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in his district, but he is also charged by law generally with the official duties necessary for the operation of American vessels abroad. Two of the principal duties of an American consul are, therefore, to safeguard property interests in American vessels and to protect the valid wage claims of American seamen, the latter duty having been the subject of special Federal legislation. These two important duties were well performed by the American consul at Gibraltar in this case, as well as furnishing the destitute crew with the subsistence for which Congress makes express provision and with practically no additional

expense.

Unless the Congress appropriates funds to reimburse Mr. Sprague for his expenditures of $2,176.82, referred to above, which have been disallowed by the Comptroller General of the United States, Mr. Sprague will be obliged to suffer a personal loss of that sum, all of which he paid out in good faith for the relief of a destitute American crew, the protection of American property interests, and of American seamen, with no benefit to himself. Mr. Sprague has been a faithful and efficient consular officer of the United States for nearly 34 years and the loss of this sum will be to him a serious sacrifice.

American consular officers are urged and instructed to exercise their best efforts to protect and promote American shipping and it is believed consular officers should be protected and encouraged to do everything reasonable in furtherance of this trust. Had the American consul at Gibraltar permitted the Kanabec to be abandoned at once, and if its estimated value of over $100,000 had been lost to the American bondholders or even depreciated by his failure to keep the vessel in condition to depart upon receipt of expected funds from the receiver, who had been appointed in the United States district court, he would certainly have been subjected to severe and just criticism, and especially so when this result was obtainable by an added expenditure of only £49.19 (or $221.35 at the rate of exchange then existing).

It may be considered that a personal loss of $2,176.82 suffered by a consul under circumstances in which it is generally conceded he acted on sound business principles is sure to cause serious misgivings throughout the Consular Service and inspire a tendency in future toward technically safe and conservative action, under circumstances. where only vigorous and resourceful steps can adequately protect American shipping and seamen in foreign countries.

The interests of the United States Government can only be effectively served abroad by supporting its official representatives in all reasonable efforts to protect the interests of its nationals, and the providing of funds for the reimbursement of the American consul at Gibraltar for the expenditures heretofore described will not only settle a just and equitable claim but it will exemplify the principle of supporting one of the foreign representatives of our Government in the active discharge of his duty to protect legitimate American interests in a case where, unfortunately, the Comptroller General of the United States finds that all the technical requirements for reimbursement from the regular appropriation for seamen's relief are not present.

Finally, the following conclusions, based upon a recapitulation of the foregoing premises, are respectfully submitted in support of an appropriation to pay Mr. Sprague the sum of $2,176.82:

(1) That all of the aforesaid $2,176.82 was actually assumed by the claimant for the relief of destitute American seamen from the American steamship Kanabec, for the purposes set forth in section. 4577, Revised Statutes.

(2) That the said section 4577 of the Revised Statutes obligates consular officers "to provide for the seamen of the United States who may be found destitute within their districts, respectively, sufficient subsistence and passage to some port of the United States, in the most reasonable manner, subject to such instructions as the Secretary of State may give."

(3) That by furnishing coal and water to the American steamship Kanabec and thereby utilizing the ship's stores on hand, the claimant provided subsistence to the destitute crew of said steamship for a period of 19 days, at a cost of $1,897.87, only 112 per cent more than would have been expended for their subsistence on shore for the same period, and as this action also effectively safeguarded the interests of crew and the American owners of the Kanabec, it is regarded by the Secretary of State as having been provided "in the most reasonable manner" under the particular circumstances.

(4) That the Department of State, to which the administrative control of seamen's relief is delegated by statute, believes that the claimant was justified in obtaining coal and water from the firm of Smith Imossi & Co., of Gibraltar, since in his judgment he could obtain coal and water from that firm most advantageously. Although this firm had formerly represented the owners of the Kanabec as agents and had later libeled it for accounts due, it does not appear that Smith Imossi & Co. had any fiduciary relationship with the receiver appointed in the United States for the vessel and was not on the date this material was delivered in any way obligated to furnish coal or water, or to provide for the crew.

(5) That the fact the claimant advanced the sum of $278.95 to the destitute members of the crew of the Kanabec for the purchase of appropriate necessities to their subsistence, in the expectation that the proceeds of the sale of the vessel would enable him to reimburse himself, does not deprive him of the equitable right to reimbursement from the United States Government, it now appearing that he was unable to obtain reimbursement from the proceeds of the sale of the vessel.

