Mr. Bayard to Mr. Gresham.
London, September 13, 1893. (Received September 21.)
Sir: Referring to my previous dispatch of this date, I have now the honor to inform you that I have just had an interview with Her Majesty’s secretary of state for foreign affairs in which I acquainted [Page 108] him with the purport of your instruction of to-day by cable in relation to the expediency of the two Governments coming at once to an understanding under which the award of the Paris Tribunal of Arbitration upon the Bering Sea questions would be rendered practically effective before the next sealing season.
His Lordship expressed his willingness to act promptly, and also the opinion that the arrangements for that purpose would be wisely made at Washington, and that the British ambassador. Sir Julian Pauncefote, would be eminently qualified to conduct them in behalf of his Government. But Lord Rosebery told me that he was awaiting a note upon the subject of the award from Sir Charles Tupper, high commissioner for Canada, who has just gone hence to Canada, and was, therefore, not prepared to discuss the matter further until he had heard from him.
I suggested the expediency of the two Governments acting promptly, in which his Lordship expressed his fall concurrence, and said he would telegraph Sir Charles Tupper this afternoon and acquaint me with the nature of his reply as soon as it was received.
His Lordship concurred also in my suggestion that it would be highly expedient that no intimation of delay or obstruction should be attributable to Canada, and said in substance that there could be none.
I had a long interview with Sir Charles Tupper on the 12th of August on the general subject of Canadian relations with the United States, which I propose to make the subject of a separate dispatch, in which he expressed the strongest desire to strengthen amicable relations between the United States and Canada; so that I apprehend a ready and willing cooperation in the arrangements suggested by your cable instruction looking to the effective execution of the award of the Paris Tribunal.
I have, etc.,