Mr. Meyer to Mr.
Hay.
American Embassy,
Rome, December 20,
1902.
No. 216.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt, on December 19, of your telegram of December 18.
I immediately called to see the minister for foreign affairs, who
expressed himself as appreciative of the offices of the American
Government in this matter and promised a response as soon as possible. A
note from his excellency, dated December 19, was received this
[Page 603]
morning, and I inclose
herewith a copy of it and a translation. It indicates, as you will
observe, that Italy will probably follow the course of England and
Germany.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Mr. Prinetti to
Mr. Meyer.
Mr. Ambassador: In a note of to-day, in
pursuance of instructions received from the Department of State at
Washington, your excellency informed me that the Government
of-Venezuela has conferred upon Mr. Bowen, United States minister at
Caracas, full power to undertake negotiations in behalf of Venezuela
for the settlement of its present difficulties with the Government
of the King and with the Governments of England and Germany. Your
excellency adds that should the Government of His Majesty be
disposed to assent to the Venezuelan proposal you will be glad to
communicate such assent to the Department of State.
While I thank your excellency for your communication, and beg you to
convey to the Government of the United States the appreciation of
the Government of the King for the courteous offer, I hasten to
inform your excellency that I immediately placed myself in
communication on this subject with the cabinets of London and
Berlin, with which Italy has associated itself in the present action
toward Venezuela.
Pray accept, etc.,
