3161.
MY LORD,
No. 52.
(CANADA.)
LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.
Lincoln's Inn, 17th March 1875. We were favoured with your Lordship's commands, signified in Mr. Bourke's letter of the 23rd February ultimo, stating that he was directed by your Lordship to transmit to us the accompanying despatch from Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, together with its enclosures, relative to lands occupied by British subjects in the Island of San Juan and other islands in the neighbourhood, which had become United States territory under the award of the Emperor of Germany, accordance with the pro- visions of the 34th Article of the Treaty of Washington of May 8, 1871; and that he was to request that we would take the paper into our consideration, and favour your Lordship with our opinion upon the point raised by Sir Edward Thornton.
That he, Mr. Bourke, was likewise to transmit for our information the further papers, as marked in the margin, bearing upon the question.
In obedience to your Lordship's commands we have the honour to
Report
That we entirely agree with the view taken of these cases by Sir E. Thornton. Not one of the 14 deponents has, in our opinion, a title to the lands occupied by him except by sufferance. He might on that ground be entitled to the favourable con- sideration of the Government of the United States. But that favourable consideration has apparently been withheld, and we think Sir Edward Thornton cannot properly be instructed to press the matter any further.
The Earl of Derby,
&c.
&c.
We have, &c.,
(Signed)
RICHARD BAGGALLAY. JOHN HOLKER.
J. PARKER DEANE.
12916-51. 85-19/84.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CO. 885
12 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO