Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote.
Washington, February 6, 1892.
Sir: I am in receipt of your note of this date, in which you give me the official notification of the appointment of Sir George Baden-Powell and Prof. Dawson as commissioners on the part of the British Government on the joint commission created in view of the proposed fur-seal arbitration.
In acknowledging your note, I deem it important to direct your attention to the fact that the Government of the United States, in nominating the commissioners on its part, selected gentlemen who were especially fitted by their scientific attainments, and who were in no wise disqualified for an impartial investigation and determination of the questions to be submitted to them, by a public declaration of opinion previous or subsequent to their selection. It is to be regretted that a similar course does not seem to have been adopted by the British Government. It appears from a document which you transmitted to me, under date of March 9, 1890 (inclosure 4), that one of the gentlemen selected by your Government to act as a commissioner on its part has fully committed himself in advance on all the questions which are to be submitted to him for investigation and decision.
I am further informed that the other gentleman named in your note had previous to his selection made public his views on the subject, and that very recently he has announced in an address to his parliamentary constituents that the result of the investigation of this commission and of the proposed arbitration would be in favor of his Government.
I trust, however, that these circumstances will not impair the candid and impartial investigation and determination which was the object had in view in the creation of the commission, and that the result of its labors may greatly promote an equitable and mutually satisfactory adjustment of the questions at issue.
The commissioners on the part of the United States have been instructed to put themselves in communication with the British commissioners, to tender them an apartment at the Department of State for the joint conference, and, if it shall suit their convenience, to agree with them upon an hour for their first conference on Monday next, the 8th instant.
It is proper to add that when I indicated to you on the 13th ultimo that the British commissioner, then in London, might come at once to [Page 610] Washington, I supposed we should before this date have signed the arbitration convention, and thus have enabled the commissioners to proceed officially to a discharge of their duties. But as it became necessary to await the approval of the draft of that instrument which you have forwarded to London, I have interposed no objection to preliminary conferences of the commissioners, anticipating the signature of the convention within a very brief period.
I have, etc.,