Mr. Gresham to Baron Saurma .

No. 21.]

Excellency: Referring to your note of the 22d ultimo, and the Department’s reply thereto of the 1st instant, relating to the invitation to this Government by His Majesty the Emperor to participate in the ceremonies attending the opening of the Northern Baltic Canal in the latter part of June next, I have now the honor to inform you, in view of a letter addressed to this Department by the Secretary of the Navy, that Rear-Admiral U. A. Kirkland, U. S. N., commander in chief United States naval force on the European station, will be instructed to proceed to Kiel with the U. S. flagship San Francisco, under the command of Capt. E. M. Shepard, U. S. N., and the Marblehead, under the command of Commander Charles O’Neil, U. S. N., for the purpose of taking part in the proposed ceremony.

Accept, etc.,

W. Q. Gresham.