724 COBBESPONDENCE, ETC. 



The conversation was brief, for I thought it best not to enlarge 

 upon what was expressed with sufficient distinctness by the despatch. 

 I could see by Lord Granville's expression that he was greatly dis- 

 appointed, and even somewhat disturbed, by the tone the discussion 

 seemed to be taking. I did what I could to dissipate this feeling, 

 assuring him of the earnest desire of my Government for a speedy 

 and amicable settlement of the questions at issue. As the Cabinet 

 was to meet on the afternoon of Saturday, the 19th, we arranged for 

 another interview on Monday, the 21st. 



Your first telegram reached me late on Friday night. On Saturday 

 morning I called on Lord Granville at his house, and informed him 

 that I had another dispatch to communicate, which I had withheld on 

 Saturday, in the exercise of my discretion, the tenor of which it was 

 desirable that he should know before consulting with his colleagues in 

 the ministry. I then stated to him the substance of it, informing him 

 at the same time that you considered it as a necessary introduction to 

 your No. 110, and that I had misinterpreted the meaning of my in- 

 structions in regard to it. He said that he should prefer not receiving 

 it at that time, and having accomplished the main point of letting 

 him know its contents, especially the intimation that the necessity 

 might be forced on the President of a display of force to protect our 

 fishermen, I consented to postpone its official communication till Mon- 

 day. At our interview on that day, I read to him confidentially the 

 important passages which I had before put in my own words. He 

 said that he should be sorry to consider them as conveying a menace. 

 I replied that their evident meaning was to express only the grave 

 anxiety of the President at the consequences of prolonged delay. 



The result of the interview I have already transmitted by telegraph. 

 Lord Granville assented to the reference as proposed by you, only 

 adding that, in case you and Sir E. Thornton should delegate your 

 powers, he should prefer that you would name an umpire, to decide 

 disputed points. I inferred that his own choice would be any mem- 

 ber of the diplomatic body at Washington who could speak English. 

 He also wished me to ask whether the offer of a lump sum in damages 

 would be considered by you. 



I regret very much that a misapprehension on my part should have 

 led me to act on a misinterpretation of my instructions. I acted ac- 

 cording to my best judgment, and in the desire not in any way to em- 

 barrass a ministry of whose friendly intentions I was assured, and 

 against whom the chief reproach on the part of the opposition is that 

 their policy is one of timid concession, consulting rather their own 

 apprehensions and interests than the honour of England* 

 I have, &c., 



J. R. LOWELL. 



Mr. Evarts to Mr. Lowell. 



[Telegram.] 



WASHINGTON, February 83, 1881. 



Telegram very gratifying. Lump sum preferred. -Amount with 

 three years' interest, five per cent, is about $120,000. An offer of two- 

 thirds, $80,000, would accomplish a better purpose in reference to the 



