214 DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. 



cry nil Rolibon Island; that the closed season l)e extended as far sonth 

 as the 47th degree ot north latitnde — 120 miles sonth of the northern 

 boundary of the United States on the Pacific Ocean, He promised, 

 further to draft a convention upon the subject between England, Eus- 

 sia, and the United States. 



These assurances were given to the American minister, to the Amer 

 ican charge, to the Russian ambassador, and on more than one occasion 

 to two of them together. The United States had no reason, therefore, 

 to doubt that the whole dispute toaching the seal fisheries was prac- 

 tically settled. Indeed to have distrusted it would have been to ques- 

 tion the good faitk of Lord Salisbury. In diplomatic intercourse 

 between Great Britain and the United St;ites, be it said to the honor of 

 both governments, a verbal assurance from a minister has always been 

 equal to his written pledge. vSpeaking the same language, there has 

 been no room for misunderstanding between the representatives of the 

 two governments, as may easily happen between those of different 

 tongues. For a ])eriod of six months, therefore, without retraction or 

 qualification, without the suggestion of a doubt or the dropping: of a 

 hint, the understanding between the two governments, on the assurance 

 of Lord Salisbury, was as complete as language could mal\e it. 



On the 28th of Ai)ril, five days after Lord Salisbury's last pointed 

 assurance, five days after he had proposed to perfect the scheme, not by 

 the delay of Parliament, but by the i)ronqitness of an order in council, 

 the American charge was informed that the act of Parliament would 

 be uecessary in addition to the order in council, and that neither act 

 nor order could be drafted "until Canada is heard from." 



For several weeks following April 2S, there were many calls by the 

 American charge at the foreign office to learn whether "Canada had 

 been heard from." He called alone and calle<l in conqiany with the 

 Russian ambassador. Finally, on the 2(>th of June, Lord Salisbury told 

 him that an urgent telegram had been " sent to Canada a week ago 

 with res})ect to the delay in its ex})edition," and that a rei)ly had been 

 "received by the secretary of state fn- the colonies, saying that the 

 matter Avill be taken up immediately." Mr. White, relying entirely 

 upon these assurances, ventured to "ho])e that shortly after Mr. Phelps' 

 return the British Government will be in a condition to agree upon the 

 terms of the iiroposed convention. 



Mr. Phelps leturned to London on the 22d of June, two days after 

 Mr. White's interview with ]jord Salisbury, and immediately after the 

 urgent telegram had been sent to ('anada. On the 28th of duly Mr. 

 Phelps had received no assurances from Lord Salisbuiy, and tele- 

 gra])lied the Department of State his " fear that, owing to Canndian 

 opi)osition, we shall get no convention." In a <lispatch to his (IO^'ern- 

 ment of the 12th of Sei)tember, he related having had interxiews with 

 Lord Salisbury res])<'cting the convention, which, he says, had been 

 "virtually agreed npfui, except in its details." Mr. Phelps goes on to 

 say: 



Tlic roiisidcraiioii of it. has hoon sTisiioiidod for ooiimmiiifatioii l>y tlio Britisli ('ov" 

 Piimiciit willi tlic Caiiadiaii (ioxoniiiicnt. U<y A\]ii(]i ]iui]'(is(' an iiitci\al of K'xcial 

 juoiiths liad been allowed lo ela])S(«. ] )iniii<;' tliis loiiji interval the attention ol Lord 

 Salisbury liad been repeatedly ealled to the snbject by the American lejjation, and 

 on those occasions tlie answer received Jioni him was that no reply from the Canadian 

 authorities had arrived. 



Mr. Phelps proceeds in the dispatch of September 12 to say: 



I again pressed Lord Salisbury for the completion of the convention, as the exter- 

 mination ot seals by the Canadian vessels was understood to bo rapidly proceeding. 



