Mr. Thomas to Mr.
Hay.
United
States Legation,
Stockholm, December 30,
1899.
No. 130.]
Sir: Referring to your instructions No. 64 of
August 5 and No. 69 of November 23 last, and my dispatches No. 102 of
September 5 and No. 107 of October 3, on the subject of the inspection
of American horseflesh imported into Sweden, I have the honor to inform
you that, in compliance with your instruction No. 69, I have to-day
addressed a note to the minister for foreign affairs, a copy of which is
herewith inclosed, calling his excellency’s attention to the dispatch of
our consul at Gothenburg of October 26, and to the observations of the
Secretary of Agriculture thereon, and expressing the hope that, in view
of the complete and thorough character of the inspection service of the
United States, the stamps, seals, and certificates of the official [Page 738] United States inspecting
veterinarian, as well as his manner of making and affixing the same, may
hereafter be deemed sufficient by the custom-house officials of
Sweden.
I also called at the foreign office, and in conference with the chief
secretary urged verbally and more fully the views expressed in my
note.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Thomas to
Mr. Lagerheim.
Legation of the United States,
Stockholm, December 30, 1899.
Sir: In compliance with instructions from
the Secretary of State, and referring to my note to Count Douglas of
September 4 last, and his reply of October 2, I have the honor to
call your excellency’s attention to copy of a dispatch, inclosed
herewith, from the United States consul at Gothenburg to the
Department of State, dated October 26, 1899, on the subject of the
importation of American horseflesh into Sweden.
The dispatch was communicated to the Secretary of Agriculture, and,
in a letter dated November 18 last, Secretary Wilson informed the
Department of State that instructions as to the requirements
mentioned have been forwarded to the inspector of the only
establishment in the United States where inspection for horse meat
has been established.
Secretary Wilson calls attention to the fact that the inspection
service of the United States is a Government service under his
immediate charge, and that Congress has made it the duty of the
Secretary of Agriculture to inspect the horse meat prepared for the
interstate or foreign trade and to certify to that which originates
from horses that are in a sound and healthy condition. Referring to
the consul’s statement that it would appear that the Swedish
officials are doing all in their power to make the importation of
horse meat as difficult as possible, he observes that if the Swedish
Government does not desire this kind of meat and should shut it out
from all countries alike, no objection could be seen to her ac ion:
but to raise objections to the form of the United States stamps and
the signature on the certificates, and to make requirements which
appear to be unreasonable as to the manner of affixing the stamps,
would seem to impose discriminatory restrictions that are hardly in
accord with that agreeable manner which the Government of the United
States has endeavored to show in its methods applied to the imports
from other countries.
In view of the complete and thorough character of the inspection
service of the United States, it is hoped that the stamps, seals,
and certificates of the official United States inspecting
veterinarian, as well as his manner of making and affixing the same,
may hereafter be deemed sufficient by the custom-house officials of
Sweden.
I beg, etc.,
