The most honorable the Marquis of Salisbury to John Welsh, June 6, 1878

Lord Salisbury to Mr. Welsh.

Sir: With reference to the conversation which you had with Mr. Lister on the 21st ultimo, in which you informed him that Commander Bradford, of the United States ship of war Marion, who had been nominated by the United States Government to act as arbitrator on the mixed British and Liberian boundary commission, had reported his arrival at Gibraltar, where he was awaiting instructions as to the time and place of the meeting of the commission, I have the honor to inform you that in consequence of the failure hitherto of the Liberian Government to announce the appointment of their commissioners, Her Majesty’s Government are unable to say whether the commission will be enabled to meet this season, and that if this announcement is not very shortly made they believe that it will not be possible for the commission to meet before the autumn of this season.

The governor of Gibraltar has made a communication to this effect to Commander Bradford.

I beg leave to add that if, as appears probable, the commission, in consequence of the delay referred to, should not be able to meet this season, the United States Government and Commander Bradford will at once be informed of the fact, as well as of the time when it is proposed that it should meet after the close of the rainy season.

The place of meeting has not yet been finally decided on, but it will probably be Sierra Leone.

I have, &c.,