Foreign Relations of the United States, 1902, Whaling and Sealing Claims Against Russia, On Account of Arrest and Seizure of the American Vessels “Cape Horn Pigeon,” “James Hamilton Lewis,” “C. H. White,” and “Kate and Anna,” Appendix I

EXHIBIT L.

Embassy of the United States,
St. Petersburg, March 16/28, 1898.

Your Excellency: In response to the note of March 15/27 which you have had the goodness to address me, I have the honor to transmit herewith the original log book of the American schooner James Hamilton Lewis, for examination by the Imperial ministry of marine, to be duly returned to this embassy. In view of the nature of this document, constituting in itself important evidence in the case which could not be replaced by a copy, I venture to ask your excellency to kindly furnish me with a receipt of the log book, to be filed in the dossier of the case. I would further ask that I be permitted to personally point out to the board of officers of the Imperial ministry of marine, whose province it is to consider the claims of the James Hamilton Lewis, certain salient features of this log book, in a personal interview.

I take this occasion to point out to your excellency that this case has now been under consideration for four years, and to express the hope that it may be found practicable to bring it to an early adjustment.

I beg that your excellency will accept the assurance of my high consideration.

Ethan A. Hitchcock.

To his excellency Count Lamsdorff,
Adjoint of the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc.

Embassy of the United States of America,
St. Petersburg, Russia.

I, Herbert J. Hagerman, second secretary of the embassy of the United States of America at St. Petersburg, Russia, do hereby certify that I have compared the foregoing copy of a note to the Imperial Russian ministry of foreign affairs from the embassy of the United States at St. Petersburg, dated May 16/28, 1898, with a copy of the original of said note recorded in the archives of this embassy, and that the same is a correct transcription therefrom and of the whole of said note.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the embassy of the United States this 10th day of March, 1900.

[seal.]

Herbert J. Hagerman,
Second Secretary United States Embassy.