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.,