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[Inclosure.]

Mr. Hay to the Earl of Derby.

BRITISH CONSULATE-GENERAL,
Tripoli, April 27, 1874.

MY LORD: In acknowledging the receipt of your lordship's dispatch S. T. No. 1, of the 26th ultimo, transmitting copy of a note and its inclosure, from Mr. Moran, chargé d'affaires of the United States, relative to an alleged slave-trade carried on from Malta between Tripoli and Turkey, I have the honor to state that nothing has come to my knowledge which will justify the imputation on the police authorities at Malta of having sanctioned or connived at any traffic in slaves being carried on from that island. It is nevertheless a fact that Turkish functionaries and military officers of every grade, leaving this port for Constantinople, whether via Malta or direct, are generally accompanied by domestic slaves, these latter being provided with passports by the mayor of this town, who is supposed not to furnish these documents until satisfied that the bearers proceed on the voyage as domestic servants and of their own free will. Under this system abuses have no doubt taken place, and those papers have often, I am informed, been furnished to the masters of slaves without any inquiries being made of the slaves themselves, a small bribe given by their masters smoothing all difficulties in the matter. Moreover, the slaves themselves are often willing and anxious to proceed to Constantinople, and assert that they are not slaves where they find that an admission of their real character would prove an obstacle to their departure, while at Malta they are still more unlikely to admit their state and demand their freedom than they would be here, in consequence of the belief generally prevailing among them (which is diligently kept alive by their masters) that the object of Malta authorities in endeavoring to get them free is to convert them to Christianity, and they are otherwise induced by threats and promises to assert their willingness to proceed on the voyage even when reluctant to do so.

With regard to the slave-trade in general, I am happy to be able to report a considerable decrease in the importation of slaves from the interior of Africa and their clandestine shipment from the coast, and a corresponding increase in the trade with the interior in ivory and ostrich-feathers, which would appear to be supplanting the traffic in human beings.

The facility with which slaves are able to obtain their freedom under the administration of Samih Pasha, the present governor-general, together with other measures taken by his excellency for discouraging the slave-trade, has no doubt contributed in great measure to this result.. Samil Pasha has, since his arrival in this country, shown great readiness and promptitude in emancipating slaves for whom I have interceded, and in several instances in which the slaves had, by my advice, made application directly to his excellency, they were also granted their freedom. Samih Pasha's conduct in this respect contrasts favorably with that of his predecessors.

His excellency now assures me that he will take fresh measures for preventing the embarkation of any black people, unless of their own free will and as domestic servants. Samih Pasha's action in the matter of slaves has a tendency to make him unpopular among Turkish officials, and the general impression is that it will not be viewed with much favor at Constantinople. It would, under these circumstances, have an excellent effect if the Sublime Porte were to express their approval of his honest endeavors to carry out the many vizierial orders on the subject, which had been hitherto virtually disregarded.

I am, &c.,

T. R. DRUMMOND HAY.

The receipt of the above communication was acknowledged June 23, 1874.

No. 330.

Mr. Fish to Sir Edward Thornton.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, June 19, 1874.

SIR: In consequence of an official inquiry addressed to this Department, I take leave to ask whether Labrador forms part of the Dominion of Canada.

I am under the impression that it is politically attached to Newfoundland, but desire to be authoritatively informed on the question.

Have the goodness, also, to say whether any part of Labrador is separated from the jurisdiction of either the Dominion of Canada or that of Newfoundland.

I have, &c.,

No. 331.

HAMILTON FISH.

Mr. Watson to Mr. Fish.

WASHINGTON, July 17, 1874. (Received July 18.)

SIR: In obedience to an instruction which has been conveyed to me by Her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, I have the honor to state to you that, on the understanding that the draft reciprocity treaty for the reciprocal regulation of the commerce and trade between the United States and Canada, as agreed to by you, will be considered by the Senate in December next, Her Majesty's government will await the final result of the consideration which the treaty may then receive in the Senate before taking any fresh steps with regard to the fisheries commission.

I am further directed by the Earl of Derby to add that Her Majesty's government wish it to be clearly understood that their right to revert to the provisions of the treaty of Washington for the appointment of the fisheries commission is in no way prejudiced by the delay that has occurred, or that may occur, in consequence of the proceedings with reference to the reciprocity treaty.

