Hammond to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Foreign Office
30 September 1859
With reference to my letter of the 23rd Instant, I am directed by Lord John Russell to transmit to you, for the information of His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, a copy of a further instruction which has been addressed to Her Majesty's Minister as Washington, together with copies of the despatches therein referredManuscript imagereferred to, relative to the question of the Island of San Juan.
I am etc.
E. Hammond
Minutes by CO staff
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HM S 30
These papers throw no new light on the transaction.
N 1-10
Put by.
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Mr Blackwood
Perhaps after registering you would like to look at the enclosed, though I have not observed much new in them. Let me have them in time to send to the Duke tonight.
HM S 30
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Mr Merivale
Lord Lyon's account in No 181 of the instruction given to General Harney by General Cass is important, & to some extent satisfactory.
As these papers are going tonight to the Duke I have taken a copy of Lord J. Russell's despatch to Lord Lyons on the 26th of this month, that we may Manuscript imageinclude it, with the other enclosures, to be sent tomorrow to Douglas.
This, I suppose, is right.
ABd 30 Sepr Friday
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Russell to Lyons, British Minister at Washington, 26 September 1859, with further instructions regarding communication with the American government on the San Juan issue.
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Lyons to Russell, 8 September 1859, forwarding correspondence and newspaper clippings relating to the dispute, and providing details of his recent communications with the American government.
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Newspaper clippings from The National Intelligencer, 8 September 1859, The New York Herald, 7 September 1859, and The New York Times, 7 September 1859, providing detailed descriptions of events surrounding the occupation.
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Lyons to General Cass, U.S. Department of State, 8 September 1859, reporting on background events and asking whether further information on the issue was available for transmission to England.
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Lyons to Russell, 9 September 1859, forwarding recent correspondence with Cass.
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Cass to Lyons, 8 September 1859, correcting an earlier impression that General Harney would be ordered to leave the island, and advising that no further information was available on the subject.
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Lyons to Cass, 9 September 1859, advising that the British government had been informed of the correction.
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Lyons to Russell, 12 September 1859, giving detailed explanation of how the misunderstanding came about, and absolving Cass of any "suspicion of his dealing uncandidly or unhandsomely."
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Lyons to Russell, 12 September 1859, providing details of the orders sent to General Harney by the American government regarding the occupation.
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Lyons to Russell, 19 September 1859, advising of the arrival in Washington of Colonel Hawkins from Vancouver Island with despatches from Douglas, and reporting on a subsequent interview with Cass.
Hammond, Edmund to Merivale, Herman 30 September 1859, CO 305:12, no. 9754, 245. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/V595FO13.html.

Last modified: 2020-03-30 13:22:16 -0700 (Mon, 30 Mar 2020) (SVN revision: 4193)