(6) That the claimant had no private interest in the Kanabec or any claim against the vessel and therefore all liability he has incurred was on account of strictly official acts which he would not have undertaken except in fulfillment of his duties as American consul.

(7) That in extending this relief in "the most reasonable manner" it meets with the approval of the administrative office, the Department of State, as the claimant humanely considered the deplorable position of the seamen who made up the crew of the Kanabec; American seamen who were not destitute because of any malfeasance, but, on the contrary, had substantial sums due them for services performed on the vessel, claims they were unable to collect on account of the bankruptcy of the owners. It is believed that in extending relief cognizance may be taken of the facts that these seamen were thereby occasioned personal hardships and humiliation and in some instances the knowledge that their families in the United States were in serious want.

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REPORT FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE RELATIVE TO THE PARTICIPATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL DAIRY CONGRESS TO BE HELD IN GREAT BRITAIN IN JUNE-JULY, 1928

JANUARY 5, 1928.-Read; referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed

To the Congress of the United States:

I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State concerning participation by the Government of the United States in the Eighth International Dairy Congress, which will be held in Great Britain in June-July, 1928, under the patronage of His Majesty King George V. Concurring in the view of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Agriculture, as stated in the report, I request of Congress legislation authorizing acceptance of the invitation of the British Government to the Government of the United States to appoint delegates to that Congress, and an appropriation of $10,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the payment of the expenses of delegates. CALVIN COOLIDGE.

THE WHITE HOUSE, January 5, 1928.

The PRESIDENT:

The Government of Great Britain has invited the Government of the United States to take part in the Eighth International Dairy Congress, which will be held in Great Britain in June-July, 1928, under the patronage of His Majesty King George V.

The Secretary of Agriculture, to whom the invitation was referred for consideration, states that there is much interest in this country in this forthcoming congress, and that it is the desire of the Department of Agriculture to be officially represented. He therefore recommends that a request be made of Congress for the enactment of legislation authorizing the acceptance of the invitation, the appointment of official delegates, and an appropriation of $10,000, to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of State, and based on a budget which he furnishes, as follows:

Ocean transportation, 10 persons, at $600..

Per diem, 10 persons, 30 days, at $8.

Railroad fare (United States), 10 persons, average of $60 each_

Railroad fare (England and Scotland), 10 persons, average of $40 each__ Local transportation (England and Scotland), 10 persons, average of $25 each

Baggage, telegraph, porterage, gratuities, etc., $35 each_---

Total.....

$6,000

2, 400 600

400

250

350

10,000

In his note extending the invitation, the British ambassador stated as follows:

Great importance is attached to the development of the milk supply and it is believed that much practical benefit will be derived by all the nations and interests concerned from the discussions which will take place on questions relating to the production and consumption of milk and from interchange of the latest knowledge and experience in the solution of the problems presented during the progress of milk improvement.

Sharing in this belief and acting in accordance with the request of the Secretary of Agriculture, the undersigned, the Secretary of State, begs to submit a draft of a resolution which he recommends be transmitted to the Congress with a request for favorable consideration.

It is pointed out by the Secretary of Agriculture that this legislation should be enacted as early in the session as possible, and that the appropriation should be contained in the first deficiency act, since the invitation was not received in time to include the item in the Department of Agriculture's regular appropriation act for the fiscal year 1928, and the regular appropriation acts for the fiscal year 1929 may be passed too late to permit the appointment of delegates in time for them to make satisfactory steamship reservations, as the time of sailing would be during the rush tourist season.

It may not be out of place to mention that, in acceptance of an invitation extended by the Government of the United States, the British Ministries of Health and of Agriculture delegated representatives to attend the World Dairy Congress held in the United States in 1923. Participation in the forthcoming congress in Great Britain by the Department of Agriculture would, therefore, be reciprocal as well as in the public interest.

The undersigned is advised by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget that the request is not in conflict with the financial program of the President.

Respectfully submitted.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

FRANK B. Kellogg.

Washington, December 28, 1927.

DRAFT OF JOINT RESOLUTION

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President is hereby authorized and requested to accept the invitation of the British Government to the United States to appoint delegates to the Eighth International Dairy Congress, to be held in Great Britain during June-July, 1928.

SEC. 2. That the sum of $10,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the payment of the expenses of delegates, including transportation, subsistence or per diem in lieu of subsistence (notwithstanding the provisions of any other act), and such other expenses as the President shall deem proper.

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