No. 596.
Mr. Evarts to Count Lewenhaupt.
Washington, February 14, 1880.
Count: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 8th ultimo, in which you allude to the proceedings of a conference held at Hamburg, October 1, 1879, with a view to examining the question [Page 941] of a scientific international exploration of the polar regions, and observe that the work marked out by the conference, being of such a nature as to require official co-operation, the Government of the King has instructed you to let it know to what extent the Government of the United States is disposed to lend its support to the plans which were discussed and approved by the conference.
In reply I have the honor to state that, on the 6th instant, Mr. Whitthorne, M. C., introduced in the House of Representatives the following resolution, which was agreed to:
Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to furnish this House, if not incompatible with the public interests, with any information he may have received of the proceedings of the international polar congress convened in Hamburg Germany, October 1, 1879.
The Department has reported to the President all the information it possessed on the subject, mainly derived from your note, and has included in the report the inquiry of your government relative to the disposition of the Government of the United States with respect to a tender of assistance in the consummation of the plans approved by the conference.
As the subject of your note is now before Congress, it is presumed that some definite action on the same may presently be expected, and I shall find pleasure in apprising you of any results in the direction of providing for the participation of this government in the schemes of the Hamburg conference which may come within the cognizance of this Department.
Accept, &c.,