[Equte?] to Under-Secretary of State

I have laid before Lord Stanley your letter of the 15th instant on
the subject of a salute fired by direction of the American Consul
in Vancouver's Island on the anniversary of the independence of the
United States; and I am directed to state to you, in reply, for the
information of the Earl of Carnarvon, that Lord Stanley does not
 see why the Agents of the United States should not be entitled to
celebrate the anniversary of the birth of their country as an
independent nation in the same manner as The Queen's birthday is
celebrated by the Agents of Great Britain.

Independence Day is kept all over the United States and Lord Stanley thinks that after ninety years have elapsed since the
events which led to its institution took place, it would be
unreasonable to regard its celebration as offensive to this country.