MAURICE DUKE, United States Consul to T. B Rennell, October 3, 1874

Mr. Knight to Mr. Rennell.

Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch No. 18, of the 2d instant, having reference, in reply to my letter No. 271, to your suspension of Pilot Haliday.

I make due note that your action is taken under clause 2 of General Regulation 7 of the pilot regulations, and I have under consideration your intelligent views generally as given.

Before proceeding further, however, in the case of Haliday’s appeal against your decision, I will ask you to be so good as to explain to me, as unqualifiedly as possible, the meaning of the last sentence of your letter under reply, which, I take it, implies disrespect of the final and instant appellate jurisdiction in the case of this consulate.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,