No. 175.]

[Inciosure.]

The Earl of Derby to Lord A. Loftus.

FOREIGN OFFICE, July 4, 1874.

MY LORD: Her Majesty's government have considered, with all the attention which so important a proposal deserves, the project of the Emperor of Russia for a conference to be held at Brussels to discuss the rules of military warfare.

Her Majesty's government highly appreciate the humane motives by which His Imperial Majesty is actuated in making this proposal, and concur in the earnest desire evinced by His Imperial Majesty to mitigate the horrors of war.

At the same time Her Majesty's governinent are not convinced of the practical necessity for such a scheme for the guidance of military commanders in the field, and cannot but fear that, unless the discussion is conducted in the most guarded manner, the examination of any such project in a conference at the present juncture may re-open causes of difference and lead to recrimination between some of the delegates appointed to take part in it.

Nor do Her Majesty's government fully understand the scope which is intended to be given to the deliberations of the delegates.

The proposal of a conference at Brussels was first made by the Society for the Amelioration of the Condition of Prisoners of War, and was confined to that subject. Before, however, Her Majesty's government had expressed any opinion on the expediency of accepting the invitation thus given, they were requested by the Russian government to suspend their action in the matter until the draught project then in preparation by that government was completed.

This project has proved to contain a detailed scheme for the conduct of military operations, of which the treatment of prisoners of war occupies but a small part. Prince Gortchakow, moreover, in his dispatch of the 17th April, states that "le projet que nous soumettons à l'examen des cabinets n'est qu'un point de depart pour les délibérations ultérieures qui, nous aimons à l'espérer, prepareront le terrain d'une entente générale."

That Her Majesty's government would be happy to join with the government of the Emperor of Russia in any measure for the prevention of unnecessary suffering, is shown by Great Britain having already, with that object, acceded to the declarations relating to the Geneva Cross and the use of explosive bullets; and Her Majesty's government would not, therefore, now be prepared to take exception to a discussion in a conference of delegates of such details of warlike operations in the field as it might be found useful and practicable to advise upon, but Her Majesty's government are firmly determined not to enter into any discussion of the rules of international law by which the relations of belligerents are guided, or to undertake any new obligations or engagements of any kind in regard to general principles.

Her Majesty's government deem it to be of great importance that they should frankly make this statement at the outset, and this has become the more necessary since rumors are current that one government at least has contemplated sending a naval delegate to the conference, under the impression, apparently, that naval matters may be introduced as subjects of consideration and discussion.

Her Majesty's government feel assured that such an extension of the scope of the conference would be fatal to any agreement on the particular details of military regulations which it is the desire of the Emperor of Russia to have considered, and they are certain, therefore, that in protesting against it, in anticipation, they will only be acting in accordance with His Imperial Majesty's views and wishes for a successful issue to the conference which he has proposed should be assembled.

I have accordingly to request your excellency to state to the Russian government that, before agreeing to send a delegate to the conference, Her Majesty's government must request the most positive and distinct assurance from that government, as well as from the governments of all the powers invited to take part in the conference, that their delegates at the conference shall be instructed to confine themselves to the consideration of details of military operations of the nature of those dealt with in the project of the Russian government, and shall not entertain, in any shape, directly or indirectly, anything relating to maritime operations or naval warfare.

I have to add that this dispatch will be communicated to the governments of all the powers invited to take part in the conference, and a similar assurance requested from each of them.

Your excellency will read this dispatch to Prince Gortchakow, or whoever may be acting for him in his absence, and furnish him with a copy of it.

I am, &c.,

DERBY.

No. 334.

Mr. Watson to Mr. Fish.

NEWPORT, R. I., July 24, 1874. (Received July 27.)

SIR: A dispatch has been transmitted to Her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs by Her Majesty's chargé d'affaires in Central America, giving an accouut of the circumstances attending a barbarous outrage which was perpetrated at San José of Guatemala, on the 24th of April last, by order of the then commandante of that place, by name Gonzalez, on the person of the British vice-consul, Mr. John Magee.

In the statement by Mr. Magee, accompanying the dispatch above alluded to, testimony is borne to the loyal conduct toward his colleague of Mr. Edwin James, the United States consular agent at San José, who presented himself before the commandante, and delivered to him an official protest against his outrageous proceeding, thereby incurring the threat from Gonzalez of personal violence toward himself. He, notwithstanding this, stood by his colleague throughout this very painful affair, and was the means of Mr. Magee's life being saved, at the peril of his own. Her Majesty's government have learned with much satisfaction the active exertions which were made by Mr. James on this occasion, and I have been instructed by the Earl of Derby to request the Government of the United States to convey to Mr. James the thanks of the Queen, and of Her Majesty's government, for his conduct. I have the honor further to state to you, sir, that Her Majesty's government have also learned with much satisfaction the support and co-operation rendered by the United States representative in Guate mala to Her Majesty's chargé d'affaires on the occasion in question. I have, &c.,

R. G. WATSON.

No. 335.

