Mr. Lincoln to Mr. Blaine.
London , June 20, 1891 . [Received June 30.]
Sir: Referring to my dispatch, No. 475, of 17th instant, transmitting a copy of the note of the Marquis of Salisbury on the subject of international, copyright, I now have to state that I refrained from cabling the essential part of the note, although I was aware of its pressing importance, for the reason that it seemed advisable for me to call Lord Salisbury’s attention informally to the possibility of some question being raised by the employment of the words “British” and “English” in a way which might be deemed antithetical.
I was able to mention the matter to his lordship on the evening of the same day, and he said he would at once have it examined. In consequence I have to-day received the amended note, of which a copy is inclosed, bearing the same date as the former one, which comes to me with a private note calling my attention to the fact that “the last paragraph has been altered so as to make the assurance comprise the whole of the British Possessions,” and asking me to substitute it for and to return the former note.
There is of course no territorial adjective for “the United Kingdom,” but personally I have no doubt that the legal official who is responsible for the language of the note used the adjective “English” in that enlarged sense, though I rather expected, after my conversation with Lord Salisbury, that an amended note would contain merely an additional line to the effect that the word “English” wherever used, was to be taken as referring to “the United Kingdom.”
I have, etc.,