Dufferin to Sir Edward Thornton, July 13, 1872

Lord Dufferin to Sir Edward Thornton.

Sir: I have the honor to forward to you a minute of the privy council of the Dominion, respecting the alleged hoisting of the American flag, with the union downward, under the British flag, on the American schooner James Bliss, and I have to request you to inform the Secretary of State of the United States that before the incident in question was brought to the notice of the privy council of the Dominion by your dispatch, dated 25th June last, steps had already been taken to investigate the circumstances of the case as reported in the newspapers, and that this investigation is now being proceeded with.

In the mean time, however, my government is anxious to disavow in the amplest manner any intention to show disrespect to the flag of the United States, and they have at once ordered the unseemly practice of placing one flag over another in cases of a similar character to be discontinued.

I have, &c,