Mr. Fish to Sir Edward Watson.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, July 27, 1874.

SIR: Referring to my note of the 19th of June last to Sir Edward Thorton, inquiring as to whether Labrador forms a part of the Dominion of Canada, and making some other inquiries as to the jurisdiction over that dependency, and referring also to a conversation I subsequently held with yourself, when you informed me that a telegram you had received on the subject was not sufficiently clear to enable you to satisfy my inquiries, and that you were expecting fuller information by mail, I take the liberty of recalling your attention to the subject, in the hope that you may have further information to communicate to me by this time in relation to it. I am the more anxious to learn the exact politi cal relations of Labrador to the Dominion government and that of other provinces, on account of cases that have arisen in the Treasury Departinent, the decision of which depends in a measure upon your reply.

I have, &c.,

HAMILTON FISH.

No. 336.

Mr. Watson to Mr. Fish.

NEWPORT, R. I., July 30, 1874. (Received August 3.)

SIR: In reply to your letter of the 27th instant, which I received last evening, I have the honor to inform you that I telegraphed to you this morning as follows: "The boundary-line between Labrador is a line drawn due north and south from the Bay or Harbor of Ance Sablon, inclusive, as far as fifty-second degree of north latitude. (See Imperial Statutes 6, George IV, cap. 59.) Labrador is under the jurisdiction of Newfoundland."

I informed you at the same time that I should communicate to you the dispatch on the subject which I expect from Lord Dufferin, so soon as I receive it.

I regret much if you have been put to any inconvenience by the delay in replying to your note to Sir Edward Thornton, of the 19th of

June last.

I have, &c.,

R. G. WATSON.

No. 337.

Mr. Watson to Mr. Fish.

WASHINGTON, September 3, 1874. (Received September 5.) SIR: With reference to the conversation which I had the honor to hold with you to-day on the subject of the recent suppression of the coolie trade at Macao, and the suspicions which, in consequence of the subsequent increase of the Chinese emigration to San Francisco, are entertained lest a portion of this emigration should surreptitiously be diverted to Peru or Cuba, I do myself the honor to transmit to you herewith for your information the copy of a dispatch and its inclosure which has been addressed to Lord Carnarvon by the governor of HongKong.

I have, &c.,

[Inclosure.]

R. G. WATSON.

Sir A. E. Kennedy to the Earl of Carnarvon.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
Hong-Kong, May 22, 1874.

MY LORD: Adverting generally to the correspondence between the government of Hong-Kong and Her Majesty's government on the subject of the Macao coolie trade, I have the honor to transmit, for your lordship's information, a return of the number of coolies shipped from Hong-Kong to San Francisco between 9th January and the 16th May, 1874, showing a total of 7,591, and to this return may be added the ships now preparing for departure, carrying 930 and 281 respectively, making a total of 8,802 shipped in less than five months.

I confess that I cannot but regard this growing trade with suspicion, and I think the attention of Her Majesty's consuls in America, Cuba, and Peru should be called to it. The direct trade in coolies between Macao and the two latter countries being for the present prohibited, attempts to meet their demands will surely be made through indirect channels.

Judging from the personal knowledge I possess of San Francisco, and the char

acter of the persons engaged in the transport of coolies between Hong-Kong and San Francisco, I can see no insuperable obstacle to the export of coolies from the latter port (or even their transshipment) to Peru and Cuba.

This course would be less lucrative to coolie traders than the direct trade from Macao, which is at present prohibited, but it would still yield a large profit.

Having regard to the urgent demand for coolies in Cuba and Peru, and the abundant means of supply here, and the enormous profits of the carrying trade, it must be expected that no means will be left untried to continue the traffic, which is, I fear, only for a time suspended at Macao, where there are still a number of coolie ships under the Peruvian flag lying idle.

In the case of the Florencia, lately reported on by me, I am informed on authority which I cannot doubt, that the coolies to load her outside the harbor of Hong-Kong were absolutely contracted for, and ready at Macao for shipment.

Had this venture succeeded, the remaining ships at Macao would undoubtedly have followed her example.

I am happy to believe that I am supported by all respectable persons, and the public opinion of Hong-Kong, in the repressive measures which have been adopted to avert the scandals of the coolie trade from our port.

I have, &c.,

A. E. KENNEDY.

Governor.