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but was being relieved by salvors engaged by the master and was out of all danger, was surrounded by seventy-eight wrecking vessels which came from the neighboring islands to which news of the disas ter had spread. The wreckers, to the number of seven hundred, it is stated, boarded the El Dorado and practically compelled the master to allow them to remove the cargo, in spite of his protestation that he neither needed nor desired their services. These practices unfortunately, though not altogether, perhaps, unnaturally, seem not to be adequately condemned by local opinion and the only protection against them is in the courts of admiralty. The British vice-admiralty court at Nassau is presided over by Chief Justice Yelverton, a fearless and impartial magistrate, whose services in the protection of commerce are gratefully recognized by the New York underwriters.

The president of the Board of Underwriters incloses in his letter a copy of a communication from Chief Justice Yelverton in which the latter, discussing the question under consideration, makes certain suggestions, the adoption of which he considers absolutely essential to the effective administration of justice in the vice-admiralty court at Nassau. (1) That the chief justice of the colony should be thoroughly independent.

(2) That the payment of the officials of the court by fees should be, abolished.

(3) That upon the occurrence of every wreck it should be in the power of the chief justice, with or without application made to him for that purpose, to order an inquiry, with or without nautical assessors, into the circumstances attending the wreck.

Recognizing the great value to American commerce, as well as to that of Great Britain and other countries, of an impartially-administered admiralty jurisdiction in these islands, this Department desires to call the attention of the British Government to the above suggestions. You are therefore directed to present them to the attention of the minister of foreign affairs, expressing at the same time this Government's appreciation of the able and impartial manner in which Chief Justice Yelverton has administered his office.

I am, sir, etc.,

W. Q. GRESHAM.

No. 136.]

Mr. Bayard to Mr. Gresham.

[Extract.]

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES,

London, January 10, 1894. (Received January 18.) SIR: Referring to your Instruction No. 218 of November 23, last, I have now the honor to transmit herewith copies of the correspondence with the foreign office, in relation to the questions involved therein.

The note of Lord Rosebery of the 28th ultimo contains a very explicit reply and denial of the statement of the Board of Underwriters in New York, and which as will be perceived was carefully presented by me to the foreign office as the representations of that board, and not otherwise.

It would of course have been quite inadmissible for the Government of the United States to suggest any interference on a question so purely domestic in its nature, as the removal or retention in office of a British official.

By the Official Gazette of December 29, last, the appointment of Charles George Walpole, esq., to be chief justice of the Bahama Islands appears, so that Mr. Yelverton is now functus officio.

I have, etc.,

[Inclosure 1 in No. 136.]

T. F. BAYARD.

Mr. Bayard to Lord Rosebery.

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES,
London, December 5, 1893.

MY LORD: I have just received instructions from the Secretary of State of the United States to crave your Lordship's attention to a condition of affairs in the Bahamas and other British West India Islands, which is most prejudicial to commerce generally and has resulted in great injury to the American owners of vessels and cargoes, as well as to other vessels trading in those regions. And I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a letter received at the State Department from the president of the Board of Underwriters, of New York, which contains a detailed statement of injuries inflicted upon an American trading steamship El Dorado, and, in addition thereto, the president of the Board of Underwriters makes certain recommendations in the interest of international commerce, which are appended to his letter, and may possibly be of use to the officials of Her Majesty's Government who may take cognizance of the subject.

May I ask your Lordship to cause the matter referred to to be brought to the consideration of the proper authorities, in the hope that relief may follow.

I have, etc.,

T. F. BAYARD.

[Inclosure 2 in No. 136.]

Lord Rosebery to Mr. Bayard.

FOREIGN OFFICE, December 28, 1893.

YOUR EXCELLENCY: With reference to my note of the 7th instant, I have the honor to state that no complaints have of late years reached the secretary of state of the colonies bearing on injuries to wrecked vessels from inhabitants of British colonies.

Should any such complaints be made and redress not be obtained in the colonial courts, the matter would of course be investigated by Her Majesty's Government.

As regards the Bahamas, the Board of Underwriters in New York appear to have been misinformed, as neither of the chief justices referred to has been assailed on account of his admiralty decisions. The questions affecting the late Chief Justice Yelverton, which were brought before the privy council, had no connection with the case of the El Dorado, nor with any other admiralty matter, and so far as the secretary of state for the colonies is aware, Mr. Yelverton's decision in that case has never been impugned.

I have, etc.,

ROSEBERY.

No. 317.]

CLAIMS AGAINST GREAT BRITAIN

Mr. Uhl to Mr. Bayard.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, March 16, 1894.

SIR: In its No. 1027, of January 11, 1893,1 the Department transmitted to Mr. Lincoln a copy of a Senate resolution and the report of the Committee on Foreign Relations, relative to the claim of William Webster against the Government of Great Britain, and instructed him as follows:

You will again endeavor to secure a favorable consideration of the claim by the British Government. If, however, you are unable to harmonize the diverse views of the two governments, then, following the recommendation of the Senate, you may propose to the Government of Great Britain that the entire contention be submitted to arbitration, to the end that a final and conclusive settlement thereof, and of all questions involved, may be attained."

