Mr. Wharton to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Washington, August 17, 1891.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 8th instant, in which you refer to a memorandum of June 23, left with me June 24, in which you submitted a proposal for an agreement between the Governments of Great Britain and the United States for mutual indemnities in respect of acts committed by the cruisers of one nation against the vessels of the other in execution of the modus vivendi.
The President desires me to say in reply that it seems to him to be quite unnatural that the two Governments, having come to a friendly understanding as to a modus vivendi and the method of its enforcement, should anticipate or attempt to provide against possible breaches or violations of duty by the vessels of either country. It will be time enough, in the President’s opinion, when either Government lodges against the other a complaint in this regard, to consider the question of indemnity. The President desires me to state that he hopes that no such question may arise, but that he will be prepared to meet it in a friendly spirit if, unfortunately, differences should develop.
I have, etc.,
Acting Secretary.