Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part I

No. 554.
Sir L. S. Sackville West to Mr. Bayard.

Washington, February 14, 1888. (Received February 17.)

Sir: I have the honor to inclose to you herewith a statement of certain facts connected with the sale of a British vessel to parties in the United States and in view thereof to inquire whether it would be possible for the United States Government to adopt any measures for preventing vessels apparently sold to and owned by citizens of the United States from continuing to sail under the British flag.

I have, etc.,

L. S. Sackville West.

[Inclosure.]

statement.

In August, 1883, a brigantine called the Aristos, registered at Shelburne, Nova Scotia, stranded at Santa Cruz and became a wreck. The shipwrecked crew were relieved by Her Majesty’s Government. It was, however, afterwards discovered that the said vessel had been sold some twenty years previous to her loss to parties in the United States. The ship in question had evaded the law which requires the closing of the registry upon sale, and it is thought that there are other vessels which in the same manner have evaded it, and, although bona fide American vessels, are actually sailing under the British flag.

The British Board of Trade, therefore, would be glad to know whether it is possible for the United States Government to adopt measures for preventing British vessels which have been sold to American citizens from continuing to sail under the British flag.