Office of the Historian

No. 291.
General Schenck to Mr. Fish.

Legation of the United States,
London, December 12, 1873. (Received December 27.)
No. 534.]

Sir: Referring to the correspondence which was communicated to you in my No. 453, relating to the privileges to be extended by Her Majesty’s government or certain of her colonial governments to the expedition to be sent next year from the United States for the purpose of observing the transit of Venus, I have now to transmit to you a copy of another note received from Lord Granville on that subject. His lordship writes to inform me that there has been communicated to him from the secretary of state for the colonies a memorandum from the governor of Tasmania, stating that instructions will be given for the admission free of duty and wharfage of all instruments, &c., to be used by the expedition, and that a suitable site will be assigned for making the observations.

You will doubtless desire to have this information to convey to the Secretary of the Navy.

I am, &c.,

ROBT. C. SCHENCK.
[Inclosure in No. 534.]

Lord Granville to General Schenck.

Foreign Office, December 8, 1873.

Sir: With reference to my note, of the 25th of June last, I have the honor to acquaint you that the secretary of state for the colonies has communicated to me a memorandum received from the governor of Tasmania, stating that instructions will [Page 492] be given for the admission free of duty and wharfage of all instruments, &c., to be used by the expedition from the United States which will visit Hobart Town for the purpose of observing the transit of Venus next year, and that a suitable site for making the observations will be placed at the disposal of the expedition.

I am, &c.,

GRANVILLE.