vention signed at Washington the 18th instant,
between the United States and Mexico, to revive the provisions of the
convention of July 29, 1882, to survey and relocate the existing
boundary line between the two countries west of the Rio Grande, and to
extend the time fixed in Article VIII of the said convention for the
completion of the work in question.

Although the present convention fully explains the reasons for its
negotiation, it may not be improper here to add that Article VII of the
convention of July 29, 1882, stipulated that the said convention should
continue in force until the completion of the work, "provided that such
time does not exceed four years and four months from the date of the
exchange of ratifications hereof."

The exchange of ratifications took place March 3, 1883, and the period
within which the convention was in force ended July 3, 1887.

In order, therefore, to continue the provisions of the said convention
of July 29, 1882, an additional article concluded at Washington December
5, 1885, further extended the time for the completion of the work for
"eighteen months from the expiration of the term fixed in Article VIII
of the said treaty of July 29, 1882," or until January 3, 1889.

As there was no further provision extending the said treaty of July 29,
1882, beyond that date, it expired by limitation. Hence the necessity
for the convention of the 18th instant in its present form.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, February 27, 1889_.

_To the Senate_:

I transmit herewith, in confidence, for the information of the Senate, a
report from the Secretary of State, showing the progress of the
correspondence in relation to the conference to be held at Berlin
between the Governments of the United States, Germany, and Great Britain
to settle the affairs of the Samoan Islands.

The nature of this information and the stage of the negotiations thus
agreed upon and about to commence at Berlin make it proper that such
report should be communicated to the Senate in the confidence of
executive session.

As the conference has been proposed and accepted and the definitive
bases of its proceedings agreed upon by all three Governments and on the
lines with which the Senate has heretofore been made fully acquainted,
nothing remains to be done but to select and appoint the commissioners
to represent the United States, and the performance of this duty, in
view of the few days that