uccess can not but be
advantageous to this important and growing industry. There have been
some questions raised between the two Governments as to the proper
effect and interpretation of our treaties of naturalization, but
recent dispatches from our minister at Berlin show that favorable
progress is making toward an understanding in accordance with the
views of this Government, which makes and admits no distinction
whatever between the rights of a native and a naturalized citizen of
the United States. In practice the complaints of molestation suffered
by naturalized citizens abroad have never been fewer than at present.

There is nothing of importance to note in our unbroken friendly
relations with the Governments of Austria-Hungary, Russia, Portugal,
Sweden and Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, and Greece.

During the last summer several vessels belonging to the merchant
marine of this country, sailing in neutral waters of the West Indies,
were fired at, boarded, and searched by an armed cruiser of the
Spanish Government. The circumstances as reported involve not only a
private injury to the persons concerned, but also seemed too little
observant of the friendly relations existing for a century between
this country and Spain. The wrong was brought to the attention of
the Spanish Government in a serious protest and remonstrance, and the
matter is undergoing investigation by the royal authorities with a
view to such explanation or reparation as may be called for by the
facts.

The commission sitting in this city for the adjudication of claims of
our citizens against the Government of Spain is, I hope, approaching
the termination of its labors.

The claims against the United States under the Florida treaty with
Spain were submitted to Congress for its action at the late session,
and I again invite your attention to this long-standing question, with
a view to a final disposition of the matter.

At the invitation of the Spanish Government, a conference has recently
been held at the city of Madrid to consider the subject of protection
by foreign powers of native Moors in the Empire of Morocco. The
minister of the United States in Spain was directed to take part
in the deliberations of this conference, the result of which is
a convention signed on behalf of all the powers represented. The
instrument will be laid before the Senate for its consideration. The
Government of the United States has also lost no opportunity to urge