| Description | To Messrs Norris and Sons, Solicitors, Liverpool. On notepaper from Downing Street, stamped Colonial Office. Herbert writes "...there is no information in the procession of this Department to show that the island has ever become the property of the 'Matacong and North West African Company', although it is known that it was leased some years ago by Messrs Randall and Fisher". Herbert also points out in no case could the sovereignty of the Island be vested in any private person, and that by the Convention signed at Paris on 28th June 1882, but not yet ratified, "Her Majesty's Government agreed to recognize the island of Matacong as belonging to France". |