Letter from Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington to William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire.

SCC writes to his father to ask him if he would go to Washington "to arrange the American difficulties". He reports that one of the matters to be discussed is the Alabama damages and whether they should be referred to arbitration, an apology given, some negligence is accepted or any other way which could be suggested. He reports that there are other matters such as Canadian fisheries and San Juan. He writes that some Canadians will be sent and they want an English gentleman of high rank to attend to impress the Americans. He writes that Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville suggests [Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby] but he is too close to the Canadians. He writes that William Ewart Gladstone asked SCC to ask his father to go and a peer from the Foreign Office will be going and they will have full instructions. He writes that John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence may be asked if SCC's father does not wish to accept the position. Sent from: Devonshire House, London, date stamped, 26 Jan.

Arranged in accordance with ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description, Second Edition, Ottawa 2000 and The Devonshire Collection Cataloguing Guidelines.

Copyright held by Chatsworth House Trust.