oned his collecting, on account of Her Majesty's government, consular fees which considerably exceed in amount the consular salary allowances. Under the circumstances, however, under which my departure took place, there were certainly no special functions which could be better discharged by a consul than by a secretary of the embassy. I had no power to take out of the hands of the committee of the British charitable fund the management of the charitable contributions for the relief of distressed British subjects. I had most certainly no wish to do so. On the contrary, I had the fullest confidence in the members of that committee, whom the most generous motives induced to stay in Paris; and the noble and unwearied devotion with which they have discharged the benevolent duties they undertook have more than justified the high opinion I had formed of them. In fact, the object which rendered the presence of a member of the embassy in Paris desirable was that he should communicate officially with the French government, and exercise an influence with them on behalf of Her Majesty's subjects; and it appeared to me that I should better provide for the attainment of this object by presenting a secretary to the minister for foreign affairs as representative of the embassy than by simply leaving a consul in the town. I accordingly presented Mr. Wodehouse to M. Jules Favre in that capacity. In fact, while Mr. Wodehouse could perfectly well perform all the functions that could be discharged by a consul, he was in a inuch better position than a consul could have been for communicating efficiently with the minister for foreign affairs or other French authorities. I was naturally anxious not to expose any of Mer Majesty's servants unnecessarily, and I conceived that, by stationing Mr. Wodehouse and General Claremont, the military attaché at Paris, I made the best provision in my power for the protection of the British subjects who remained there. I left with Mr. Wodehouse orders to come away from Paris himself if the place should be threatened with immediate bombardment; and in that case to do his utmost to obtain a safe passage out for all British subjects. I considered that in such a contingency the protection of any of our countrymen who might still remain could not be transferred to better hands than to those of General Claremont, who, from his intimacy with General Trochu and his large acquaintance among French military men and well-known influence with them, would have peculiar means of befriending and assisting British subjects if actual danger from military operations should be imminent. As the minister of marine was established at Tours, and as it was manifest that no naval intelligence could be attainable during the seige, I should have brought Captain Hore, the naval attaché, away with me if he had not been too ill to travel. The orders I left with him were, as your lordship is aware, to rejoin me as soon as his health should admit of his doing so. Since I left Paris I have had no other active duty to perform in the matter than to endeavor to forward orders from your lordship to Mr. Wodehouse. But I feel confident that your lordship will consider that my whole correspondence with you, both before and since I left Paris, shows that I have been in constant anxiety respecting the British subjects there, and earnestly desirous that every effort should be made for their practicable relief. I subjoin a list of some of the principal dispatches I have had the honor to address to your lordship on the subject. I have, &c., LYONS. NOTE.-See also "Franco-German War Papers, No. 1, (1871,)" Nos. 51, 60, 84, 86, 112, 113, 130, 146, 147, 153, 239, 265, 311, and 314; and previous dispatches in this series. No. 4.] No. 206. Mr. Fish to General Schenck. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, May 25, 1871. SIR: The Senate having advised and consented thereto, the President has ratified the treaty between the United States and Great Britain for the settlement of pending questions between the two countries signed at Washington on the 8th instant, and I now transmit to you by the hands of Mr. Bancroft C. Davis, of Massachusetts, who goes out as bearer of dispatches, the American ratification to be exchanged against that of Her Britannic Majesty, with full power to enable you to effect that object. You will, accordingly, upon the receipt of this dispatch, inform Her Majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs that the treaty has been ratified on our part, and that you are authorized to exchange the ratifications with such persons as may be duly empowered for for that purpose on the part of the British government. When the exchange shall have been effected you will execute jointly with the person appointed on behalf of the government of Great Britain duplicate certificates, similar to those which are inclosed, one of which shall be given to the British government, and the other you will