The herald., 1897-03-26
THE MAYFLOWER'S LOG
WILL FIND RESTING PLACE IN
AMERICA
Ex-Ambassador Bayard Will Safe
guard the. Precious Relic
Across the Sea

LONDON, March 25.-(Copyright,1 1917
In consequence of the efforts of the
governor of Massachusetts, the Ameri-
can Antiquarian and Massachusetts,
Historical societies. the Pilgrims of Ply
mouth and the New England society
of New York, backed up by the desires
Of the archbishop of Canterbury and
the bishop of Iondcn, the consistory
court of the diocese of London assembled
today in the old chapel of st. Paups
cathedral in order to determine the
question of the restoration OF the log
of the Mayflowor to the United States.
The chancellor Of the diocese, DR..
Thomas H. Tristan. presided in wig and
gown. Ambassador Bayard was pre-
sented by Arnold Stratham, barrister,
who opened the proceedings by reading
a petition by Mr.. Bayard in behalf of
the president and citizens of the United
States which set forth the history of
the book and the pres,umptions as to
how 1t came into the possession of the
see of London.
Mr.. Bayard's petition was cordially
indorsed by the bishop of London.
legal secretary of the bishop of London,
who undertook in behalf of Mr.. Bay
ard to use every means in his power to
safeguard the log and deposit the same
in PilgrirN hail. Plymouth, Mass, OF
some other safe place selected by the
president of the United States, and also
to deposit Photographic copy of the
register of the diocese of London.
The chancellor spent ninety minutes
in examining Mr.. Lee and read long ex-
tracts from the book, which ne exam
ined with a magnifying glass. The
chancellor asked If New England was
part of Massachusetts, and counsel and
Mr.. Lee were unable to answer the
question.
Thereupon the chancellor said: "There
Is nobody present able to answer the
question"
The question was then answered by
representative of the Associated Press,
who said that Massachusetts, was part
of New England.
The chancellor asked If Plymouth was
in Massachusetts, and the Associated
Press representative assured him that it
was.
Later the chancellor read long argu-
ment, during which set forth that the
log was part OF large nurlber of manu-
scripts in Fulham palace relating to the
English possessions in the American
colonies, which before the declaration of
independence formed part of the diocese
of London.
The log of the Mayflower, being a reg
lister of births, marriages and deaths,
concerned the property of the descend
ants of the Pilgrims. Their interest
must be safe-guarded, and the court
would therefore follow the custom pre-
vailing when the new diocese Is offset
from an old one, in which case the reg
lister of births. deaths and marriages
was transferred to the new diocese. He
added: II order on the undertaking
given by Mr.. Bayard to place the log
in fit place, where persons concerned
can have access thereto, and a proper
certified copy being deposited at Full
ham,, the original being given to Mr..
Bayard for transportation to the presi-
dent of the United States, and that the
copy of this judgment under seal be
sent with the book whenever Mr.. Bayard
or some one Of the United States embassy
can attend. In the meanwhile it will re-
main in the diocesan strong ROOM"
The bishop of London will deliver the
book to Mr.. Bayard personally.