Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay.
Vienna, March 7, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith copy of telegrama of the 6th instant sent to the Department.
It conveys the announcement of the purpose of the Austro-Hungarian Government to raise its mission to ambassadorial rank, as made to me personally by His Excellency Count Lützow, first chief of section, who emphasized the desire on the part of his Government to express its friendship for, and its recognition of, the high position attained by the United States as a world power. He added that his Government considered it necessary to increase the appropriation for its mission in Washington that it might be maintained on a footing in keeping with its new rank, and for this reason it was not prepared to make the change until after the meeting of the Delegations in May, when the necessary formal proposals would be laid before the two bodies.
Count Lützow repeated the assurances given on a former occasion that the Austro-Hungarian Government had maintained an attitude of strict neutrality during the Spanish-American war, to which I replied that, aside from the facts as stated by him, the United States Government harbored no rancor on this score, and recognized the strong ties which bound Austria-Hungary to Spain, and the natural sympathy which existed between the reigning houses of the two monarchies. He expressed his gratification at this and the hope that the relations between this monarchy and the United States of America might grow closer as time went on, in which I joined him. He also intimated a wish that I cable the announcement with the sentiments which he had expressed in behalf of his Government. I will state here, in explanation of the fact that the first information to reach the Department on the subject was through the press, that the statement as cabled was given out in advance of any official communication, with my knowledge [Page 28] and assent, to be sent to the United States, and not given to the Vienna press, which only published the announcement this morning.
Count Lützow further informed me that the present Austro-Hungarian minister at Washington, Mr. Hengelmüller von Hengervár, would remain in Washington and become the first Austro-Hungarian ambassador to the United States.
I have, etc.,
- Printed, ante.↩