To James Madison from Peder Pederson, 29 May 1804
From Peder Pedersen
Philadelphia May 29th. 1804.
The undersigned His Danish Majesty’s Chargé d’affairs near the United States has the honour of transmitting to the Secretary of State a translated Copy of an ordinance concerning stranded goods for the Dutchies of Sleswic and Holstein;1 in consideration of, that the principal object which the King his master therein has had in view, is so far as possible to alleviate the fate of mariners who may have the misfortune to strand on the coast of those provinces, and to diminish their loss: the undersigned flatters himself, that this ordinance will not fail in meeting with the approbation of the Government of the United States.
The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity to renew to Mr. Madison the assurance of his highest Consideration.
P: Pedersen
RC and enclosure (DNA: RG 59, NFL, Denmark, vol. 1). For enclosure, see n. 1.
1. Pedersen enclosed a translated copy of the “Strand-Ordinance for the Dutchies of Sleswic & Holstein the principality of Pinneberg, county of Ranzau and city of Altona,” misdated 30 Dec. 1804 (21 pp.), which revised the regulations concerning shipwrecks in order to provide for “the speedy saving and safe keeping of stranded goods, for an equitable fixing of the salvage and other unavoidable expences, for the most advantageous disposal according to circumstances of such goods as cannot be preserved, for the most careful discovery of the owners, finally for the shortest and most conscientious administration of justice in cases which can not be decided but by a course of law.”