Secretary of the Navy John D. Long to Secretary of State William R. Day
Secretary.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
Washington, June 29, 1898.
Sir:
The last telegram from the Naval Attache1 in London states that Camara’s Fleet2 will pass the Suez Canal tomorrow, June 30th. It has been reported that a British collier, or colliers, awaits it off the Island of Perim at the mouth of the Red Sea. This Department requests that the Department of State should address a remonstrance to the Turkish Government (or proper Government concerned)3 upon this proposed violation of its neutrality.
This Department will buy the coal referred to if it is for sale; this might be ascertained, with price by your officers at or near Perim.
Very respectfully,
Secretary.
Source Note: TDS, DNA, RG 45, Entry 29. Addressed below close: “The Honorable/The Secretary of State.”
Footnote 1: The naval attaché in London was Lt. John C. Colwell.
Footnote 2: RAdm. Manuel de la Cámara y Libermoore’s fleet set sail for the Philippines on 16 June, but left Suez on 11 July, since the American Navy was free to dispatch a fleet to invade Spain after RAdm. Cervera’s defeat on 3 July.
Footnote 3: Although Egypt was technically part of the Ottoman Empire it had for all practical purposes been independent from 1805 to 1882. In the latter year Egypt became a protectorate under Great Britain.
