No. 230.
Mr. Fish
to Mr. Bartholdi.
Washington, January 18, 1875.
Sir: You have already been informed that I referred to the Treasury Department the communication of the 22d of December, 1873, addressed to this Department by the Marquis de Noailles, and that from yourself of the 23d of November, 1874, relative to a diplomatic conference to be held at Paris on the 1st of February next, at the recommendation of the permanent committee of the international meter commission, to which the Government of the United States is invited to send delegates. I have now the honor to inform you that the Secretary of the Treasury having reported favorably upon the subject, this Government, actuated by a desire to take part in the deliberations contemplated by this conference, as set forth in your note of the 23d of November, accepts the invitation so conveyed, and that the President has designated Mr. E. B. Washburne, the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States accredited to your government, as the delegate to represent the United States in the diplomatic conference, to whom the necessary powers and instructions will be transmitted for that purpose by the next mail.
This Department has been informed by the Department of the Treasury, [Page 477] to which the subject appropriately belongs, that it is not possible to send special delegates as assistants to the minister of the United States, but information will be furnished him which it is hoped will obviate that necessity. It is proper that I should add that, as the representative of the United States in Paris has not the advantage of the assistance of skilled experts in relation to this matter, he will be instructed to report to this Government, for approval, the final conclusions of this conference before entering into any definite engagement on the part of this Government; and further, because legislation may be hereafter required before the results of the conference can be finally adopted by this Government, or a convention agreed upon for such purpose.
I regret the delay which has occured in communicating to you this acceptance of the invitation, and which has been occasioned by circumstances not within the control of this Department.
Accept, &c.,