Mr. Adam to Mr. Sherman.
Washington, October 15, 1897.
Sir: With reference to your note, No. 796, of the 7th instant, I have the honor to inform you, in compliance with an instruction received from the Marquis of Salisbury, that Her Majesty’s Government have duly taken note of the acceptance by the President of the United States of the proposal contained in his lordship’s note of the 28th of July last, for a meeting of experts nominated by Great Britain and Canada and by the United States. The object of this meeting, as stated in the [Page 311] above-mentioned note, is “to arrive, if possible, at correct conclusions respecting the number, conditions, and habit of the seals frequenting the Pribilof Islands at the present time, as compared with the several seasons previous and subsequent to the Paris award.”
Her Majesty’s Government have accordingly nominated Prof. D’Arcy W. Thompson as their delegate at the meeting in question, while the Government of the Dominion of Canada have appointed Mr. Macoun in a similar capacity, and those gentlemen have been instructed to proceed to Washington with the least delay possible. Prof. D’Arcy Thompson sails from Liverpool to-morrow, and may therefore be expected here on or after the 23d instant.
Her Majesty’s Government and the government of the Dominion of Canada would be glad to be informed of the names of the experts to be appointed by the United States Government.
With regard to the invitation to Her Majesty’s Government, which is renewed in your note above mentioned, to a conference on the general question of the regulation of the fur-seal fishery, with the United States, Russia, and Japan, I am instructed to express once more to you the regret of Her Majesty’s Government that they are not prepared to participate in a conference constituted in such a manner and for such a purpose.
I have, etc.,