No. 40, Servian series.] Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay. AMERICAN LEGATION, Athens, May 14, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to report that upon my arrival in Belgrade on the 6th instant I put myself in communication with the Servian foreign office, calling upon Mr. N. Pachitch, the minister of foreign affairs, getting acquainted with him and various other officials, and leaving with him a written request for an audience with the King for the presentation of my credentials. Within twenty-four hours my calls were returned, and on the afternoon of May 7 I received a communication in which it was stated that King Peter would receive me on Monday, the 9th. * A short time before the hour set for the audience I was called for at my hotel by the acting marshal of the court, and was taken by him to the palace in a gala court carriage, with outriders and accompanied by a cavalry escort. In the courtyard of the palace the guard presented arms and a band played "Hail Columbia," soldiers lined the palace stairs, and about a dozen adjutants and court officials awaited me in the anteroom. As I entered the reception room from one end the King entered at the other, and His Majesty walked forward to meet me. After the formal speeches in French, translations of which are appended hereto, the King took the President's letter from me," gave me his hand, and asked me to accompany him to another room, where we sat down and where the conversation was of an informal character. In this room we were followed by the minister of foreign affairs, the acting marshal of the court, and the King's private secretary (his cousin), and refreshments were served according to the national Servian custom. His Majesty subsequently took me to still another room, where I was presented to the crown prince, the princess, and the several other younger members of the royal family who happened to be in Belgrade at the time. After a few minutes' informal conversation the King rose and I took my departure. Before leaving the palace the adjutants and other officials were presented to me, and on passing through the courtyard the guard again presented arms, and the American air was played a second time. I was brought back to my hotel with the same escort which had accompanied me to the palace-an officer, 24 men, and several noncommissioned officers. Tert of Mr. Jackson's speech on presenting his credentials to King Peter of Servia, May 9, 1904. SIRE: I have the honor to hand to Your Majesty the President's letter accrediting me as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America. I have been charged to convey to Your Majesty the best wishes of the President and the American Government for the prosperity of Servia under Your Majesty's reign. My instructions are to endeavor to advance the interests and prosperity of the American and Servian governments, and to render myself acceptable to Your Majesty. I shall endeavor to carry out these instructions to the best of my ability. [Inclosure 2.-Translation.] Text of King Peter's reply. MR. MINISTER: In receiving from your hands the letter of His Excellency the President of the United States of America, by which you are accredited near my person as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, I beg you to assure the President, as well as the Government of the Republic, that I am deeply touched by the good wishes which they have expressed for me and for Servia, and that, sharing the sentiments which animate them, and of which you are the interpreter, I shall neglect nothing which may realize and facilitate a closer rapprochement between our two countries. As to you, Mr. Minister, I take pleasure in informing you that the selection of yourself as minister is especially agreeable to me, and that you may also count upon the cooperation of my Government in the accomplishment of your task. CORONATION OF KING PETER OF SERVIA. Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay. No. 44, Servian series.] AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: * * I have the honor to report that the anointing of King Peter of Servia has been postponed, and that it is now semiofficially stated that a ceremony (whether of anointing, coronation, or both) will take place on August 29, 30, and 31. It is possible. however, that the date may again be changed. It is expected that special representatives will be sent from Russia, Italy, and Montenegro, and that possibly Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria may be present. Other countries, it is said, will be represented by their ministers at Belgrade, and if that should prove to be the case, and no contrary instructions are received from you, I shall arrange to go to Belgrade from Roumania, taking Mr. Wilson with me, and to be present with my colleagues. I have been informed, informally, that a letter will eventually be sent giving notice of the proposed coronation, but not having the character of an invitation. New German and Italian ministers have been appointed at Belgrade, and the other members of the diplomatic corps are living in that city and carrying on official business in the usual manner. I have, etc., * ** JOHN B. JACKSON. Mr. Hay to Mr. Jackson. No. 10, Servian series.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, July 8, 1904. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 44, Servian series, of the 14th ultimo, in regard to the proposed coronation of King Peter of Servia. In view of your report that it is expected that special representatives will be sent from Russia, Italy, and Montenegro, and that other countries will be represented by their ministers at Belgrade, and that if that should prove to be the case you will arrange to go to Belgrade, taking Mr. Wilson with you, I have to say that your purpose to attend the coronation is approved, if no unforeseen objection (Mr. Jackson reports that the coronation of the King of Servia took place this day.) Mr. Jackson to Mr. Hay. No. 52, Servian series.] AMERICAN LEGATION. SIR: * The coronation took place on the 21st instant, in accordance with previous arrangements. The ceremony, I understand, was strictly according to the rites of the Orthodox Church. It lasted about two hours and a half, and was quite impressive. The King received the crown from the Metropolitan and placed it on his head himself. The diplomatic corps attended the ceremony, and subsequently it was received by the King, when the Italian minister congratulated His