Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 6, 1897

Mr. Sherman to M. de Kotzébue.

Department of State,
Washington, March 11, 1897.

No. 93.]

Sir: Referring to your memorandum of certain requests preferred by Bishop Nicholas, of Alaska, which you left with my predecessor on the 18th ultimo, I have the honor to say that I am in receipt of a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury stating that the agent of his Department in the Pribilof Islands will be instructed henceforth to permit the duly accredited representatives of the Greek Church in Alaska to land on those islands, whenever and as often as they may desire, subject to the discontinuance of this permission, whenever in the judgment of the resident agent such discontinuance may be necessary for the best interests of the United States Government. The captains of our revenue cutters will be instructed also to grant them free transportation between Unalaska and the Pribilof Islands, such permission, however, not to interfere with the free movement of the vessels under their command.

Mr. Gage adds that the Treasury Department is not at present prepared to give a definite answer to the request made that permission be granted to the priests to teach the gospel in the school conducted by the North American Commercial Company, under its contract with the Treasury Department, on Saturdays and Sundays, if not on other days of the week.

Accept, etc.,

John Sherman.