Mr. Roosevelt to Mr. Olney.
London, June 28, 1895. (Received July 8.)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge your instruction No. 740, of the 12th instant, addressed to Mr. Bayard, in relation to the concurrent regulations for carrying out the provisions of the Paris award in Bering Sea, together with your instruction to me, No. 749 of the 18th instant, on the same subject.
On the reception of the latter, I at once paid a visit to Lord Kimberley at the foreign office, in order that I might, as instructed, communicate to him the formal protest of the Government of the United States against the action of the British naval authorities in releasing the scaling Schooners Wanderer and Favorite, without due judicial process, and to request that in future every vessel seized by United States officers, under the provisions of the award and concurrent legislation and regulations, should be proceeded against for condemnation in the admiralty court having jurisdiction in the premises.
Lord Kimberley received me courteously, but upon mentioning to him the object of my visit, he informed me that during the few days which must elapse before the final transfer of the seals of office from the retiring to the incoming ministry, it was quite out of his power to receive any communications, or to transact anything but routine business.
It is expected that Lord Salisbury will formally take up the duties of foreign secretary on Tuesday of next week, and I shall then take the earliest possible opportunity of requesting an interview with him for the purpose of carrying out your instruction.
I have, etc.,