Sir Julian
Pauncefote to Mr. Olney
.
British
Embassy,
Washington
,
January 24,
1896
.
Sir: I have the honor to communicate to you, by
desire of the Govern or-General of Canada and with reference to your
note No. 251, of the 12th of November last, copy of the approved minute
of the Canadian privy council, to which is attached copy of an order in
council of the 30th of November last, appointing O. A. Howland, esq., M.
P. P.; F. C. Keefer, esq., C. M. G.; and T. Monro, esq., as
Commissioners to meet and confer with the Commissioners appointed by the
President of the United States and to report to the Governor-General
upon the feasibility of building such canals as would admit of the
passage of vessels engaged in ocean commerce between the Atlantic Ocean
and the Great Lakes.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Extract from a report of the committee of the
honorable the privy council, approved by his excellency on the
8th January, 1896.
The committee of the privy council have had under consideration a
dispatch, hereto attached, dated 15th November, 1895, from Her
Majesty’s ambassador at Washington, covering a copy of a note from
the Secretary of State of the United States, informing him of the
appointment of certain Commissioners for the consideration of the
question of canal construction to accommodate ocean vessels between
the Great Lakes and the Atlantic, and expressing the wish to receive
intimation of similar action when taken by the Government of
Canada.
The committee, on the recommendation of the minister of railways and
canals, advise that your excellency be moved to forward a copy of
the order in council of the 30th November, 1895, appointing
Commissioners from Canada to act with the Commissioners appointed by
the United States, to Her Majesty’s ambassador at Washington, for
the information of the Secretary of State of the United States.
[Subinclosure.]
Extract of a report of the committee of the
honorable the privy council, approved by his excellency on the
30th November, 1895.
On a report, dated 22d November, 1895, from the minister of railways
and canals, submitting that by petition to your excellency in
council the president and members of the International Deep
Waterways Association have set forth that the Congress of the United
States has enacted as follows:
“The President of the United States is authorized to appoint,
immediately after the passage of this act, three persons who shall
have power to meet and confer with any similar committee which may
be appointed by the Government of Great Britain or of the Dominion
of Canada, and who shall make inquiry and report whether it is
feasible to build such canals as shall enable vessels engaged in
ocean commerce to pass to and fro between the Great Lakes and the
Atlantic Ocean, with an adequate and controllable supply of water
for continual use; where such canals can be most conveniently
located, the probable cost of the same, with estimate in detail; and
if any part of the same should be built in the territory of Canada,
what regulations or [Page 707] treaty
arrangements will be necessary between the United States and Great
Britain to preserve the free use of such canals to the people of
this country at all times; and all necessary facts and
considerations relating to the construction and future use of
deep-water channels between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.
The persons so appointed shall serve without compensation in any
form, but they shall be paid their actual traveling and other
necessary expenses, not exceeding in all ten thousand dollars, for
which purpose the said sum of ten thousand dollars or so much
thereof as may be necessary is hereby appropriated.”
The minister represents that, by a letter addressed on the 9th
instant to the honorable the first minister by Mr. O. A. Howland,
the international president of the said association, it was
intimated that the President had appointed, in accordance with the
aforesaid enactment, three gentlemen as Commissioners for the
purpose of this inquiry and it was asked that your excellency’s
Government make similar appointments.
The minister, considering that the question is one of sufficient
importance to justify expenditure in the directions of inquiry
indicated by the said act of Congress, recommends that the
undermentioned gentlemen be appointed to carry on such inquiry on
the lines specified in the said act; and that they do meet and
confer with the committee appointed by the President of the United
States, and report to your excellency in council as to the results
of their investigation, namely, O. A. Howland, esq., M. P. P.,
president International Waterways Association; T. C. Keefer, esq.,
C. E., C. M. G.; T. Monro, esq., M. Inst., C. E., president Canadian
Society Civil Engineers.
The minister further recommends that it shall be understood that
these gentlemen will serve without compensation but that their
actual traveling and other necessary expenses will be defrayed by
the Government, for which purpose, he (the minister) recommends that
a special item be placed in the estimates to be laid before
Parliament in the coming session.
The committee submit the foregoing recommendations for your
excellency’s approval.
John J. McGee,
Clerk of the Privy Council.
