sealing-vessels should be extended by consent for such a period as may allow of the claims in question being settled by diplomatic negotiation without prejudice to the ultimate legal remedy by appeal if such negotiation should not be successful. You should also propose that the vessels and skins should be in the meanwhile at once released on security. The stipulation made by the American Court that the sureties should be American citizens resident in the States is objected to by some of the Canadian defendants, but this condition appears to me to be reasonable. I am, &c. (Signed) SALISBURY. No. 131. Sir L. West to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received April 30.) My Lord, Washington, April 19, 1888. UPON the receipt of your Lordship's telegram of the 17th instant I addressed a note verbale to Mr. Bayard, copy of which is inclosed, in order to ascertain whether the United States' Government would agree to a Commission to inquire into the claims of British sealing-vessels seized and warned off by the Udited States' authorities in Behring's Sea. I handed this note myself to Mr. Bayard, who read it, and remarked that from what had passed in the Fisheries Conference he had been led to believe that these claims would be held over. He would, however, answer my communication. I have, &c. (Signed) L. S. SACKVILLE WEST. Inclosure in No. 131. Note Verbale. HER Majesty's Government have just received the particulars of the claims for compensation on account of British sealers seized and warned off by the United States' authorities in Behring's Sea. A just assessment of these claims appears to them difficult, without investigation and verification, and they therefore wish to ascertain whether the United States' Government would be disposed to agree to a Commission which should be restricted to inquiring in each case whether compensation is due, and the amount of such compensation. Washington, April 18, 1888. No. 132. Board of Trade to Foreign Office.-(Received May 5.) Board of Trade, London, May 4, 1888. Sir, I AM directed by the Board of Trade to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th ultimo, in which you transmit copy of a despatch addressed by the Marquis of Salisbury to Her Majesty's Ambassador at St. Petersburgh and Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, recording a conversation which his Lordship has had with the Russian Ambassador and the United States' Chargé d'Affaires at this Court on the subject of adopting measures with a view to check the indiscriminate slaughter of seals in Behring's Sea. With reference to the concluding paragraph of your letter, I am to request that you will state to Lord Salisbury that the Board of Trade have no information to enable them to speak with confidence on the subject, but that, so far as they are in a position to judge, they would be disposed to regard favourably the proposals indicated by you as a basis for negotiation, and which contemplate restrictions partly in analogy with those already constituting a close time for the seal fishery of the Greenland Sea, where, however, the valuable fur-seals for which the Behring's Sea is noted are not found. At the same time, it may be supposed that the Western British Colonies in North America would be interested in the matter, and they might be prepared to criticize the proposals in question for reasons with which this Department is not acquainted. I have, &c. Sir L. West to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received May 14.) My Lord, Washington, April 22, 1888. WITH reference to my despatch of the 19th instant, I have the honour to inclose to your Lordship herewith a copy of a note verbale which I have received in reply to the one which I addressed to Mr. Bayard, copy of which was inclosed in that despatch, stating that, in the cases of British vessels seized in Behring's Sea, it is preferable to await the judgment of the Appellate Court in the premises. I have, &c. RESPONDING to the note verbale of Sir L. West, dated the 18th instant, it is suggested, on behalf of the United States, that, as the cases of seizure of British sealingvessels in Behring's Sea therein referred to are now in Court pending an appeal from a judicial decision, it is preferable to await the judgment of the Appellate Court in the premises. Washington, April 21, 1888. No. 134. My Lord, Sir L. West to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received May 14.) Washington, May 1, 1888. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's telegram of the 29th ultimo, and to inclose to your Lordship herewith a copy of a note which I addressed to the Secretary of State, in the sense conveyed therein, on the subject of the cases of British vessels seized in Behring's Sea, upon which appeals are pending. Sir, I have, &c. (Signed) Inclosure in No. 134. Sir L. West to Mr. Bayard. L. S. SACKVILLE WEST. Washington, April 30, 1888. WITH reference to pending legal proceedings in the cases of British vessels seized by the United States' authorities in Behring's Sea, I have the honour to inform you that I am instructed by the Marquis of Salisbury to propose to the United States' Government that the time limited for the prosecution of the appeals in these cases should, by consent, be extended for such a period as may permit of a settlement of the claims in question by diplomatic negotiation, without prejudice to the ultimate legal remedy by appeal, should such negotiation be unsuccessful, and that the vessels and skins should be at once released on security. It is understood, indeed, that permission has actually been given to the owners of these vessels to bond them pending appeal, provided the sureties are citizens of the United States and resident therein, and, under these circumstances, the proposal for an extension of the time limited for such appeal is submitted in view of any diplomatic negotiations which may ensue, having for object the satisfactory adjustment of all matters connected with these cases. Sir, No. 135. Colonial Office to Foreign Office.