Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Washington, February 4, 1892.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the President has this day appointed and commissioned Thomas Corwin Mendenhall and Clinton Hart Merriam to act as commissioners on the part of the Government of the United States, in accordance with the agreement which I signed with you on December 18, 1891, to investigate and report, conjointly with commissioners to be appointed by the British Government, upon the facts having relation to the preservation of seal life in Behring Sea and the measures necessary for its protection and preservation, with a view to the submission of their conclusions to the board of arbitrators whose constitution has already been agreed upon by us.
Until the convention for arbitration shall have been signed the commissioners will not be expected to agree upon or formulate any report, but after I shall be officially advised by you of the appointment of commissioners on the part of the British Government the commissioners on the part of the United States will hold themselves ready to confer informally with their British colleagues at such time as may suit their convenience.
I have, etc.,