CO885-(10-11) — Page 321

8376.

No. 266.

(ST. CHRISTOPHER.)

LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.

Lincoln's Inn, August 26, 1864. MY LORD,

We are honoured with your Lordship's commands signified in Mr. Murray's letter of the 9th instant, stating that with reference to our Report of the 23rd of February respecting the question of the Island of Sombrero, be was directed by your Lordship to transmit to us, together with the previous papers, a letter and its enclo- sures, from the Colonial Office, from which we should see that Mr. R. W. Wood has applied for a document showing that the island belongs to Great Britain, and that Mr. Secretary Cardwell proposes to authorise the Governor of St. Kitts to inform the applicant that Sombrero is one of Her Majesty's Leeward Islands, and is occupied by Mr. F. K. Dumas, under a license of occupation granted on behalf of Her Majesty and to request that we would take these papers into consideration, and report to your Lordship our opinion whether there is anything in the proposed answer to Mr. Wood which would be inconsistent with the understanding come to with Mr. Adams on this subject.

In obedience to your Lordship's commands, we have taken these papers into con- sideration, and have the honour to

Report

That we think the Governor of St. Kitts might properly be authorised to inform the applicant that Her Majesty's Government considers the Island of Sombrero as one of the possessions of Her Majesty's Crown, and that it is occupied by Mr. F. K. Dumas under a license of occupation granted by Her Majesty. We think there will not be any inconsistency between such a declaration and the understanding established with the United States on the occasion of granting the lease to Mr. Dumas, for that under- standing itself was founded upon the fact that Her Majesty did, as against any pretention of the United States, or of any other power, lay claim to the sovereignty of Sombrero; and all that was then agreed upon was, that the United States Government were not to be held as precluded by acquiescence in the grant of that lease by Her Majesty to Mr. Dumas, from calling in question (if they should hereafter think fit to do so) Her Majesty's title to the sovereignty of the island.

The Earl Russell, K.G.

&c.

&c. &c.

We have, &c. (Signed)

ROUNDELL PALMER. R. P. COLLIER. ROBERT PHILLIMORE.

16978,-206. 25.-2/66.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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