No. 3.
Mr. Bancroft to Mr. Fish.
Sir: The German Secretary of State has notified to me and to the British Legation that the Emperor of Germany accepts the office of Arbitrator on oar northwestern boundary question. I suppose I am acting entirely in harmony with your wishes in proposing to the British Legation a very early attention to the [Page 258] subject, in the hope that we may speedily bring the matter to a conclusion and an award. Should any delay occur, I will take care that the fault shall not be on our side. I venture to expect an award in our favor. I have watched for a quarter of a century the course of this negotiation. In all that time the present Administration is the first that has taken the subject in hand from a right point of view, and if a favorable award is obtained it will be mainly due to the form of arbitration which you established by the Treaty of Washington.Emperor of Germany accepts the office of Arbitrator.
I remain, &c.,