Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Hay.
Washington, December 13, 1898.
Sir: Her Majesty’s postmaster-general has received a letter from the international bureau of the Postal Union which seems to indicate that a doubt exists in some quarters as to whether the adhesion of Great Britain to the Postal Union Convention of Washington implies the adhesion of the British colonies.
To remove all uncertainty on this point, I am instructed by Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign affairs to inform the United States Government that ministerial approval on behalf of Great Britain of the Postal Union Convention, the Final Protocol, and the detailed regulations signed at Washington on June 15, 1897, by the delegates from this country appointed to attend the Postal Union Congress held in that city, implies, in accordance with precedent, equal ministerial approval on behalf of those British colonies which the imperial post-office represents in the affairs of the union—that is to say, all the British colonies belonging to the union except India, Canada, the Cape Colony, Natal, and the Australian colonies.
I have, etc.,