Mr. Hay to Mr. Takahira.
Washington , May 7, 1904 .
Dear Mr. Minister: Mr. McCormick, our ambassador at St. Petersburg, informs me that he has heard from Mr. Greener, our commercial agent at Vladivostok, that on request and in order to better protect the Japanese consular buildings he has given charge of them to the port admiral, the president of the local Red Cross association, that after removal and storage of the furniture, the association has improved the grounds and has renovated the houses for the use of patients and Red Cross nurses.
Mr. McCormick at once answered the commercial agent that his duty was to have notified the ambassador of this step in advance, in order that he might have communicated with the Japanese Government and obtained its approval of this use of the property for the purposes named.
I write to express my regret that such action was taken without having previously consulted your Government, and beg you now to let me know whether it meets with their approval.
Yours, very sincerely,