PERIOD FROM 1871 TO 1905. 889 



Lord Iddesleigh to Mr. Phelps. 



FOREIGN OFFICE, December 16, 1886. 



SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of 

 the 27th ultimo relative to the case of the Marion Grimes, stated to 

 have been fined and detained at Shelburne, Nova Scotia, in October 

 last. 



As other cases besides that of the Marion Grimes are alluded to in 

 the documents forwarded in your note, it will be desirable to take each 

 case separately, and inform you shortly of the steps which Her 

 Majesty's Government have taken in regard to them. 



In respect to the case of the Marion Grimes, I have already re- 

 ceived, through Her Majesty's secretary of state for the colonies, a 

 copy of a dispatch from the Dominion Government, in which they 

 express their regret at the action taken by Captain Quigley in hauling 

 down the United States flag. I have transmitted a copy of this dis- 

 patch to Her Majesty's minister at Washington, with instructions to 

 communicate it to Mr. Bayard, and I beg leave to now inclose a copy 

 of it for your information. 



Her Majesty's Government cannot doubt that, as respects the inci- 

 dent of the flag, the apology thus spontaneously tendered by the 

 Canadian Government will be accepted by the United States Govern- 

 ment in the friendly and conciliatory disposition in which it is 

 offered, whilst as regards the other statements concerning Captain 

 Quigley's conduct, Her Majesty's Government do not at present feel 

 themselves in a position to express any opinion. 



The Dominion Government have been requested to furnish a full 

 report on the various circumstances alleged, and when this is received 

 I shall have the honor to address a further communication to you 

 upon the subject. 



As concerns the case of the Julia Ellen and Shiloh, it will probably 

 suffice to communicate to you the inclosed copies of reports from the 

 Canadian Government relative to these two vessels. These reports 

 have already been sent to Her Majesty's minister at Washington for 

 communication to Mr. Bayard. 



The protests made by the United States Government in the case of 

 the Everett Steele was not received in this country until the 1st 

 ultimo ; and although the Canadian Government have been requested 

 by telegraph to furnish a report upon the circumstances alleged, suffi- 

 cient time has not yet elapsed to enable Her Majesty's Government 

 to be in possession of the facts as reported by the Dominion Govern- 

 ment. 



Her Majesty's Government greatly regret that incidents of the 

 description alluded to should occur, and they can only renew the 

 assurance conveyed to you in my note of the 30th ultimo, that whilst 

 firmly resolved to uphold the undoubted treaty rightfc of Her 

 Majesty's North American subjects in regard to the fisheries, they will 

 also equally maintain the undoubted rights of United States fisher- 

 men to obtain shelter in Canadian ports, under such restrictions as 

 may be necessary to prevent their abusing the privileges reserved to 

 them by treaty. 



I notice that in Mr. Bayard's note to you of the 6th ultimo, con- 

 cerning the case of the Marion Grimes, and also in his note to Sir L. 



