Foreign Relations of the United States, 1894, Appendix I, Chinese-Japanese War, Enforcement of Regulation Respective to Fur Seals, Mosquito Territory, Affairs at Bluefields, Claim of Antonio Maximo Mora, Import Duties on Certain Products of Colombia, Haiti, and Venezuela, Affairs in the Samoan Islands

Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Gresham.

Washington, April 5, 1894.

Sir: On the 8th ultimo I had the honor to place in your hands confidentially, by desire of Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, a draft of a bill which Her Majesty’s Government proposed to introduce into Parliament to give effect to the far-seal fishery regulations prescribed by the award of the Bering Sea Tribunal of Arbitration. Since that date negotiations have been proceeding with reference, first, to the adoption of a modus vivendi during the present year in order to give longer time to elaborate and complete the necessary legislation in both countries; secondly, to the settlement of the Bering Sea claims which were laid before the Tribunal of Arbitration, and thirdly, to a proposed conference of the four powers mostly interested in the fur-seal fishery to consider what regulations, applicable not only on the high seas but within the sovereignty of each power, it might be expedient to adopt in accordance with the first declaration appended to the award.

Those negotiations continued up to the 2d instant, when you informed me that the President had arrived at the conclusion that it would be better to abandon the proposed modus vivendi, as he now believed that both Governments would be able to complete their legislation before the commencement of the close season prescribed by the award, namely the 1st of May; you added that a bill would be pressed through Congress at once for that purpose. I accordingly informed the Earl of Kimberley of the President’s views and I learned that the British legislation is proceeding with the utmost rapidity with a view to its coming into force on the 1st of May.

I have now received instructions from Lord Kimberley to propose to you that we should at once proceed to discuss the best mode of carrying out articles 4 and 7 of the regulations prescribed by the award. A delegate from Canada, as previously arranged, is prepared to come to Washington to assist me in the discussion of the details in question, which are how very pressing, and as to which it is manifestly desirable that the two Governments should secure as much similarity of treatment as possible.

I should be much obliged therefore if you would kindly inform me whether this proposal is agreeable to you, and if so on what date it will be convenient to you to hold our first meeting.

I have, etc.,

Julian Pauncefote.