1887-February-25: Pauncefote suggested to Phelps that if the Haitian government continued to ignore British demands, the matter might eventually be referred …

1887-February-25: Pauncefote suggested to Phelps that if the Haitian government continued to ignore British demands, the matter might eventually be referred to arbitration in place of naval force. He noted that the primary difficulty was obtaining “any satisfaction or even attention” from the Haitian authorities. This diplomatic exchange was designed to soothe American fears that the British “show of force” in Haitian waters was a prelude to establishing a permanent British naval station on the island.