resources, the great difficulty which will be experienced here in securing so large a sum of money. According to the estimate accepted by Mr. Noble, the gross annual revenue of the bridge does not exceed $5,000. So the earnings of the bridge can not be of any considerable assistance. I need not remind you that the revenues of this Goverment are mortgaged for the payment of our foreign debt and that the Santo Domingo Improvement Company, of New York, which directs the business, pays to this Government the sum of $60,00 monthly. With this sum of $60,000 monthly we must pay all the expenses of the Government. It must, therefore, require no argument on my part to demonstrate to you our utter inability to pay the sum of $74,000, with interest, in cash. You are so familiar with our condition that I trust you will make clear to your Government that some arrangement for partial payments will not only be an act of consideration toward a friendly Government of so very limited resources, but also one which is made necessary by our limitations. I therefore beg you to submit to your Government this plan of partial payments: Cash January 1, 1899 July 1, 1899 January 1, 1900, balance with interest from December 20, 1895. $22,000 22,000 22,000 It will be with great sacrifice that I will be able to fulfill these terms of payment. I submit the proposition to you with confidence that, with your intimate knowledge of our limitations and your cordial attitude toward my Government, you will recommend it to the honorable Secretary for his acceptance. Accept, sir, etc., ULYSSES HEUREAUX. Mr. Day to Mr. Powell. No. 45.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 68, of the 9th ultimo, in regard to the terms proposed by His Excellency the President of Santo Domingo for the settlement of the Ozama River Bridge claim, in view of the decision of Mr. Alfred Noble awarding Mr. Thurston the sum of $74,411.17, with interest at 6 per cent from December 20, 1895. The terms proposed by President Heureaux are as follows: Cash January 1, 1899 January 1, 1900, balance with interest at 6 per cent from December 20, 1895. $22,000 22,000 22,000 I am charged by the President to express his gratification at the prospect of an early settlement of the long pending claim, and to say that the mode of payment is entirely satisfactory to the Government of the United States, which has no wish to exact harsh or onerous conditions from that of the Dominican Republic. I accordingly telegraphed you to day as follows: Sixty-eight, July 9, received. Proposed settlement Ozama Bridge claim satisfactory. Collect and transmit $22,000, first cash payment. The draft No. 10137, dated July 4, 1898, on Messrs. Muller, Schall & Co., of New York, for $1,489.02, in payment of Mr. Noble's expense account, has been indorsed to his order and forwarded to him. Congratulating you upon the happy termination of this incident, I am, Respectfully, yours, WILLIAM R. DAY. Mr. Powell to Mr. Hay. No. 97.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, All SIR: I respectfully inclose four drafts, representing $44,000.02, being the first and second payments on the Ozama River Bridge claim. the drafts represent the first of exchange, second sent by next mail, and are drawn in favor of American Government. I have, etc., W. F. POWELL. FRANCE. RECIPROCAL COMMERCIAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE. Concluded May 28, 1898. Proclaimed May 30, 1898. In effect June 1, 1898. PROTOCOL of the Reciprocal Agreement between the Governments of the United States of America and of the French Republic concluded at Washington this twenty-eighth day of May 1898 by their respective Representatives duly empow. ered for that purpose; namely, on the part of the United States the Honorable John A. Kasson, Special Commissioner Plenipotentiary etc. and on the part of the French Republic His Excellency, M. Jules Cambon, Ambassador of France etc. etc. etc. The Government of the United States and the Government of France being animated by the same spirit of conciliation and being equally desirous to improve their commercial relations, have concluded the following Agree ment. I. It is agreed on the part of France that during the continuance in force of this Agreement the following articles of commerce, the product of the soil or industry of the United States, shall be admitted into France at the minimum rates PROTOCOLE de l'arrangement réciproque conclu à Washington le vingt huit Mai mil huit cent quatre-vingt dix-huit, entre le Gouvernement des EtatsUnis d'Amérique et le Gouvernement de la République Française, par leurs représentants respectifs, dûment autorisés à cet effet, savoir: pour le Gouvernement des EtatsUnis d'Amérique, l'Honorable John A. Kasson, commissaire spécial plénipotentiaire & & et pour le Gouvernement de la République Française, son Excellence M. Jules