No. 9.
Mr. Bayard to Sir L. S. Sackville West.

Sir: I beg to acknowledge your note of yesterday’s date, received to-day.

Upon its receipt I made instant application to my colleague, the Attorney-General, in relation to the record of the judicial proceedings in the cases of the three British vessels arrested in August last in Bering Sea for violation of the United States laws regulating the Alaskan seal fisheries.

I am informed that the documents in question left Sitka on the 26th of January, and may be expected to arrive at Port Townsend, in Washington Territory, about the 7th instant, so that the papers, in the usual course of mail, should be received by me within a fortnight.

In this connection I take occasion to inform you that, without conclusion at this time of any questions which may be found to be involved in these cases of seizure, orders have been issued by the President’s direction for the discontinuance of all pending proceedings, the discharge of the vessels referred to, and the release of all persons under arrest in connection therewith.

I have, etc.,

T. F. Bayard.