Office of the Historian

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.,

Julian Pauncefote.
[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.