Lord Pauncefote to Mr. Hay.
Washington, June 19, 1900.
The French Government have approached Her Majesty’s Government with a view to procuring the admission of the claims of French citizens to the forthcoming arbitration before the King of Sweden and Norway on claims arising out of the recent disturbances in Samoa.
According to Article III of the Tripartite Convention either of the three Governments may, with the consent of the others, submit for arbitration claims of persons, not being natives, who are under the protection of that Government. But although French citizens do not, so far as Her Majesty’s Government are aware, come within this category, they feel it would be difficult equitably to refuse the application [Page 626] of the French Government for the admission of the claims of their citizens to arbitration.
It appears that the French Government have obtained an assurance from the German Government that they will do their best to procure the admission of French claims, and Her Majesty’s Government understand that the Government of the United States have also been approached on the subject.
Her Majesty’s Government are desirous, before returning a definite answer to the French ambassador, to ascertain the views of the United States Government on the subject and the nature of the answer which they propose to return to the request of the French Government.