4. Spanish merchant vessels in any ports or places within the United
States shall be allowed till May 21, 1898, inclusive, for loading their
cargoes and departing from such ports or places; and such Spanish
merchant vessels, if met at sea by any United States ship, shall be
permitted to continue their voyage if on examination of their papers
it shall appear that their cargoes were taken on board before the
expiration of the above term: _Provided_, That nothing herein
contained shall apply to Spanish vessels having on board any officer in
the military or naval service of the enemy, or any coal (except such as
may be necessary for their voyage), or any other article prohibited or
contraband of war, or any dispatch of or to the Spanish Government.
5. Any Spanish merchant vessel which prior to April 21, 1898, shall have
sailed from any foreign port bound for any port or place in the United
States shall be permitted to enter such port or place and to discharge
her cargo, and afterwards forthwith to depart without molestation; and
any such vessel, if met at sea by any United States ship, shall be
permitted to continue her voyage to any port not blockaded.
6. The right of search is to be exercised with strict regard for the
rights of neutrals, and the voyages of mail steamers are not to be
interfered with except on the clearest grounds of suspicion of a
violation of law in respect of contraband or blockade.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
[SEAL.]
Done at the city of Washington on the 26th day of April, A.D. 1898, and
of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and
twenty-second.
WILLIAM McKINLEY.
By the President:
ALVEY A. ADEE,
_Acting Secretary of State_.
[Footnote 26: See p. 201.]