Mr. Bayard to Mr.
Olney.
Embassy
of the United States,
London
,
May 16, 1896
.
(Received May 25.)
No. 685.]
Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 667, of the
29th ultimo, I have this moment received, and hasten to transmit
herewith by to-day’s mail, a copy of a note from the foreign office
relating to the proposed extension to the westerly side of the North
Pacific Ocean of the seal-fishery regulations embodied in the award of
the Paris Tribunal of 1893.
I have, etc.
[Inclosure in No. 685.]
Lord Salisbury
to Mr. Bayard.
Foreign Office
,
May
14, 1896.
Your Excellency: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 18th ultimo, respecting
the question of extending the seal-fishery regulations embodied in
the award of the Paris Arbitration Tribunal to the western side of
the North Pacific.
Her Majesty’s Government wish to dispatch an agent, a properly
qualified naturalist, to the Commander Islands during the
approaching [Page 289] season to
observe the conditions of seal life there and to collect information
as to the working of the existing arrangement with Russia, and they
propose to apply to the Russian Government with a view to the local
authorities being instructed to afford all necessary facilities and
to cooperate with him in carrying out the object of his mission.
Pending the receipt of the report which the agent will be instructed
to furnish, Her Majesty’s Government will not be in a position to
enter upon negotiations.
I have, etc.,
