PERIOD FROM 1818 TO 1836. 441 



Mr. Vail to Commodore Ghauncey. 



Department of State, 



Washington, August 29, 1839. 



Sir: In consequence of the recent seizures of several American 

 vessels on the coast of Nova Scotia by the British colonial authorities, 

 the President has determined that the schooner Grampus, which he 

 deems sufficient for this service, shall be despatched to the coasts of 

 the British provinces in the neighborhood of the fisheries, under the 

 command of a judicious and competent officer, to be selected by the 

 Secretary of the Navy, and furnished with instructions distinctly 

 setting forth the rights of citizens of the United States under the 

 treaty with Great Britain of the 20th of October, 1818, and making 

 it his duty to protect them in the enjoyment of those rights, as well 

 as to caution them against any infraction, on their part, of existing 

 conventional stipulations. To enable you to carry these directions 

 into effect, I have the honor to transmit to you herewith, copies of 

 papers containing all the information possessed by this department 

 on the subject to which they relate; and, at the same time, to suggest 

 that the consuls of the United States in the British provincial ports 

 referred to, (to whom application may be made by the commander 

 of the Grampus,) will, doubtless, cheerfully aid, by their advice, and 

 by the communication of any pertinent facts within their knowledge, 

 in advancing the objects of this visit. 

 I am, &c, 



A. Vail, Acting Secretary. 



Commodore Isaac Chauncey, 



Acting Secretary of the Navy. 



Commodore Chauncey to Mr. Vail. 



Navy Department, August 30, 1839. 



Snt: Your letter of yesterday's date, stating the determination of 

 the President that t he "schooner Grampus shall be despatched to the 

 coasts of the British provinces in the neighborhood of the fisheries, 

 under the command of a judicious and competent officer, to be selected 

 by the Secretary of the Navy, and furnished with instructions dis- 

 tinctly setting forth the rights of citizens of the United States under 

 the treaty with Great Britain of October, 1818, and making it his 

 duty to proteel them in the enjoyment of those rights, as well as to 

 caution them against any infraction, on their part, of existing con- 

 ventional stipulation i, has been received, together with the copies of 

 document a therewith transmitted. 



The schooner Grampus is ready for sea, and shall be despatched in 



accordance with the determination <»f the President, as i i as the 



Dece 3ary instructions can be prepared and transmitted to her com- 

 mander. 



I am, very re pectfully, your obedient servant, 



I. Chauncey, 

 i I ( ting Si on fury of the Navy. 

 A. Vail. E< q., 



Acting Secretary of State. 



