Whereas  for  some  time  past  vessels  of  war  of  the  United  States  have
been  refused  in  certain  foreign  ports  privileges  and  immunities  to  which
they  were  entitled  by  treaty,  public  law,  or  the  comity  of  nations,  at  the
same  time  that  vessels  of  war  of  the  country  wherein  the  said  privileges
and  immunities  have  been  withheld  have  enjoyed  them  full}-  and  unin-
terruptedly in  ports  of  the  United  States,  which  condition  of  things  lias
not  always  been  forcibly  resisted  by  the  United  States,  although,  on  the
other  hand,  they  have  not  at  any  time  failed  to  protest  against  and  de-
clare their  dissatisfaction  with  the  same.  In  the  view  of  the  United
States,  no  condition  any  longer  exists  which  can  be  claimed  to  justify
the  denial  to  them  by  any  one  of  such  nations  of  customary  naval  rights
as  lias  heretofore  been  so  unnecessarily  persisted  in.
