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11929.

No. 55.

THE MARQUESS OF RIPON to the EARL OF ABERDEEN.

Has Conference closed?

TELEGRAPHIC.

(Sent 4.5 p.m. July 10, 1894.)

[Answered by No. 56.]

12044.

No. 58.

THE MARQUESS OF RIPON to the EARL OF ABERDEEN. (Confidential.)

MY LORD,

Downing Street, July 16, 1894.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential Despatch of the 29th of June,* forwarding a report of the proceedings at the opening of the Inter-Colonial Conference and at the banquet which followed.

I have perused these papers with much interest.

42

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TEC.O. 885

9

ALLY-WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

11929.

No. 56.

THE EARL OF ABERDEEN to the MARQUESS OF RIPON. (Received July 10, 1894.)

TELEGRAPHIC.

Conference closed yesterday. Jersey sails from New York to-morrow; Mercer not

till later.

12044.

No. 57.

THE EARL OF ABERDEEN to the MARQUESS OF RIPON.

(Confidential.)

MY LORD,

(Received July 12, 1894.)

[Answered by No. 58.]

Government House, Ottawa, June 29, 1894,

I HAVE the honour to state that the Inter-Colonial Conference opened here yesterday.

In accordance with previous arrangements, I presided at the inaugural meeting, which was held in the Senate Chamber, and at which members of the Canadian Senate and House of Commons were present, the Chamber being completely filled, and the galleries occupied by ladies and other spectators.

2. I delivered an opening address, welcoming the delegates, and making some general observations upon the importance of the occasion. My remarks were designed to lay stress upon the value which would attach to a discussion of the subjects which have been named as those which the Conference has been summoned to consider, while at the same time I took care to indicate that there was no expectation that other topics than those coming within the ostensible and avowed programme would be dealt with by the members of the Conference.

3. After a highly appropriate speech from Sir John Thompson, short addresses were delivered by Lord Jersey, and subsequently by delegates of each of the Colonies represented.

4. Among the notable features of the proceedings was the cordiality with which the appointment of Lord Jersey was referred to, especially by the Australian delegates. Another was the great heartiness with which reference to the advantage enjoyed by Canada through confederation was endorsed by the Canadian members of Parliament who were present.

5. I enclose a newspaper containing reports of the speeches.

6. In the evening a banquet was given in honour of the delegates, at which three hundred gentlemen were present, consisting mostly of the members of the Dominion Houses of Parliament. The proceedings were of a very enthusiastic character.

To-day the Conference meets with closed doors.

I have, &c. (Signed)

ABERDEEN.

• Not printed.

12542.

SIR,

No. 59.

I have, &c. (Signed)

RIPON.

FOREIGN OFFICE to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received July 19, 1894.)

[Answered by No. 60.]

your

Foreign Office, July 18, 1894. I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to acknowledge the receipt of letter of the 5th instant,† enclosing a copy of the instructions issued to the Earl of Jersey on the 10th ultimo, for his guidance at the Inter-Colonial Conference at Ottawa.

As the Conference is now at an end, and Lord Jersey is on his way home, no. observations by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs can practically affect the language used by his Lordship.

I am, however, to request that you will lay before the Marquess of Ripon the following remarks with regard to the paragraph relating to Necker Island.

Major Wodehouse was instructed in March last to inform the Hawaiian Government that Her Majesty's Government proposed to utilize Necker Island as a station for a submarine cable between Australia and Canada, which would connect with Honolulu and thus be beneficial to Hawaiian interests.

In reply to this communication the Hawaiian Government expressed interest in the project, but stated that they could not name the conditions on which the sale, lease, or occupation of the island could be permitted until Her Majesty's Government made a more definite proposal as to the terms of occupation which could be laid before the Executive Council.

This was a clear intimation that Hawaii claimed the island and Her Majesty's Government have not found themselves in a position to contest the claim, nor are they at present prepared to submit definite proposals for a lease.

The result of the subsequent communications which passed between the Colonial Office and this department in the months of May and June last, was an agreement that an immediate and thorough examination of the island should be made, with a view to ascertain whether it is really suitable for the purposes of a telegraph station, but that the captain of the vessel sent to examine the island should not be authorised to hoist the British flag, as such an act would almost inevitably lead to international complications, and very probably defeat the object which Her Majesty's Government have in view.

Moreover, it was decided that, should it prove true, as rumoured, that an agent had been despatched by Mr. Sandford Fleming, without the knowledge of the Government to take possession of the island, the officer in command of the vessel charged with the survey should at once remove the British flag, if found flying, and be careful to avoid doing anything implying a British occupation.

Intelligence has since been received that the Hawaiian Government have actually hoisted their flag there and taken possession.

In these circumstances, Lord Kimberley is of opinion that the paragraph in Lord Jersey's instructions to which I have called attention is liable to be interpreted in a manner more favourable to the immediate acquisition of the island than the actual

* No. 57.

† No. 54.

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disposition of Her Majesty's Government and the facts known to them would warrant; and his Lordship would suggest, for the consideration of Lord Ripon, whether the paragraph should not be modified, especially in the event of the instructions being published, in the manner suggested in the margin of the Despatch herewith returned 80 as to bring it more in accordance with the views entertained at the time when it was drawn up.

I am, (Signed)

Enclosure in No. 59.

&c.

H. PERCY ANDERSON.

*

6. Adverting to the particular questions enumerated by Sir C. Tupper I have to make the following observations:-

(1.) Papers will be supplied to you from which you will be able to explain the position as regards Neckar Island. The question of the suitability of this island as a landing stage for the proposed Pacific cable cannot be determined until the results of the examination by the man-of-war despatched for the purpose are known. If the Colonial representatives press for the immediate acquisition of the island, vou should point out that the matter is one which [may] cannot fail to give rise to questions of a diplomatic character which can only be dealt with by Her Majesty's Government in the Foreign Department and you may add that you are [aware] informed that the matter [is engaging their serious attention] would have to form the subject of friendly discussion with the Hawaiian Government.

13473.