348 DIPLOiAIATIC CORRESPONDENCE. 



but after I sliall be ofiicially advised by you of tbe appoiutineiit of Coni- 

 uiiswioners ou the part of the Britisli Governineiit, the Coinuiissiouers 

 ou the part of the Uuited States will liold theiiisclves ready to confer 

 informally Avith their British colleagues at such time as may suit their 

 couyenieuce. 



I have, etc., 



James G. Blaine. 



Sir Julian Paunccfote to Mr. Blaine. 



British Legation, 

 Washington, Fehruary 6", 1893. 



Sir : I have the honor to aekuowledge the receipt of your note dated 

 February 4 (but only delivered yesterday evening), in which you inform 

 ine that the President has appointed Mr. Mendenhall and Mr. Merriam 

 Commissioners on the part of the Government of the United States on 

 the Joint Commission therein referred to. 



Sir George Baden-Powell and Professor Dawson, whom I had the 

 honor to present to you on the 1st instant, have been duly appointed 

 Commissioners on the part of Her Majesty's Government, and, as I 

 have already stated to you verbally, they are furnished with their cre- 

 dentials in due form. 



On the loth ultimo, at your request, I communicated to the Marquis 

 of Salisbury, by telegraph, your desire that the British Commissioners 

 should proceed at once to Washington. Accordingly Sir George Baden- 

 Powell left England for that purpose by the first steamer, and arrived 

 here with Dr. Dawson on the 1st of the month. They have been wait- 

 ing ever since to bo placed in communication with the United States 

 Commissioners, and I trust that arrangements will be made for the 

 meeting of the Commission on Monday next for the purpose indicated 

 in the last paragraph of your note under reply, although the British 

 Commissioners came prepared not for an informal conference, but to 

 I)roceed ofiicially to business. 

 I have, etc., 



Julian Pauncefote. 



Mr. Blaine to Sir Julian Pauncefote. 



Department of State, 



Wafihington, Fehruary 6, 1892. 



Sir: I am in receipt of your note of this date, in which you give me 

 the ofticial notification of the appointment of Sir George Baden-Powell 

 and Professor Dawson as Commissioners ou the part of the British 

 Government on the Joint Commission created in view of the proposed 

 fur-seal Arbitration. 



In acknowledging your note, I deem it im])oitant to direct your atten- 

 tion to the fact that the Government of the United States, in nominat 

 ing the Commissioners on its part, selected gentlemen who were espe- 

 cially fitted by their scientific attainments, and Avho were in nowise 

 discjualified for an impartial investigation and determination of the 

 questions to be submitted to them by a public declaration of opinion 

 ])revious or subsequent to their sele(;tion. It is to be regretted that a 

 similar course does not seem to have been adopted by the British Gov- 

 ernment. It api)cars from a document which you transmitted to me, 



