Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Olney.
Newport, R. I., September 24, 1895.
Sir: With reference to your note to Lord Gough of the 18th instant, in which you renew the inquiry contained in Mr. Adee’s note to him of the 13th instant, as to whether Her Majesty’s Government have come to any conclusion respecting the suggestion made in Mr. Uhl’s note of the 10th of May last as to the stationing of United States inspectors at British Columbian ports for the purpose of verifying log entries of British sealing vessels and examining the skins as to sex, with reciprocal privileges to British inspectors in American ports, I have the honor to inform you that at the time of my departure for England on leave of absence early in June last I was under the impression that the answer of Her Majesty’s Government to that proposal, as well as to all the other proposals contained in Mr. Gresham’s note of the 23d of January and Mr. Uhl’s note of the 10th of May, had been substantially communicated by me to Mr. Uhl on the 27th of May, when I had the honor to read to him and to leave in his hands a copy of the Earl of Kimberley’s dispatch to me of the 17th: of that month.
As regards the particular proposal relating to inspectors, I had previously been informed by the Earl of Kimberley that it was not acceptable to Her Majesty’s Government on the ground that the matter is already provided for by the award regulations, the sealers being bound thereunder to keep a record of sex.
The proposed examination by inspectors would, therefore, only be of use in the case of skins taken outside the award area, which is not a matter of special concern.
I regret that the reply of Her Majesty’s Government to the proposal in question should not have been made more clear, and that it should have remained in any doubt at the Department of State during the period of my absence.
I have, etc.,