I have, &c.,

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SIR: I have to acknowledged the reception of your note of 17th instant, wherein, in obedience to an instruction from Her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, you state that, on the understanding that the draft reciprocity treaty for the reciprocal regulation of the commerce and trade between the United States and Canada, as agreed to by you, (me,) will be considered by the Senate in December next, Her Majesty's government will await the final result of the consideration which the treaty may then receive in the Senate before taking any fresh steps with regard to the fisheries commission, and that you are further directed by the Earl of Derby to add that Her Majesty's government wish it to be clearly understood that their right to revert to the provisions of the treaty of Washington for the appointment of the fisheries commission is in no way predjudiced by the delay that has occurred or that may occur in consequence of the proceedings with reference to the reciprocity treaty.

I have the honor to call your attention, in connection with the reference to the treaty "as agreed to by you,” (me,) to the fact that the proposed draft of the treaty was not signed by me, and that it was presented by the President to the Senate as a draft of a treaty submitted to the Secretary of State by the plenipotentiaries of Her Britannic Majesty at Washington for the consideration of the President. The injunction of secrecy having been removed, I have the honor to inclose a copy of the message of the President transmitting the draft of the treaty to the Senate, and a report from myself to the President showing the extent to which the proposed treaty may be said to have been agreed to. I should further observe that, while the Senate has postponed the subject to the next session of Congress, commencing in December next," that body has not given any assurances that the consideration of the treaty will be had during the month of December next.

I make these statements to avoid the possibility of misapprehension of silence, under the declaration contained in your note, the slight errors implied in your communication being, as I infer, the result of accidental misinformation as to the actual action of the several branches of the Government in relation to the proposed treaty.

With respect to the concluding part of your note, it is fully understood on the part of this Government that no rights under the treaty of Washington, which may have existed in behalf of either party thereto at the date when the negotiations with respect to the proposed reciprocity treaty were begun, are to be prejudiced by the delay which has occurred, or that may occur, in consequence of such negotiations up to the action of the Senate upon the proposed treaty.

I have, &c.,

HAMILTON FISH.

No. 333.

Mr. Watson to Mr. Fish.

NEWPORT, R. I., July 24, 1874. (Received July 27.)

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I have been instructed by the Earl of Derby to communicate to the United States Government the accompanying copy of a dispatch which has been addressed by his lordship to Her Majesty's ambassador at St. Petersburg, respecting the proposed conference at Brussels.

As you were so good as to inform me verbally at Washington that it is not the intention of the United States Government to be represented at the conference, it is unnecessary for me to request to be informed, as I am directed to do, whether the United States Government will give a similar assurance to that which Her Majesty's government have requested of the Russian government, that their delegates at the conference shall be instructed to confine themselves to the consideration of details of military operations of the nature of those dealt with in the project of the Russian government, and shall not entertain in any shape, directly or indirectly, anything relating to maritime operations or naval warfare.

I have, &c.,

R. G. WATSON.

No. 175.]

[Inclosure.]

The Earl of Derby to Lord A. Loftus.

FOREIGN OFFICE, July 4, 1874.

MY LORD: Her Majesty's government have considered, with all the attention which so important a proposal deserves, the project of the Emperor of Russia for a conference to be held at Brussels to discuss the rules of military warfare.

Her Majesty's government highly appreciate the humane motives by which His Imperial Majesty is actuated in making this proposal, and concur in the earnest desire evinced by His Imperial Majesty to mitigate the horrors of war.

At the same time Her Majesty's government are not convinced of the practical necessity for such a scheme for the guidance of military commanders in the field, and cannot but fear that, unless the discussion is conducted in the most guarded manner, the examination of any such project in a conference at the present juncture may re-open causes of difference and lead to recrimination between some of the delegates appointed to take part in it.

Nor do Her Majesty's government fully understand the scope which is intended to be given to the deliberations of the delegates.

The proposal of a conference at Brussels was first made by the Society for the Amelioration of the Condition of Prisoners of War, and was confined to that subject. Before, however, Her Majesty's government had expressed any opinion on the expediency of accepting the invitation thus given, they were requested by the Russian government to suspend their action in the matter until the draught project then in preparation by that government was completed.

This project has proved to contain a detailed scheme for the conduct of military operations, of which the treatment of prisoners of war occupies but a small part. Prince Gortchakow, moreover, in his dispatch of the 17th April, states that "le projet que nous soumettons à l'examen des cabinets n'est qu'un point de depart pour les délibérations ultérieures qui, nous aimons à l'espérer, prepareront le terrain d'une entente générale."

