Correspondence that has passed with the Foreign Office relative to the case of M. M. Consular Manila and this subject.
This proposal to establish a British Consular Agency with jurisdiction extending over Jolo and other parts of the Sulu Archipelago.
These papers all deserve your careful attention: you will perceive from them that H. M. Govt have particularly avoided any recognition of the claim of the Spanish Govt to sovereignty over the Sulu group, and that they have merely acquiesced in the payment of duties to the Spaniards, when vessels trade with posts within the Archipelago which are in actual military occupation of their forces.
H. M. Govt have uniformly held the view that the recent proceedings of the Spaniards have been calculated to do great injury to British trade & I do not think it necessary to make further observations on those portions of your despatch of the 3rd of July which concern this point.
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