650 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 



naval officer on the station, on learning the result of which I shall 

 have the honor of addressing a further communication to you. 

 I have, &c., 



SALISBURY. 



Mr. F. W. Seward to Mr. Welsh. 



No. 125.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 



Washington, August 13, 1878. 



SIR : Referring to Mr. Hoppin's dispatch No. 5, of the 4th of May 

 last, in regard to the interference by certain inhabitants of the coast 

 of Newfoundland with American fishermen, in which it was stated 

 that an investigation was being made into the matter by the colonial 

 authorities, and that the result thereof would be communicated to the 

 legation, I desired to be informed, in the absence of further intelli- 

 gence from you upon the subject, whether you have received any addi- 

 tional particulars from the British Government. If not, you are 

 instructed to request Her Majesty's Government to advise you of the 

 progress of the inquiry. You will transmit whatever information 

 may be obtained to the Department. 



I am, &c., F. W. SEWARD, 



Acting Secretary. 



Lord Salisbury to Mr. Welsh. 



FOREIGN OFFICE, August 23, 1878. 



SIR: Her Majesty's Government have had under their considera- 

 tion your letter of the 19th of March, making representations relative 

 to certain disturbances which occurred in January last, between Brit- 

 ish and United States fishermen at Fortune Bay, on the coast of 

 Newfoundland, and requesting, in accordance with the instructions 

 of your government, that an investigation might be made into the 

 alleged facts of the case; and I have now the honor to transmit to 

 you, for your information and for communication to your govern- 

 ment, the accompanying copy of a report drawn up by Captain Suli- 

 van, R. N., of Her Majesty's ship Sinus, the officer intrusted with the 

 duty of instituting an inquiry into the matter on the spot. 



You will perceive that the report in question appears to demon- 

 strate conclusively that the United States fishermen on this occasion 

 had committed three distinct breaches of the law, and that no vio- 

 lence was used by the Newfoundland fishermen except in the case of 

 one vessel whose master refused to comply with the request which was 

 made to him that he should desist from fishing on Sunday, in viola- 

 tion of the law of the colony, and of the local custom, and who threat- 

 ened the Newfoundland fishermen with a revolver, as detailed in para- 

 graphs five and six of Captain Sulivan's report. 



I have the honor to be, &c., SALISBURY. 



