The most honorable the Marquis of Salisbury to John Welsh, August 23, 1878

Lord Salisbury to Mr. Welsh.

Sir: Her Majesty’s Government have had under their consideration your letter of the 19th of March, making representations relative to certain disturbances which occurred in January last, between British and United States fishermen at Fortune Bay, on the coast of Newfoundland, and requesting, in accordance with the instructions of your government, that an investigation might be made into the alleged facts of the case; and I have now the honor to transmit to you, for your information and for communication to your government, the accompanying copy of a report drawn up by Captain Sulivan, R. N., of Her Majesty’s ship Sirius, the officer intrusted with the duty of instituting an inquiry into the matter on the spot.

You will perceive that the report in question appears to demonstrate conclusively that the United States fishermen on this occasion had committed three distinct breaches of the law, and that no violence was used by the Newfoundland fishermen except in the case of one vessel whose master refused to comply with the request which was made to him that he should desist from fishing on Sunday, in violation of the law of the colony and of the local custom, and who threatened the Newfoundland fishermen with a revolver, as detailed in paragraphs five and six of Captain Sulivan’s report.

I have the honor to be, &c.,