No. 381.
Mr. Bayard to Mr. Carter.
Department of State,
Washington, September 22,
1887.
Sir: I have the honor to invite your attention
to the present status of the supplementary convention, signed December
6, 1884, by my predecessor, the late Frederick T. Frelinghuysen, and
yourself as the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of His
Majesty the King of Hawaii, for a postponement of the term within which
notification of the termination of the existing convention of January
30, 1875, between the United States and Hawaii may be given by either
party to the other, as therein provided.
That supplementary convention having been submitted to the Senate of the
United States, that body on the 20th of January last, two-thirds of the
Senators present concurring, advised and consented that it be ratified,
with the following amendments:
After Article I insert the following as Article II:
His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands grants to the
Government of the United States the exclusive right to enter the
harbor of Pearl River, in the Island of Oahu, and to establish
and maintain there a coaling and repair station for the use of
vessels of the United States, and to that end the United States
may improve the entrance to said harbor and do all other things
needful to the purpose aforesaid.
Change the number of Article II in the original so that it will
read Article III.
The President, having considered the convention and the amendment thereto
as so advised and consented to by the Senate, is desirous that the same
be accepted by His Majesty as amended, in order that ratifications may
be exchanged.
As the result of verbal conferences heretofore held by us in relation to
this subject, I have the honor to communicate to you the action of the
Senate upon the said supplementary convention, in order that the
convention as amended and advised and consented to by the Senate of the
United States may be submitted to the consideration of the Government of
His Majesty the King of Hawaii.
If, as the personal interchange of views between us leads me to expect,
the amendments of the Senate shall be approved by the Government of His
Majesty the King, it will be necessary to embody them in the
ratification of His Majesty.
For your convenience I append the text of the convention, with the
Senate’s amendments therein included.
Asking that you will transmit this announcement to your Government, with
expression of the President’s desire for the early confirmation of a
measure so well calculated to strengthen and preserve the intimate and
mutually beneficial relations which have been established between the
United States and Hawaii under the operation of the existing convention,
to which the present instrument is supplementary, I avail myself,
etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Supplementary convention to limit the duration
of the convention respecting commercial reciprocity between the
United States of America and the Hawaiian Kingdom, concluded
January 30, 1875.
Whereas a convention was concluded between the United States of
America and His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands, on the
thirtieth day of January, 1875,
[Page 589]
concerning commercial reciprocity, which, by
the fifth article thereof, was to continue in force for seven years
from the date after it was to come into operation, and further,
until the expiration of twelve months after either of the high
contracting parties should give notice to the other of its wish to
terminate the same; and
Whereas the high contracting parties consider that the increase and
consolidation of their mutual commercial interests would be better
promoted by the definite limitation of the duration of the said
convention;
Therefore, the President of the United States of America, and His
Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands, have appointed:
The President of the United States of America, Frederick T.
Frelinghuysen, Secretary of State; and
His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands, Henry A. P. Carter,
accredited to the Government of the United States, as His Majesty’s
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary;
Who, having exchanged their respective powers, which were found
sufficient and in due form, have agreed upon the following
articles:
Article I.
The high contracting parties agree, that the time fixed for the
duration of the said convention shall be definitely extended for a
term of seven years from the date of the exchange of the
ratifications hereof, and further, until the expiration of twelve
months after either of the high contracting parties shall give
notice to the other of its wish to terminate the same, each of the
high contracting parties being at liberty to give such notice to the
other at the end of the said term of seven years or at any time
thereafter.
Article II.
His Majesty the King of the Hawaiian Islands grants to the Government
of the United States the exclusive right to enter the harbor of
Pearl River, in the Island of Oahu, and to establish and maintain
there a coaling and repair station for the use of vessels of the
United States, and to that end the United States may improve the
enrrance to said harbor and do all other things needful to the
purpose aforesaid.
Article III.
The present convention shall be ratified and the ratifications
exchanged at Washington as soon as possible.
In witness whereof the respective
plenipotentiaries have signed the present convention in
duplicate, and have hereunto affixed their respective seals.
Done at the city of Washington
the 6th day of
December, in the year of our Lord 1884.
Fredk. T. Frelinghuysen.
[
l. s.]
Henry A. P. Carter.
[
l. s.]
