No. 618.
Mr. Bayard
to Mr. Merrill.
Washington, April 20, 1888.
Sir: I have received and attentively read your No. 173, of February 24, 1888, accompanied by copies, of the correspondence between the British commissioner at Honolulu and the Hawaiian minister for foreign affairs in relation to the Pearl River Harbor concession.
On December 23,1887, Her Majesty’s minister at this capital called at the Department in reference to a memorandum which he had received from Lord Salisbury concerning the treaty between Great Britain and [Page 866] France of 1844, by which they mutually agree to promote the neutrality of Hawaii, and suggesting that the United States unite in a similar declaration.
As pertinent to this question I forward copies of certain correspondence* lately exchanged between Sir Lionel West and myself concerning the same, and which I enumerate in the inclosures herewith.
I am, etc.,