Office of the Historian

Mr. Thomas to Mr. Hay.

Legation of the United States,
At Stockholm (now at Portland, Me.), June 4, 1900.
No. 146 B.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that while journeying to America on leave of absence in the early part of May last I was arrested at Paris by a telegram from Stockholm acquainting me with the receipt at the legation, on May 6, of your Instruction No. 83 of April 23, requesting me, after conference with my British and German colleagues at Stockholm, to address an identic note to the Government of Sweden and Norway, requesting that His Majesty the King be graciously pleased to [Page 897] act as arbitrator on the Samoan claims in the arbitration arranged for by the tripartite convention of November 7, 1899, between the United States, Great Britain, and Germany.

Having anticipated that such an instruction might arrive during my absence on leave, I had already, prior to my departure, conferred with my British and German colleagues and agreed substantially with them on the form of such an identic note.

After further brief conference with them by telegraph, I prepared and forwarded to the minister for foreign affairs at Stockholm an identic note, a copy of which is inclosed herewith, requesting His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway to accept the office of arbitrator on the Samoan claims above mentioned.

This note was presented to the minister for foreign affairs on May 17, and at the same time identic notes were presented by my German and British colleagues.

I have, etc.,

W. W. Thomas, Jr.
[Inclosure.]

Mr. Thomas to Mr. Lagerheim.

Legation of the United States,
Stockholm, May 17, 1900.

Sir: I have the honor to inform your excellency that on the 7th of November, 1899, a tripartite convention was concluded and signed at Washington by the plenipotentiaries of the United States, Great Britain, and Germany, providing for the settlement by arbitration of certain claims put forward by citizens or subjects of the three countries on account of losses suffered in consequence of unwarranted military action, if this be shown to have occurred, on the part of American, British, or German officers in Samoa.

By Article II of this convention, a copy of which is inclosed herewith, it is agreed that the three Governments shall request His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway to accept the office of arbitrator.

In accordance with this agreement I am instructed to address the formal request of my Government to His Majesty the King that he will be graciously pleased to accept the office of arbitrator on the claims arranged for in the tripartite convention above mentioned.

While discharging the duty imposed upon me by my Government, I gladly avail myself of the opportunity to renew to your excellency, etc.

W. W. Thomas, Jr.