forward to this Department. As soon as the exchange of the ratifications takes place you will please forward the British ratification to the United States by the hands of Mr. Davis. I am, &c., HAMILTON FISH. No. 336.] No. 207. Mr. Moran to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, June 5, 1871. (Received June 20.) SIR: I have the honor to inform you that his excellency General Robert C. Schenck, accompanied by his family and General Maxwell Woodhull, appointed assistant secretary to this mission, arrived in London on the 3d instant, and that he has this day communicated by note to Lord Granville the office copy of his letter of credence, and taken charge of the legation. Lord Granville is in Scotland in official attendance upon the Queen, but will return to London in a few days; and it is expected that Her Majesty will arrive at Windsor from Balmoral about the 19th instant. General Schenck's presentation to the Queen cannot well take place be fore that date unless he should make a special trip to Scotland for the purpose, an event not likely to arise; but he may safely count upon an audience either in London or at Windsor for the delivery of his original letter of credence during the last ten days of this month. All classes of the British people have given General Schenck a sincere and cordial welcome, and this feeling is more general than has been observed on the occasion of the arrival of a new American minister at this court in the last eighteen years. In conclusion, I beg to express my best thanks to the President and yourself for having confided to my care the interests of the nation here for so long a period, and for continuing me under General Schenck in the post of secretary of this legation. I am, &c., BENJAMIN MORAN. No. 9.] No. 209. General Schenck to Mr. Fish. [Extracts.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, June 22, 1871. (Received July 6.) SIR Last Friday, the 16th, I sent a telegram informing you that the next day was appointed for the exchange of ratifications of the treaty. * * * A copy of that telegram is inclosed. I have the satisfaction to inform you that, having produced and exchanged powers from our respective governments, the formal exchange of ratifications took place, as agreed between Lord Granville and myself, on Saturday the 17th, at quarter past 2 o'clock p. m., at the Foreign Office. I note the exact time and place as marking an interesting and momentous point in the history of the two countries and their governments. Besides Lord Granville and myself, there were present and assisting on our part, Mr. Moran, secretary of legation, and General Woodhull, assistant secretary; and on the other side, Lord Tenderden and Mr. Bergne, of the Foreign Office. No particular ceremony was observed beyond the signing of the certificates of our action. There was, however, an interchange of hearty mutual congratulation that we had completed an act which has not only removed all present serious differences, but established, we hope, lasting peace and better understanding between the two countries. Mr. Bancroft C. Davis, your bearer of dispatches, who brought to me the American copy of the treaty, will carry back with him, as directed, the British copy. He will sail with it from Liverpool on Saturday, the 24th instant, in the steamer Scotia. He has acquitted himself with faithful attention to the trust you committed to him. I send with the treaty a copy of the power to Lord Granville exchanged with me, and the certificate of the due execution of our authority. I have, &c., Victoria, by the grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., &c., &c. To all and singular to whom these presents shall come, greeting: Whereas, for the better treating of and arranging certain matters which are now in discussion, or which may come into discussion, between us and any other powers and states, we have judged it expedient to invest a fit person with full power to conduct the said discussion on our part: Know ye, therefore, that we, reposing especial trust and confidence in the wisdom, loyalty, diligence, and circumspection of right trusty and right well-beloved cousin and counselor Granville, George Earl Granville, Lord Leveson, a Peer of our United Kingdom, Knight of our most noble order of the Garter, our principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, bave named, made, constituted, and appointed, as we do by these presents, name, make, constitute, and appoint him our undoubted commissioner, procurator, and plenipotentiary, giving to him all manner of power and authority to treat, adjust, and conclude, with such minister or ministers as may be vested with similar power and authority on the part of any powers or states as aforesaid, any treaties, conventions, or agreements that may tend to the attainment of the above-mentioned end, and to sign for us and in our name everything so agreed upon and concluded, and to do and transact all such other