Majesty in the name of the sovereigns and chiefs of states represented by it. The Italian, Austrian, French, and German ministers had presented letters to the King prior to his coronation; the Russian, Roumanian, and Greek ministers presented similar letters at the reception which followed, and at the same time verbal congratulations were presented by the Turkish and Belgian ministers and myself. The next evening a dinner was given at the palace, to which the chiefs of mission were invited, and at which the Italian minister spoke again, after King Peter had drunk the health of the sovereigns and chiefs of states who were represented. The hereditary prince and princess of Montenegro and a special Bulgarian mission were present at the fêtes, all other countries, as mentioned above, being represented by their regularly accredited ministers. The fêtes included a gala performance at the National Theater, a military review, a ball at court, races, and a sham battle. Belgrade was filled with visitors, foreign and native; the city was appropriately decorated and quite prettily illuminated on the evening of the coronation itself. There were numerous foreign correspondents present, and detailed reports of the event have no doubt appeared in the American papers before this. JOHN B. JACKSON. I have, etc., SPAIN. CITIZENSHIP OF JORGE GRAU Y ORTEGUEIRA, A NATIVE PORTO No. 188.] RICAN. Mr. Hardy to Mr. Hay. AMERICAN LEGATION, Madrid, February 5, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following case to the Depart ment: Jorge Grau y Ortegueira was born in Guayama, Porto Rico, and is now about 16 years of age. His father, Eugenio Grau, was also born in Porto Rico, and died there in 1888. The son Jorge left Guayama in 1900 with his uncle and guardian, Mr. Antonio Grau, and they have since resided in Cadiz, where the ward is pursuing his studies. The uncle, Mr. Antonio Grau, was registered in June last in the Cadiz consulate as a native of Porto Rico. In January of this year he applied for a certificate of nationality for his nephew and ward. in order that the latter might be exempted from military service. which he had just been called upon to perform. Having obtained, as instructed by the legation, affidavits from two credible witnesses as to the birth and residence of Jorge Grau in Porto Rico, as also an affidavit from the latter to the effect that he intended to return within three years to Porto Rico, to reside there, and the said Jorge Grau having taken the oath of allegiance to the United States, the consul, Mr. Bartleman, issued to him a certificate of nationality. I inclose a copy of a letter received from the consul, from which it appears that some question may arise as to the exemption of Jorge Grau from military duty. It is evident that his father, having died in 1888, before the transfer of sovereignty, could not have been registered as an American citizen. He having been born in Porto Rico and not being therefore a native of the Peninsula, is the minor son, now temporarily in Spain, and intending to return to reside in the country of his origin, having taken the oath of allegiance, entitled to the protection of the United States, and therefore exemption from military service? I have, etc., ARTHUR S. HARDY. [Inclosure.] Mr. Bartleman to Mr. Hardy. AMERICAN CONSULATE, SIR Referring to my letter of the 19th ultimo, and to yours of the 21st, I would respectfully state that Mr. Jorge Grau presented to me affidavits from two credible witnesses, also an affidavit made by himself. I then entered his name in the record book as a citizen of the island of Porto Rico, and noted his cedula, as per the Department's circular of May 2, 1899, and issued a certificate, which I took with a letter to the office of the civil governor. The secretary of the civil governor requested me to authenticate the signature of the acting secretary of Porto Rico, which I did, and the next day received the governor's reply. On yesterday Mr. Grau called to thank me for what had been done for his nephew and stated that everything was satisfactory. To-day, much to my astonishment, I receive from the alcalde a note requesting to be informed if the father of Jorge Grau is registered in this consulate as a citizen of the United States. I take the liberty to again trouble you with this matter, as it now looks as if some impediment was to be placed in the way of Mr. Grau's release, and the matter may have to go to Madrid for final solution before the name of Mr. Grau can be removed from the list of recruits. Respectfully, yours, RICHARD M. BARTLEMAN. Mr. Hay to Mr. Hardy. No. 112.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 26, 1904. SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 188, of the 5th instant, in regard to the case of Jorge Grau y Ortegueira. In reply I have to say that Mr. Grau was a "native inhabitant " of Porto Rico. The Department thinks that he also comes within the definition of "a citizen of Porto Rico" in the act of April 12, 1900. It does not appear at just what time during the year 1900 he left Porto Rico, but he was a "Spanish subject on the 11th day of April, 1899, and then resided in Porto Rico; " and even if he left Porto Rico for Cadiz before April 12, 1900, in view of the fact that his sojourn at the latter place is temporary and he intends to return to Porto Rico to reside, it may well be maintained that in the legal sense of the term he" continued to reside" in Porto Rico. (See case of Marrero, p. 229, Van Dyne on Citizenship of the United States; also Bayot's case, note, p. 225 of the same work. The Department is of opinion that he is clearly entitled to protection as a citizen of Porto Rico. I am, etc., No. 205.] Mr. Hardy to Mr. Hay. JOHN HAY. AMERICAN LEGATION, SIR: Referring to my No. 188, of February 5 last, reporting the case of Jorge Grau y Ortegueira, and asking whether, under the circumstances stated, he was entitled to protection as a citizen of Porto Rico, I have the honor to inform you that the certificate of nationality issued to him by the consul at Cadiz having been disregarded by the Spanish authorities at that place and the said Jorge Grau having been cited to appear for military duty, I was obliged to act without waiting for the Department's views. My protest to the under secretary of state was promptly accepted, telegraphic orders to annul the citation and respect the consul's certificate were at once issued, and the incident satisfactorily closed. ARTHUR S. HARDY. I have, etc., |