§ 18. Captain FAIRFAXasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what the terms are of the agreement to give the United States of America an extension of area to the Bahamas for the operation of their revenue cutters; and whether he has considered, or will consider, obtaining some concession in re- 1186 turn, such as better treatment for British immigrants at Ellis Island and other ports of entry to the United States of America?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThere is no agreement with the United States Government to extend to Bahamas the area for the operation of their revenue cutters. The United States Government have, however, been informed that, on account of the difficulties in the way of giving notice, through the usual official channels, of the intended visits of the United States patrol vessels to Gun Cay and the adjacent islands, specified vessels may in future visit these waters without formal notice, provided that a call is first made at Bimini to notify the Bahaman Commissioner of their intentions. This purely administrative measure is a continuance of the policy embodied in the Convention respecting the Regulation of the Liquor Traffic, and is not in itself in the nature of a"concession"for which counter concessions could properly be demanded.