Mr. White to Mr.
Foster.
Legation of
the United States,
London, December 12, 1892.
(Received December 23.)
No. 869.]Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 865 of the 10th
instant, I have the honor to inclose herewith the copy of a note which I
have received from
[Page 250]
the Earl of
Rosebery, confirming what he stated to me verbally relative to the
recognition of our commercial agency at Butaritari, in the Gilbert Islands,
and expressing the regret of Her Majesty’s Government that Capt. Davis, of
H. M. S. Royalist, did not provisionally recognize
Mr. Rick in that capacity.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in Dispatch No.
869.]
Earl Rosebery to Mr.
White.
Foreign
Office, December 9,
1892.
Sir: With reference to my letter of the 24th
ultimo, respecting the position of Mr. Rick, the United States
commercial agent at Butaritari, in the Gilbert Islands, I have the honor
to state that Her Majesty’s Government are quite prepared to accept your
note of November 21 as sufficient notification of that gentleman’s
official position.
The commander in chief on the Australian station has been instructed by
telegraph to cause Mr. Rick to be recognized in his consular capacity by
the officers under his orders, and the governors of New South Wales and
Fiji will also be instructed to insert a notification in the Government
Gazette of their respective colonies to the effect that Mr. Rick has
been recognized by Her Majesty’s Government as commercial agent for the
United States in the Gilbert Islands.
With regard to the proceedings of Capt. Davis, of Her Majesty’s ship Royalist, Her Majesty’s Government regret that
that officer did not extend to Mr. Rick provisional recognition, pending
reference to this department, though he appears to have been technically
correct in his view that Mr. Rick’s appointment should be notified to
the protecting powers before he could be formally recognized.
I trust, however, that no practical inconvenience will have resulted from
Capt. Davis’s action.
I have, etc.,
