No. 344.
Mr. Bayard to Sir L. S. Sackville
West.
Washington, July 19, 1887.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your note, dated yesterday and received to-day, inclosing a copy of the declaration of Captain Medes Rose, master of the schooner Laura Sayward, of Gloucester, Mass., made on April 12 last, at Sandy Point, before a justice of peace, apparently in contradiction of the statement made by the same party under oath on October 13 last.
This document will be instantly made the subject of investigation, and the observations of this Government thereon, as suggested by your note, will be communicated to you as soon as information on the matter shall have been received from the collector of customs at Gloucester, through whom the original affidavits of Captain Rose were forwarded to this Department.
Accept, etc.,