o needed immediate help, our Government approached the Spanish
Government to see if any objection would be made to the sending of
relief.

Spain, as we have already told you, gave us to understand that there
would be no objection whatever, and the State Department was pleased to
find that no obstacles would be put in the way of the good work.

When the manner of giving the relief was discussed in the Cabinet, it
was decided that as supplies were so scarce in Cuba, and the prices
asked for provisions so high, it would be better to purchase the
supplies in this country, load a ship with them, and send them over.

A difficulty immediately arose. Spain has placed certain Custom-House
duties on this class of goods. Our Government sent to the Spanish
representative, and asked that these duties be remitted, as the goods
were not being sent for sale, but for charity.

The Spanish officers said they were extremely sorry to be unable to
oblige us, but declared that they had not the power to remit the duties.

They said that such action could only be taken by the Spanish Cortes
(the Congress) or by a special decree of the Crown.

They said that owing to the annoyance felt by Spain over the passing of
the Morgan resolution, it would not be safe to ask the Cortes for any
such concession. Such a request would be likely to raise a storm about
Cuban affairs that might overthrow the Ministry, and encourage Carlist
uprisings.

The Spanish Minister declared that it would be just as dangerous to ask
for a Royal Decree. The enemies of the Government would rise against it,
and insist on a change of Ministry.

Whether this statement is true or false, it puts us in the very
unpleasant position of having to pay a large part of our Relief Fund to
the Spanish Customs, or to keep our poor countrymen waiting for the help
they so sorely need until the matter can be arranged.

The Spaniards say that when they offered to help us in distributing the
Fund they had no idea but that the supplies would be purchased in Cuba.

While this tariff affair is annoying and distressing us, other
difficulties have been cleared out of the way of getting the supplies to
Cuba by the generous action of the owners of the Ward line of steamers.

One of the directors of this line called at the State Department in
Washington, and offered the Government the use of one of its steamers to
carry the food and provisions to the starving Americans in Cuba.

The offer