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In his dispatch No. 931 of February 28, 1893, Mr. Lincoln inclosed a copy of his note to the British foreign office in pursuance of the foregoing instructions, and also a copy of a note from Lord Rosebery, in reply, under date of February 25. In this note his lordship stated that a communication on the subject of the claim had been made to the Government of New Zealand in August, 1892; that their attention would be again called to it, and, that on receipt of their reply, he would consider the matter in consultation with the secretary of state for the colonies. The Department has received no further communication regarding this matter.

As more than a year has elapsed since the date of Lord Rosebery's note, it would seem proper for you to again call the attention of the foreign office to the matter and request a reply.

I am, etc.,

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No. 364.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, April 24, 1894.

SIR: Referring to your dispatch No. 185 of the 20th ultimo, I inclose for your information a copy of a letter of the 22d instant, from the Hon. William Cogswell, inclosing a communication from Messrs. Oakes and Foster, expressing their willingness to accept the sum of $1,632.67 offered by Great Britain in settlement of their claim against that country.

You are accordingly requested to notify the foreign office of your readiness to receive the above sum in settlement of the claim in question.

When the money shall have been paid you will remit it to this Department.

I am, etc.,

EDWIN F. UHL,
Acting Secretary.

'Foreign Relations, 1893, pp. 308, 319.

TONNAGE DUES IN GRENADA.

Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Gresham.

WASHINGTON, February 14, 1894. (Received February 15.) SIR: In Mr. Foster's note of the 2d of July, 1892, it is stated that when your Government shall have been informed that the water dues charged in the British colony of Grenada on vessels entering the port of St. George have been abrogated the President will issue a proclamation suspending the collection of tonnage dues upon vessels entering the ports of the United States from Grenada.

I now have the honor, in accordance with instructions from the Earl of Rosebery, to inclose copy of an ordinance which has been passed by the legislature of Grenada abolishing the water dues in question, and to express the hope of Her Majesty's Government that, as the tonnage dues heretofore levied on vessels arriving in Grenada have been abolished by this ordinance, the President will now be pleased to issue his proclamation remitting the tonnage dues on vessels arriving in the ports of the United States from that colony.

I have, etc.,

I assent.

[Inclosure.]

JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.

St. George's water dues abolition ordinance, 1893. Sanctioned.

CHARLES BRUCE,

Governor.

15TH DECEMBER, 1893.

Grenada. An ordinance to abolish water dues on vessels entering the port of St. George. (15th December, 1893.)

Be it enacted by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the legislative council of the colony of Grenada.

1. This ordinance may be cited as "the St. George's water dues abolition ordinance, 1893."

2. This ordinance shall come into operation from and after the publication of the governor's assent thereto in the Government Gazette.

3. So much of section 30 of act 191 of 1877, cited as "the St. George's water supply ordinance, 1877" as imposes a tax or duty of three pence per ton on the registered burden of vessels clearing from the port of St. George, is hereby repealed.

4. It shall be lawful for the parochial board of St. George, and it is hereby authorized, to charge for the supply of water to all vessels in the port of St. George, except to Her Majesty's ships of war, the following rate:

For every 100 (hundred) gallons supplied a sum not exceeding 1s. Od.

Any less quantity than a hundred gallons shall count as a hundred gallons for the purposes of this charge.

Passed the legislative council this 12th day of December, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three.

M. H. D. BERESFORD,

Clerk of Councils.

Mr. Uhl to Sir Julian Pauncefote.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, February 24, 1894.

EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your note of the 14th instant, in which you ask that, in view of the action of the legislature of Grenada in abolishing the water dues heretofore levied

against vessels entering the port of St. George, the President will issue his proclamation remitting the tonnage dues on vessels arriving in the ports of the United States from that colony.

While your request contemplates a tonnage proclamation in favor of the colony, it would seem, from the statements of the Acting Secretary of the Treasury in a letter of the 20th instant, that it could not at present extend to vessels coming from any other port of Grenada than St. George, that being the only port wherein vessels may enter without the payment of such dues.

Asking that you will inform the Department which, if any, of the other Grenadian ports have abolished the water dues, particular reference being had to the port of Grenville.

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Washington, February 21, 1894. (Received February 23.) SIR: With reference to Mr. Herbert's note to Mr. Bayard of the 8th November, 1888, containing a list of certain British ports at which it had been decided by Her Majesty's Government that not more than one transport or hired vessel carrying troops should be admitted at one time, I have the honor to inform you that, after consideration, Her Majesty's Government have not deemed it necessary to insist on this restriction so far as regards the harbors of Colombo, Trincomalee, Singapore, and Hongkong.

I am instructed, however, by Lord Rosebery to state that this relaxation of the rule has been decided upon with the object of consulting the convenience of foreign powers; but that Her Majesty's Government must still request that, whenever practicable, due notice may be given to the colonial authorities of the intended arrival of transports, especially when more than one is about to arrive at the same time.

I have, etc.,

JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.

COMMERCIAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE WEST INDIES.

Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Gresham.

[Memorandum. Handed to the Secretary of State by the British ambassador, August 24, 1894.] The Earl of Kimberley assumes that sections 182 and 89 will on coming into force entirely cancel the agreements made with the West Indies under the McKinley act, and that they would not be continued by the passage of an act making sugar duty-free indiscriminately.

FR 94-19

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