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

Mr. White to Mr. Gresham.

Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg, April 16, 1894. (Received May 2.)

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your instructions relative to the arrangement initiated between yourself and the Russian minister at Washington.

I have submitted the same to the foreign office here and find there a strong preference for their original proposal, namely, the adoption of the Russo-British modus vivendi by the United States and Russia, on the ground that this new form of proposal requires time for consideration by the various departments of the Russian Government interested, and therefore a delay, perhaps too long a delay, in notifying sealers would be necessitated.

I showed Count Kapnist, director of Asiatic affairs at the foreign office, with whom I had the interview, that the delays and difficulties in the matter had not been of our seeking, and gave him the reasons, as I conceive them, why you naturally desire the matter settled at Washington, as proposed in your dispatch above referred to.

I also showed him that with promptitude and expedition on the part of the Imperial Government very little delay would be caused, and I assured him that our Government simply desired a fair and speedy settlement of the question.

I am, etc.,

And. D. White.

[Note verbale.]

Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Gresham.

British Embassy,
Washington, April 17, 1894. (Received April 17, 1894.)

The undersigned has the honor to inform the Secretary of State that he has received a telegram from the Earl of Kimberley to the effect that amendments have been made in articles 2 and 7 of the Bering Sea bill during its passage through the House of Lords which it is believed will entirely remove the objections raised by the United States Government.

As regards article 1, which relates to penalties, Lord Kimberley states that Her Majesty’s Government have given their most careful consideration to the objections raised thereto.

The undersigned is instructed to assure the Secretary of State that Her Majesty’s Government yield in no respect to the United States Government in their desire to carry out the award effectually, and they are satisfied that the provision in question is framed in the manner which will best secure that object.

Julian Pauncefote.