MODUS VIVENDI OF 1801 AND ARBITRATION. 345 



I am preiKired now, as I Lave been heretofore, to sign the articles of 

 agreement without any reservation whatever, and for that purpose 1 

 shall be glad to have you call at the State Department on Wednesday 

 the 10th instant, at 11 o'clock a. m. 

 I have, etc., 



James G. Blaine. 



Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine. 



British Legation, 

 WasMngton, Dcvcmhcr 15, 1891. 

 Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of 

 yesterday's date in reply to mine of the 11th instant, respecting the 

 signature of the seven articles of the proposed Behi'ing Sea Arbitration 

 agreement therein referred to. 



I will transmit a copy of that reply to the Marquis of Salisbury by 

 to-day's mail, but I beg to state that, pending his lordship's further in- 

 structions, it is not in my power to x)roceed to the signature of the arti- 

 cles in questions as proposed at the close of your note. 

 I have, etc., 



Julian Pauncefote. 



Sir Julian Pauncefote to Mr. Blaine. 



British Leoation, 

 Washington, Deeemher 17, 1891. 



Sir: I have the honor to inform yau that I conveyed to the Marquis 

 of Salisbury by telegram the substance of your note of the 14th instant 

 respecting the sixth article of the proposed Behring Sea Arbitration 

 agreement, and that I have received a reply from his lordship in the 

 following sense: 



Lord Salisbury is afraid that, owing to the difficulties incident to tele- 

 graphic communications, he has been imperfectly understood by the 

 President. lie consented, at the President's request, to defer for the 

 present all further discussion as to what course the two Governments 

 should follow in the event of the regulations prescribed by the Arbitra- 

 tors being evaded by a change of flag. It was necessary that in doing 

 so he should guard himself against the supposition that by such consent 

 he had narrowed the rights of the contending parties or of the Arbitra- 

 tors under the agreement. 



But in the communication which was embodied in my note of the 

 11th instant, his lordship made no reservation, as the President seems 

 to think, nor was any such word used. A reservation would not be 

 val d unless assented to by the other side, and no such assent was 

 asked for. Lord Salisbury eutirely agrees with the President in his 

 objection to any point being submitted to the Arbitrators Avhich is not 

 embraced in the agreement; and, in conclusion, his lordshi}) author- 

 izes me to sign the articles of the Arbitration agreement, as proposed 

 at the close of your note under re^jly, whenever you may be willing to 

 do so. 



I have, etc., 



Julian Pauncefote. 



44 



