Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Wharton.
Washington, June 13, 1891.
Sir: I lost no time in telegraphing to the Marquis of Salisbury the contents of your note of June 11, conveying the assent of your Government to the appointment, in connection with Her Majesty’s Government, of a joint commission for the purpose mentioned in my note to you of the same date, such agreement to be signed simultaneously with the convention for arbitration and to be without prejudice to the questions to be submitted to the arbitrators.
I informed his lordship at the same time that, in handing me the note under reply, you had assured me that the President was anxious that the commission should be appointed in time to commence its work this season, and that your Government would, on that account, use their utmost efforts to expedite the signature of the arbitration convention.
I now have the honor to inform you that I have this day received a telegraphic reply from Lord Salisbury, in which, while conveying to me authority to sign the proposed agreement for a. modus vivendi contained in your note of June 9, his lordship desires me to place on record that it is signed by me on the clear understanding that the joint commission will be appointed without delay.
On that understanding, therefore, I shall be prepared to attend at the State Department, for the purpose of signing the agreement, at such time as you may be good enough to appoint.
I have, etc.,