No. 31.
Mr. Hubbard to Mr. Bayard.
United States Legation,
Tokio, Japan, July 13, 1888. (Received August
8.)
No. 492.]Sir: Referring to the correspondence which
has taken place between the Department of State and this legation
concerning a proposed convention between the United States and Japan
and some other powers, looking to the protection of the fur-seal
fisheries in Behring Sea, I have the honor to inclose a copy of a
note, dated July 9, from the Japanese minister of foreign affairs,
inquiring as to the nature of the consultation now being conducted
at London on this subject, with a view of instructing the Japanese
minister at London to take part in said consultation provided it has
assumed the nature of an international conference in which the views
of the several powers interested may be interchanged.
The note from Count Okuma and my reply to the same, also herewith
inclosed, fully explain themselves, and are forwarded to the
Department with the view of eliciting such reply as may be desired
advisable in the premises.
There is no doubt that the Nemo affair, to
which I had the honor to refer in my dispatch No. 491 of this date,
has had the effect of increasing Japan’s interest in the proposed
convention and her desire to see it concluded at an early day.
I have, etc.,
[Page 1852]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
492—Translation.]
Count Okuma
to Mr. Hubbard.
Department
for Foreign Affairs,
Tokio, the 7th day, the 7th month, the 21st
year of Meiji.
Sir: With reference to the proposal of
your Government to enter into a proper arrangement for the
purpose of preventing by international co-operation
indiscriminate and unregulated destruction of fur seals in the
Behring Sea, the views of the Imperial Government having been
communicated to you, your Government intimated that they would
approach the subject again upon receipt of responses from the
powers consulted, and consequently the Imperial Government have
been awaiting further communication from your Government.
In the mean time it has recently been reported to the Imperial
Government that the United States minister at London is holding
consultation with Her British Majesty’s pi-incipal secretary for
foreign affairs and the diplomatic representatives of some other
power or powers interested in respect to certain matters bearing
upon the subject.
The Imperial Government are not aware of the nature of the
question under discussion. If, however, the negotiation has
actually assumed the character of an international convention,
in which the views of the several powers interested may be
formally interchanged, the Imperial Government would desire to
instruct their representative at London to take part in such
negotiation.
I therefore beg leave to request that you will be so good as to
ascertain the truth of the report and to communicate to me the
result of your inquiry.
I avail myself, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
492.]
Mr. Hubbard
to Count Okuma.
United States Legation,
Tokio, July 12,
1888.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your excellency’s note No. 25, of the 7th
insiant, in which, referring to the subject of the proposed
arrangement between the Governments of the United States and
Japan and some other powers, looking to the protection of the
fur-seal fisheries in Behring Sea, your excellency informs me
that it has been reported to the Imperial Government that the
United States minister at London is holding consultation with
Her British Majesty’s principal secretary for foreign affairs
and the diplomatic representatives of some other powers
interested, in respect to certain matters bearing upon the
subject. Your excellency further states that if the negotiations
have assumed the character of an internationa-conference, in
which the views of the several powers interested may be formally
inl terchanged, the Imperial Government would desire to instruct
their representative at London to take part in such
negotiations; and you request me to ascertain the truth of the
report referred to, and to communicate the result of my inquiry
to your department.
In reply I have the honor to say to your excellency that by the
mail leaving for the United States on or about June 20 I had the
honor, as suggested by the verbal and informal inquiry of the
foreign office, to address a dispatch to the honorable the Sec
retary of State of my Government, requesting to be advised of
the present status of the negotiations of the proposed
convention; and in pursuance of the subject I will by the next
mail leaving for the United States forward a copy of your
excellency’s note, with the request that my Government will
furnish me with full information respecting the progress of the
negotiations.
In this connection I beg to say to your excellency that I have
been informed informally and unofficially by the representatives
at Tokio of one of the powers interested in the said
negotiations, that he was in receipt of information to the
effect that the consultation now being conducted at London is of
a purely preliminary character.
I am fully persuaded that the consultation to which your
excellency refers is of the same nature as has already taken
place between the United States minister at Tokio and the
Japanese foreign office; and I beg to repeat to your excellency
what I have already had the honor to assure your Department on
previous occasions, that a final decision will not be reached in
this matter of the proposed convention until the Imperial
Government has been fully advised and has had ample opportunity
to express its views in the premises.
I avail, etc.,
