File No. 763.72111/1892
The British Ambassador (Spring Rice) to the Secretary of State
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I beg to acknowledge your informal letter of the 27th instant, in which you bring to my attention certain information in your possession relative to the operations of British warships in the Pacific and in particular the report that the British steamship Bellerophon coaled His Majesty’s ship Rainbow on the 27th of February within a mile of Anacapa Island.
I am bringing this matter at once to the attention of my Government and shall take pleasure in communicating further with you upon the subject as soon as I am in a position to do so.
I am [etc.]