Mr. Gresham to Mr. Patenôtre.

Excellency: I have the honor to say, in connection with the Department’s note of the 7th ultimo, that, in view of the accord reached by the Governments of France, Great Britain, and the United States relative to the International Regulations for preventing collisions at sea, the President decided to promptly issue his proclamation, fixing March 1, 1895, as contemplated by Her Britannic Majesty’s Government, as the date on which the law of the United States approved August 19, 1890, as amended by that approved May 24, 1894, shall take effect.

I inclose copies of the President’s proclamation of July 13, 1894, and I shall be glad to learn that the Government of France has proclaimed its law upon the subject to take effect March 1, 1895, so that identic rules may come into force on that date.

I shall send to the diplomatic representatives of the United States, accredited to the several states that participated in the International Marine Conference held in this city in 1889, copies of the President’s proclamation, and shall direct each to urge upon the governments concerned the adoption of similar legislation in case they shall not already have done so, and the proclamation of the same, so as to go into effect on March 1, 1895.

Accept, Mr. Ambassador, etc.,

W. Q. Gresham.