No. 31.
Mr. Reuterskiöld to Mr. Bayard.
Washington, March 31, 1886. (Received April 1.)
Mr. Secretary of State: I have this day had the honor to receive your excellency’s note of the 29th instant, whereby you inform me that the United States Government declines to entertain the claim of the King’s Government, which was presented in my note of October 4, 1885, in behalf of the vessels of our countries, which, in the opinion of my Government, were, according to Article VIII of the treaty concluded July 4, 1827, beyond a doubt entitled to the enjoyment of the advantages granted to the vessels of other countries by section 14 of the shipping act approved June 26, 1884.
While reserving the transmission to your excellency of such further communication as his excellency, the minister of foreign affairs, may instruct me to address to you on this subject, I must protest, without further delay, in the name of the Royal Government, against the refusal of the United States Government to entertain the claim which the Royal Government thought it had a right to present on the ground of an article of a treaty now in force, which, in the opinion of my Government, is in no way ambiguous, either in letter or spirit.
Be pleased to accept, etc.,