Mr. Storer to Mr. Hay.

No. 184.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s instruction No. III, with its inclosures.

The opinion and attitude of the Austro-Hungarian Government, as stated by the minister of foreign affairs on this subject, was reported to the Department by Mr. Hale’s No. 178, bearing date of the 18th of October, 1904, the receipt of which has not yet been acknowledged by the Department.

* * * * * * *

It would seem that the renewed application to the foreign office of the Austro-Hungarian Government on precisely similar grounds and reasons as has heretofore been made would be fruitless in view of the situation as stated in Mr. Hale’s dispatch, referred to above.

I have, etc.,

Bellamy Storer.