No. 597.
Lord Sackville to Mr. Bayard.
Beverly, Mass., October 10,
1888. (Received October 13.)
Sir: With reference to your note of the 3d of
September, relative to irregular recruiting on board the Mary Anderson in the New Hebrides, I have the
honor to inclose herewith extract from a dispatch from the high
commissioner in the Western Pacific, which the Marquis of Salisbury has
requested me to communicate to you.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Extract from a dispatch of the high commissioner
of the Western Pacific.
I have ascertained from Mr. Layard, Her Majesty’s consul at Nouméa,
that the vessel was still British owned when the illegal recruiting
took place, and that her registered master was George Facio, a
French half caste. Mr. Wilbur was on board and in practical control,
having chartered the vessel pending the receipt by the owner’s agent
of authority to sell.
It would thus appear that, while Mr. Wilbur was the real offender,
the only person legally liable in respect of the unlicensed
recruiting was the master of the vessel, George Facio. As this
person is not a British subject, and is not resident in British
territory, or at present employed in British vessels, I do not think
it advisable to take steps against him. There is, I may mention, no
reason to believe that the laborers engaged otherwise than of their
own free-will.
