No. 159.
General Schenck to Mr. Fish.
London, April 26, 1873. (Received May 14.)
Sir: I yesterday handed to Lord Granville a copy of the act of Congress for carrying into effect certain provisions of the treaty of Washington approved March 1, 1873, transmitted to me in your No. 352. At the same time I suggested to him, in accordance with your instructions, that Sir Edward Thornton might be authorized to execute with you a protocol reciting the passage of the necessary several acts of legislation by the Imperial Parliament of Great Britain, the Parliament of the Dominion of Canada, and the legislature of Prince Edward’s Island, on the one hand, and by the Congress of the United States on the other, and declaring that those articles of the treaty would take effect on the 1st of July next.
His lordship quite agreed that something should be done giving official recognition of the fact that the required legislation was all complete. He said that instructions on the subject had just been given, and showed me the draught of what he had written to Sir Edward Thornton to propose to you. His idea was, after a proper understanding that the necessary [Page 356] acts had been passed, to notify the colonial authorities of the taking effect of the articles of the treaty in question. We agreed that it was only a difference of form to be used for accomplishing the same object. I said that your plan seemed to me the clearest and simplest; that is, to unite in a protocol at Washington, reciting or referring to the several acts of legislation, and announcing a date at and from which the articles would come into operation and the ten years stipulated for in the treaty begin. He seemed to be impressed with a thought that this might be the best shape to be given to the procedure, and said he would consider further of his instructions to Sir Edward Thornton.
I have, &c.,