Cambon, Ambassadeur de France, &, &, & Le Gouvernement des EtatsUnis d'Amérique et le Gouvernement de la République Française, animés d'un même esprit de conciliation et également désireux d'améliorer les relations commerciales des deux Pays sont convenus de ce qui suit: I. Il est convenu de la part de la France que, tant que le présent arrangement restera en vigueur, les articles énumérés ci-après, produits du sol ou de l'industrie des Etats-Unis, seront admis en France aux droits du tarif mini of duty, to wit, not exceeding the mum, c'est à dire à des droits ne following rates: dépassant pas les suivants, savoir: It is reciprocally agreed on the part of the United States in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the United States Tariff Act of 1897 that during the continuance in force of this A greement the following articles of commerce, the product of the soil or industry of France, shall be admitted into the United States at rates of duty not exceeding the following, to wit: On argols, or crude tartar, or wine lees, crude, five per centum ad valorem. On brandies, or other spirits manufactured or distilled from grain or other materials, one dol lar and seventy-five cents per proof gallon. On paintings in oil or water colors, pastels, pen and ink drawings, and statuary, fifteen per centum ad valorem. 17 bis. Charcuterie fabriquée 30. Saindoux. II. Il est réciproquement convenu de la part des Etats-Unis, conformément aux dispositions de la section 3 de la loi douanière des Etats-Unis de 1897 que, tant que le présent arrangement restera en vigueur, les articles suivants, produits du sol ou de l'industrie de la France, seront admis aux EtatsUnis à des droits ne dépassant pas les suivants, savoir: Tartres bruts, ou lies-de-vin, brutes, cinq pour cent ad valorem; Cognacs, ou autres spiritueux, ou liqueurs fabriquées, provenant de la distillation de grains ou d'autres matières, un dollar et soixante quinze cents par gallon; Peintures à l'huile, aquarelles, pastels, dessins et statuaire, quinze pour cent ad valorem; It is further agreed on the part of the United States that the rates of duty heretofore imposed and collected on still wines, the product of France, under the provisions of the United States Tariff Act of 1897 shall be conditionally sus pended, and in place thereof shall be imposed and collected as follows, namely: On still wines and vermuth, in casks, thirty-five cents per gallon; in bottles or jugs, per case of one dozen bottles or jugs containing each not more than one quart and more than one pint, or twenty-four bottles or jugs containing each not more than one pint, one dollar and twenty-five cents per case, and any excess beyond these quantities found in such bottles or jugs shall be subject to a duty of four cents per pint or fractional part thereof, but no separate or additional duty shall be assessed upon the bottles or jugs. But it is expressly understood that this latter concession may be withdrawn in the discretion of the President of the United States whenever additional duties beyond those now existing, and which may be deemed by him unjust to the commerce of the United States, shall be imposed by France on products of the United States. III. This Agreement shall take effect and be in force on and after the first day of June 1898. Signed in duplicate this twentyeighth day of May A. D. 1898, in the City of Washington. JOHN A. KASSON JULES CAMBON It est, en outre, convenu de la part des Etats-Unis que les droits imposés et perçus jusqui'ici sur les vins non mousseux, produits de la France, en vertu de la loi douanière des Etats-Unis de 1897, seront conditionnellement suspendus et qu'en leur lieu et place les droits suivants seront imposés et perçus, savoir: Vins non mousseux et vermouts, en fûts, trente-cinq cents par" gallon"; en bouteilles ou cruchons, par caisse de douze bouteilles ou cruchons ne contenant chacun pas plus de "un quart" et contenant plus de "une pinte", ou par caisse de vingt-quatre bouteilles ou cruchons ne contenant chacun pas plus de "une pinte", un dollar et vingt-cinq cents par caisse; et il sera payé par pinte ou fraction de pinte un droit de quatre cents sur les excédents que contiendraient ces bouteilles ou cruchons; toutefois il ne sera perçu aucun droit distinct ou additionnel sur les bouteilles ou cruchons. Mais il est expressément entendu que cette dernière concession pourra être révoquée par le Président des Etats-Unis si, par des droits additionnels qu'il jugerait injustes à l'égard du commerce des Etats-Unis, la France surélève les droits auxquels sont actuellement soumis les produits des EtatsUnis. III Le présent arrangement entrera en vigueur à dater du premier Juin mil huit cent quatre-vingt-dix-huit. Fait et signé en double exemplaire, à Washington, le vingt-huit Mai mi huit cent quatre-vingt dix-huit. JOHN A. KASSON |