Doc. No. 75. 



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In faltli whereof, we, the respective plenipotentiaries, have signed this 

 convention^ and have hereunto affixed our seals. 



Done at Washington, the nineteenth day of April, anno Domini one 

 thousand eight hundred and fifty. 



JOHN M. CLAYTON. [l. s.] 



HENRY LYTTON BULWER. [l. s.] 



British Legation, April 29, 1.850, 



Sir: I have the honor to inform you that her Majesty's government 

 liave entirely approved of the language which I held to you with refer- 

 ence to your inquiry as to whether it was true that Mr. Chatfield had 

 made a treaty with Costa Rica taking that republic under British protec- 

 tion, and of the assurance I then gave you that I did not believe, from 

 the opinions which I had heard her Majesty's Secretary of State for For- 

 eign Affairs express, that he could have authorized Mr. Chatfield to make 

 any treaty placing the republic of Costa Rica under the protection of her 

 Majesty. I have been furthermore instructed to state to you that the 

 British government has not made, and has no intention of making, any 

 treaty or arrangement with Costa Rica for taking that State under British 

 protection. 



T am also desired to add that it would be contrary to the fixed and 

 settled policy of Great Britain to entangle herself by any engagement to 

 protect distant States over whose policy and conduct it would be impossi- 

 ble for the British government to exercise any effective control. Such a 

 protectorate would confer no possible advantage on Great Britain^ and 

 might become the source of many embarrassments to her. 



I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to you the assurance of my 

 highest consideration. 



H. L. BULWER, 



Hon. J. M. Clayton, (^c, ^^c, (^'c. 



Department of State, 



Washington^ April 30, 1850, 



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

 29th instant, informing me that her Britannic Majesty's government have 

 entirely approved of the language which you held and the assurance 

 which you gave to me with reference to my inquiry as to whether it was 

 true that Mr. Chatfield had made a treaty with Costa Rica taking that 

 republic under British protection; that you have been furthermore in- 

 structed to state to me that your government has not made, and has no 

 intention of making, any treaty or arrangement with Costa Rica of that 

 kind; and that you are also directed to add that it would be contrary to 

 the fixed and settled policy of Great Britain to entangle herself by any 

 engagement to protect distant States over whose policy and conduct it 

 would be impossible for her to exercise any effective control. 



1 take pleasure in expressing the satisfaction with which this govern- 

 ment has received this friendly assurance from that of her Britannic 



