711.417/799
The British Ambassador (Howard) to the Assistant Secretary of State (Johnson)
My Dear Mr. Johnson: With reference to a conversation which you had with Mr. Balfour of this Embassy on February 18th last in regard to the proposal of the Japanese Government that experts of the four interested Powers should undertake a fact-finding enquiry into the “migratory breeding and feeding habits of fur seals and other pertinent facts to determine the relative merits and demerits of land killing and pelagic sealing and to examine the detrimental effect on the fishing industry of Japan”, Sir Austen Chamberlain25 has advised me that no expert representing His Majesty’s Government in Great Britain will attend the enquiry proposed. As regards the attendance of a Canadian expert I am to request that you communicate with Mr. Massey, the Canadian Minister here.
I should add that Sir Austen Chamberlain assumes that the “fact-finding enquiry” will be held without prejudice to a possible future revision of the Fur Seals Convention.
Believe me [etc.]
- British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