Mr. Adam to Mr. Sherman.
Washington, October 6, 1897.
.Sir: With reference to the communication, made to Her Majesty’s Government on the 27th ultimo by the United States ambassador in London, expressing the desire of the Government of the United States for the admission of delegates from Russia and Japan to assist at the meeting of experts respecting the fur-seal fishery question, I have the honor, in compliance with an instruction from the Marquis of Salisbury, to point out that such a course would change the character and objects of the meeting of experts to be nominated by Great Britain, Canada, and the United States, to which his lordship assented, on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government, in his note to Mr. Hay of the 28th of July last.
I am accordingly directed to express to you the great regret of Her Majesty’s Government that it will not be possible for them to send a delegate to a meeting constituted in the manner suggested by Mr. Hay on the 27th ultimo.
Her Majesty’s Government fail to perceive that any useful purpose could be served by the participation of Russia or Japan in a meeting of experts appointed to consider the state of the seal herd frequenting the Pribilof Islands.
However, Her Majesty’s Government see no objection to copies of the proceedings of the meeting of British and United States experts being supplied to the Governments of Russia and Japan, should they wish to have them.
I have, etc.,