Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part I

No. 558.
Mr. Bayard to Sir L. S. Sackville West.

Department of State,
Washington, March 6, 1888.

Sir: With reference to your note of the 14th ultimo, inquiring whether it would be possible for this Government to adopt any measures for preventing vessels sold to and owned by American citizens from continuing to sail under the British flag, I hare the honor to inform you that the Secretary of the Treasury, to whom the matter was referred, reports that there does not seem to be any legislation of the United States bearing upon the subject, and that in the absence of such legislation it would not be practicable for the executive or judicial branch of this Government to intervene with a view to the prevention of transactions of the character mentioned in your note.

I have, etc.,

T. F. Bayard.