The Government of Her Majesty has ordered her Minister at Washington to retire without loss of time from the territory of North America with all of the personality of the Legation.  By this act the diplomatic relations which formerly existed between the two countries, and all official communications between their respective representatives cease.  I am obliged to inform you, so that on your part you can make such arrangements as you believe convenient.

I beg that at a suitable time Your Excellency will acknowledge receipt of this and take this opportunity to reiterate the assurance of my most distinguished consideration.

Pio Gullon.

General Woodford then turned over the Legation to the care of the British Government, and ordered all American Consuls in Spain to cease their offices and leave the country at once.  He then made his own preparations to leave and started for Paris without delay.

Consuls in Cuba leave the island.

Anticipating the action taken by Congress, a peculiar form of notice had been agreed upon between Consul-General Lee and the Consuls some weeks previously.  The telegram notifying them to leave the island was to be in these words:  “Appropriation for relief of American citizens is exhausted.”  This form was devised for a reason which had its bearing upon the unhappy fate of the Americans left on the island.  Spaniards of the vindictive class never got over the action of the United States in undertaking the support of its citizens in Cuba.  That action was in striking contrast “with the course of the Spanish Government.  The Spaniards lost no opportunity to show their resentment toward the Americans.  When local measures of relief were planned, the Americans were taunted, and told to look to the United States for help and protection.  The charity extended by the United States brought upon the beneficiaries persecution at the hands of the Spaniards.  General Lee, realizing the strength of this unworthy sentiment, thought that a message in the language quoted would be so grateful to Spanish eyes that it would be put through to the Consuls without delay.  He was right about that.  The government attempted to make provision for the removal of the Americans on the island at the same time that the Consuls were notified to withdraw.  Results showed that only a comparatively small number availed themselves of the opportunities to go.  A ship made its way along the south coast of Cuba and removed from Santiago, Manzanillo and Cienfuegos between 200 and 300 refugees, conveying them to Jamaica.  This was hardly one-half.  From the northern coast the number taken off the island was much smaller.  At Havana there were on the rolls of the Consulate over 600 Americans, of whom perhaps 200 elected to take passage on the ships sent by the United States.  At Matanzas, Consul Brice had about 400 Americans.  Consul Barker, at Sagua,