466 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 



States of America engaged in intercourse with the ports of Nova 

 Scotia, and in the prosecution of the fisheries on its neighboring 

 coasts, has the honor to inform Mr. Stevenson, that he has since 

 received from the Colonial Department a letter informing him that 

 copies of the papers received from Mr. Stevenson would be forwarded 

 to Lord Falkland, with instructions to inquire into the allegations 

 contained therein, and to furnish a detailed report upon the subject. 

 The undersigned has the honor to renew to Mr. Stevenson the 

 assurances of his high consideration. 



Palmerston. 



Consul Livingston to Mr. Webster. 



Consulate of the United States of America 



Halifax 15 May 1841. 

 Honble. Daniel Webster 



Secretary of State 



Washington 



Sir In a letter from the United States Consular Agent, dated Yar- 

 mouth, N. S. 8 May, 1841, addressed to me, he states, — " I am sorry 

 to inform you that yesterday the United States Fishing Schooner 

 '■Pioneer ' arrived at this Port detained by the Master of the Govern- 

 ment (British) Schooner ''The Sisters ^ for an alleged infraction of 

 the regulations for the protection of the British Fisheries." At the 

 same time, I also received the Statement of this seizure, under oath, 

 of the Captain and Crew of the said Schooner "Pioneer" a copy of 

 which I herewith transmit. On the receipt of these papers, I imme- 

 diately addressed a letter to the Provincial Secretary (of this Prov- 

 ince), at Halifax, enclosing these depositions, and with a request that 

 they should be handed to His Excellency The Lieutenant-Governor, 

 all of which has been complied with. The following is an extract 

 of the Secretary's letter, dated 14th May, addressed to me, at Halifax. 

 "And I have it in command to acquaint you that on the return of 

 the seizing officer, who is under orders to be here on the 17th inst; 

 His Excellency will lose no time in communicating to you his decision 

 in this Case." 



The seized vessel is owned by Joseph Parsons of Eastbrook, State 

 of Maine. 



I have the honor to be Sir Your most obedient humble servant 



T. B. Livingston, 



[Inclosure.] 



Consul, U. S. A. 



Province of Nova Scotia, 1 



County of Yarmouth, ss. J 



Isaac Smith late Master of the Schooner Pioneer of Sullivan, State 

 of Maine, in the United States of America, and Leonard Worcester, 

 Francis N. Jellison, William S. Hodgkins, Twisden Bowden, and 

 Edmund Crabtree, Seamen of said Schooner make oath and say, and 

 first the said Isaac Smith for himself saith, that on the second day of 

 this present month, he proceeded with the said Schooner from the port 

 of Hancock in the said State, bound on a fishing voyage in the Bay of 

 Fundy, and that, until after the time of the seizure hereafter men- 

 tioned, the said Schooner was in no port creek or place whatever, in 

 the Province of Nova Scotia, or any other British Possession, and 