That Her Majesty's government would be happy to join with the government of the Emperor of Russia in any measure for the prevention of unnecessary suffering, is shown by Great Britain having already, with that object, acceded to the declarations relating to the Geneva Cross and the use of explosive bullets; and Her Majesty's government would not, therefore, now be prepared to take exception to a discussion in a conference of delegates of such details of warlike operations in the field as it might be found useful and practicable to advise upon, but Her Majesty's government are firmly determined not to enter into any discussion of the rules of international law by which the relations of belligerents are guided, or to undertake any new obligations or engagements of any kind in regard to general principles.

Her Majesty's government deem it to be of great importance that they should frankly make this statement at the outset, and this has become the more necessary since rumors are current that one government at least has contemplated sending a naval delegate to the conference, under the impression, apparently, that naval matters may be introduced as subjects of consideration and discussion.

Her Majesty's government feel assured that such an extension of the scope of the conference would be fatal to any agreement on the particular details of military regulations which it is the desire of the Emperor of Russia to have considered, and they are certain, therefore, that in protesting against it, in anticipation, they will only be acting in accordance with His Imperial Majesty's views and wishes for a successful issue to the conference which he has proposed should be assembled.

I have accordingly to request your excellency to state to the Russian government that, before agreeing to send a delegate to the conference, Her Majesty's government must request the most positive and distinct assurance from that government, as well as from the governments of all the powers invited to take part in the conference, that their delegates at the conference shall be instructed to confine themselves to the consideration of details of military operations of the nature of those dealt with in the project of the Russian government, and shall not entertain, in any shape, directly or indirectly, anything relating to maritime operations or naval warfare.

I have to add that this dispatch will be communicated to the governments of all the powers invited to take part in the conference, and a similar assurance requested from each of them.

Your excellency will read this dispatch to Prince Gortchakow, or whoever may be acting for him in his absence, and furnish him with a copy of it.

I am, &c.,

DERBY.

No. 334.

Mr. Watson to Mr. Fish.

NEWPORT, R. I., July 24, 1874. (Received July 27.)

SIR: A dispatch has been transmitted to Her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs by Her Majesty's chargé d'affaires in Central America, giving an accouut of the circumstances attending a barbarous outrage which was perpetrated at San José of Guatemala, on the 24th of April last, by order of the then commandante of that place, by name Gonzalez, on the person of the British vice-consul, Mr. John Magee.

In the statement by Mr. Magee, accompanying the dispatch above alluded to, testimony is borne to the loyal conduct toward his colleague of Mr. Edwin James, the United States consular agent at San José, who presented himself before the commandante, and delivered to him an official protest against his outrageous proceeding, thereby incurring the threat from Gonzalez of personal violence toward himself. He, notwithstanding this, stood by his colleague throughout this very painful affair, and was the means of Mr. Magee's life being saved, at the peril of his own. Her Majesty's government have learned with much satisfaction the active exertions which were made by Mr. James on this occasion, and I have been instructed by the Earl of Derby to request the Government of the United States to convey to Mr. James the thanks of the Queen, and of Her Majesty's government, for his conduct. I have the honor further to state to you, sir, that Her Majesty's government have also learned with much satisfaction the support and co-operation rendered by the United States representative in Guatemala to Her Majesty's chargé d'affaires on the occasion in question. I have, &c.,

R. G. WATSON.

No. 335.

Mr. Fish to Sir Edward Watson.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, July 27, 1874.

SIR: Referring to my note of the 19th of June last to Sir Edward Thorton, inquiring as to whether Labrador forms a part of the Dominion of Canada, and making some other inquiries as to the jurisdiction over that dependency, and referring also to a conversation I subsequently held with yourself, when you informed me that a telegram you had received on the subject was not sufficiently clear to enable you to satisfy my inquiries, and that you were expecting fuller information by mail, I take the liberty of recalling your attention to the subject, in the hope that you may have further information to communicate to me by this time in relation to it. I am the more anxious to learn the exact political relations of Labrador to the Dominion government and that of other provinces, on account of cases that have arisen in the Treasury Department, the decision of which depends in a measure upon your reply.

I have, &c.,

HAMILTON FISH.

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