Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay.
Berlin, December 9, 1898.
Sir: Several months ago, just after the enactment of the law making the Sandwich Islands apart of the United States of America, an application for an American passport was made to this embassy by a young [Page 295] Hawaiian of American ancestry, who was a student at Harvard and who wished to travel in Russia during the summer vacation. The young man could have obtained a passport from the Hawaiian authorities in the United States, as the islands had not been annexed at the time he left, but as he knew their annexation was about to take place he preferred to wait, hoping to be able to secure an American passport. In view of the fact, however, that the embassy had received no official information as to the annexation of these islands, Ambassador White did not feel at liberty to grant the passport desired.
An application was subsequently made to the Hawaiian chargé d’affaires and consul-general in this city, and a passport was obtained which enabled the young man in question to carry out his plans for the summer.
I was reminded of this incident at the recent opening of the German Reichstag, to which the diplomatic corps received formal invitation, by the presence of the Hawaiian chargé, and by noting that his name still appears in the official list of the diplomatic corps which I obtained yesterday from the foreign office. In view of the fact that no notice has been given the German Government—by this embassy, at least—of the annexation of the Sandwich Islands, I take the liberty of bringing the matter to the attention of the Department and respectfully request that such instructions therein may be given as are found convenient and proper.
I have, etc.,