No. 278.
Sir Edward
Thornton to Mr. Fish.
Sir: In compliance with an instruction which I have received from the Earl of Derby, in consequence of a request made to his lordship by the lords commissioners of the admiralty, I have the honor to ask whether any of the stores or provisions which were sent out by the Government of the United States for the relief of the Polaris expedition are still in the depot on the west coast of Greenland.; and, if so, whether the polar expedition, to be dispatched by Her Majesty’s government in 1875, may-consider them available for use on giving proper receipts.
In case the Government of the United States should be able, and should consent to place the stores at the depot at the disposal of the expedition, Her Majesty’s government would be glad to be furnished with a list of all such stores, provisions, &c.
I have, &c.,