No. 259.
Mr. Vignaud to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Paris, August 29, 1887.
(Received September 13.)
No. 472.]
Sir: I have communicated with Mr. Flourens with
reference to the subject-matter of your instruction of June 14, 1887, No.
235, and under date of the 26th instant he writes that our commercial agent
at Nouméa has been misinformed, but that in view of complying more fully
with your desire the governors of New Caledonia and of Guiana have been
instructed to abstain, until further orders, from issuing authorization to
liberated convicts to proceed to the United States.
I send herewith a copy and a translation of Mr. Flourens’s note.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure in No. 472.
Translation.]
Mr. Flourens to Mr.
McLane.
Mr. Minister As I had the honor to write you,
on the 22d of July last, I hastened to transmit to the minister of the
marine and the colonies the letter you kindly addressed to me to signal
the facilities which the authorities of New Caledonia, according to the
American commercial agent at Nouméa, granted to liberated convicts to
get to the United States.
In answer to this communication Mr. Barbey has just informed me that the
information gathered by the agent of the United States Government at
Nouméa is not in conformity with the real facts. In fact, on one hand,
the number of those liberated and authorized to leave temporarily the
colony is excessively limited, and on the other hand, it has never been
a question to subsidize a line of steamers between Nouméa and San
Francisco with a view to facilitate the passage of these individuals to
North America.
[Page 351]
At all events, with a view to give surer satisfaction to the desire you
have expressed, the minister of the marine and the colonies has just
written to the governors or New Caledonia and Guiana to request them, to
suppress, until further orders, all authorizations for departure of
liberated convicts having the United States for destination.
Accept, etc.,