matters as may appertain to the finishing of the aforesaid work, in as ample manner and form, and with equal force and efficacy, as we ourselves could do, if personally present; engaging and promising, upon our royal word, that whatever things shall be so transacted and concluded by our said commissioner, procurator, and plenipotentiary, shall be agreed to, acknowledged, and accepted by us in the fullest manner, and that we will never suffer, either in the whole or in part, any person whatsoever, to infringe the same, or act contrary thereto, as far as it lies in our power. In witness whereof, we have caused the great seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to be affixed to these presents, which we have signed with our royal hand. Given at our court at Osborne, the nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy, and in the thirty-fourth year of our reign. No. 9.] No. 210. Mr. Fish to General Schenck. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, June 20, 1871. SIR: Referring to my No. 3 of the 19th ultimo, in relation to the pending negotiations of a consular convention with the British government, I will thank you to propose the adoption of an article providing for the administration of oaths by the consuls of either country residing in the other. This you will do at such time and in such manner as may, in your judgment, be most opportune and appropriate. This is especially to be desired by this Government, as consuls are required, by existing Treasury regulations, to see that all invoices verified by thein are supported by the oath of the party. I am, &c., No. 211. HAMILTON FISH. No. 14.] General Schenck to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, June 29, 1871. (Received July 12.) SIR: Yesterday I received, by a messenger from the Foreign Office, a hurried note from Lord Granville, informing me of the success of the forces of the United States against the Coreans. I immediately telegraphed the news to you. In the London morning papers I see that you had the same intelligence yesterday at Washington; but I thought it too important not to make sure of your getting it at the earliest possible moment. Copies of the note of Lord Granville and of my telegram to you are sent herewith, and my acknowledgment to Lord Granville. I have, &c., ROBT C. SCHENCK. Earl Granville to General Schenck. FOREIGN OFFICE, June 28, 1871. MY DEAR GENERAL: A telegram, dated Shanghai, this morning, informs me that your forces gained a victory over the Coreans on Keng-Hoa Island. Corean stronghold was captured and destroyed. Dispatch reports five hundred Coreans killed. Your loss was one officer and two men killed, seven wounded. Yours, sincerely, GRANVILLE. General Schenck to Mr. Fish. LONDON, June 28, 1871. Lord Granville writes me as follows: A telegram, dated Shanghai this morning, informs me that your forces gained a victory over the Coreans ou Keng Hoa Island. Corean stronghold was captured and destroyed. Dispatch reports five hundred Coreans killed. Your loss was one officer and two men killed, seven wounded., General Schenck to Earl Granville. SOUTH KENSINGTON HOTEL, Queen's Gate Terrace, June 29, 1871. MY DEAR LORD GRANVILLE: Many thanks for your thoughtful attention in giving me information of the success of the United States forces against the Coreans. I received your note last evening and immediately telegraphed its contents to Mr. Fish; although I see by the morning papers they received the same news yesterday at Washington. Sincerely, yours, ROB'T C. SCHENCK. No. 212. [Extract.] No. 27.] Mr. Fish to General Schenck. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have to inform you that about three weeks since Sir Edward Thornton called upon me at my house in the country, to submit for my consideration, under instructions from his government, draughts of proposed instructions from the respective governments to their ministers at Florence, Berne, and Rio, together with draughts of a proposed note which their representatives were to be respectively instructed to communicate to the governments to which they are accredited. I was at the time of Sir Edward's call seriously ill, and forbidden to attend to business. As soon as I was able to do so, I gave these several draughts my serious consideration and suggested several amendments which, I understand, have received the assent of Lord Granville. I have to-day sent out these instructions to the American ministers at Florence, Berne, and Rio, in form (mutatis mutandis) as shown the inclosed in copy of the instructions to Mr. Partridge, except that the other notes did not contain the postscript which was on the instructions to Mr. Partridge. This postscript was made necessary by the fact that the Emperor of Brazil is at present in Europe. It is not improbable that, on consultation with Lord Granville, it may be deemed advisable to take steps for bringing the subject directly to the notice of His Majesty. In |