first frost.

I therefore earnestly request your excellency to give this intelligence its full weight and effect, and cause the exception still maintained in the royal order of the 14th instant to the prejudice of vessels proceeding from the Gulf ports of the United States to be removed.

In view of such hoped-for action on the part of her Majesty’s government in entire conformity with the spirit manifested in the said royal order of the 14th instant, I will again refer this question to Mr. Seward, suspending the execution of the instruction written by him in ignorance of the recent action of her Majesty’s government, and trusting that I may speedily be able to communicate to him the additional relief now solicited.

I avail myself of this occasion to renew to your excellency the assurance of my most distinguished consideration.