dor in Berlin to make the necessary official inquiry and, if necessary, follow it up with the strongest representations to the German Government."
On March 24th the representatives of the leading papers throughout the country were invited to meet the Secretary of State, who wished to make a communication on the subject of St. Thomas. They found him in the very best of humor, and he stated that he was pleased to tell them, that the slight cloud which had settled down upon the mutual relations of the United States and Germany had been completely dispelled by the announcement of the German Government, that no negotiations of any kind whatsoever were in progress for the purchase of the Danish West India Island of St. Thomas.
One week later the early editions of the evening papers of March 31st displayed in full-face headlines the news, that the Ger-
