United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations [Report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs on Piracy around Cuba and Puerto Rico from the 18th Congress]

Printed report "Of the Committee on Foreign Affairs to which was referred so much of the President's message, as relates to Piracies committed on the Commerce of the United States, in the neighborhood of the Islands of Cuba and Porto Rico." Says the measures adopted by the last session of Congress and the zeal of naval officers in the Caribbean have put a stop to piracy. Says pirates have operated from Cuba "for years" under the eye of the Spanish government. Says the Spanish government was complicit in the acts. Mentions that the present Captain General of the Island of Cuba has cooperated with American officials to break up the gangs of pirates. Says the trade with Cuba is lucrative for the United States as its trade with France and deserves the protection of government. Says illegal privateers have been outfitted in Puerto Rico and they have absurdly declared an embargo of more than 1200 miles of coast and interdicted commerce throughout the entire Spanish Main? There have also been attempts to assassinate the commercial agent of the United States in San Juan. Says these outrages "justify reprisals and a rigorous blockade of the ports of that Island." There are now negotiations in Madrid, Spain to reimburse American loses, but the report recommends sending two or more small cruisers off the coast of San Juan to be prepared if negotiations fail.