-(Received May 14.) Downing Street, May 12, 1888. I AM directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you a copy of the telegram which was addressed to the Governor-General of Canada upon the question of the proposed close time for seals in Behring's Sea, together with a copy of the reply which has now been received from the Governor-General, and which I am to request may be laid before the Marquis of Salisbury. I am, &c. (Signed) EDWARD WINGFIELD. (Telegraphic.) Inclosure 1 in No. 135. Lord Knutsford to the Marquis of Lansdowne. Downing Street, May 9, 1888. BEHRING'S SEA close time for seals. With reference to your telegram 25th April, would objections of your Government be met if proposal to take 50th degree north latitude be reverted to instead of 47th? (Telegraphic.) Inclosure 2 in No. 135. The Marquis of Lansdowne to Lord Knutsford. May 11, 1888. I HAVE received your cablegram of the 9th instant. The objections of the Canadian Government would not be removed by the substitution of the 50th instead of the 47th parallel. A Report on close time question is in course of preparation. My Government hopes that no decision will be taken until you are in possession of it. (Extract.) No. 136. Sir L. West to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received June 11.) Washington, May 30, 1888. WITH reference to my despatch of the 1st instant, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that at Mr. Bayard's request I called upon him, and he then remarked to me, with reference to my note of the 30th April, that he was not aware that there were any vessels or skins held at the present moment. With regard to extending the time limited for appeal, he said that he had consulted with the Attorney-General, and that he had found that it was not in the power of the Executive to intervene in the matter. Having given me this explanation, he said he would reply to my note in this sense. P.S.-I subjoin copy of the reply to my note of the 30th April, which I have just received. Sir, Inclosure in No. 136. Mr. Bayard to Sir L. West. Department of State, Washington, May 28, 1888. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your notes of the 30th ultimo and the 25th instant, both relating to the appeals taken in the Judicial Courts in Alaska from decrees in cases of British vessels seized by the United States' Revenue officials in Behring's Sea, under charges of having violated the laws of the United States regulating the killing of fur-seals. I must excuse myself for the delay in making reply to your note of the 30th April, which was caused by my desire to obtain from you a verbal explanation of what appeared to me an inadvertent expression contained therein, from which it appeared that the "skippers" were held under arrest as well as the sealing-vessels. In my personal interview with you to day it became mutually understood that there has been and is no such personal detention in any of the cases, but the proceedings have all been in rem against the vessels so employed and their outfits. The suggestion of the Marquis of Salisbury that the time limited for prosecution of the appeals (entered already or proposed to be entered) in the cases referred to, in order to give an opportunity for a diplomatic settlement [sic], will meet with favourable consideration within the limits of statutory provision in relation to the docketing and prosecution of appeals. While it is not within the power of the Executive Branch to alter or extend the statutory limitation in respect of the time of entering such appeals, yet as far as agreement of both parties may prevail in procuring postponements of the arguments and pleadings, after the appeal has been duly taken, I apprehend that there will be every disposition on the part of the prosecution to give time for diplomatic arrangement. Accept, &c. (Signed) T. F. BAYARD. No. 137. Extract from Russian Memorandum regarding Hunting of Seals.-(Communicated by M. de Staal to the Marquis of Salisbury, July 25, 1888.) LES endroits où se pratique la chasse aux otaries peuvent se diviser en deux groupes distincts : Dans le premier groupe le nombre des otaries tuées tous les ans est de beaucoup plus important que dans le deuxième groupe La chasse s'y pratique sur des bases rationnelles, c'est-à-dire qu'on n'y tue que les otaries qui répondent aux exigences du commerce: d'une certaine taille et du sexe mâle et à l'époque de l'année où la fourrure à le plus de valeur commerciale. En outre, la chasse s'y règle de façon que le nombre des otaries qui fréquentent ces îles, loin de diminuer, augmente tous les ans. Dans le deuxième groupe, la chasse a lieu sans aucun système; on y tue les otaries mâles et femelles de tout âge sans tenir compte des époques de l'année. Ce mode d'extermination et le manque de lois protectrices font craindre la disparition complète des otaries de ces parages. Comme preuve on cite des endroits appartenant à ce deuxième groupe où jadis on trouvait des millions de ces phocacés et où maintenant on en tue à peine quelques milliers. La période qui suivit l'expiration de la Concession accordée à la Compagnie RussoAméricaine pour l'exploitation de la chasse sur les Iles Pribyloff et du Commandeur a clairement démontré tout le mal qu'une chasse libre pourrait faire au développement et à la multiplication des otaries. Après l'expiration de cette Concession les îles devinrent la proie du premier venu et les chiffres qui suivent démontrent la progression énorme qu'a subi le nombre des otaries exterminées pendant ces deux années: En 1867, le nombre des otaries tuées sur les Isles Pribyloff était de 40,000; en 1868, de 242,000; et en 1869, de 87,000. Sur les Iles du Commandeur on avait tué l'année 1867, 4,000 otaries; l'année 1868, Ce n'est que l'éloignement de ces îles des contrées habitées et le nombre minime de la population locale qui a empêché la destruction complète de ces phocacés. Pour mettre fin à ces abus, le Gouvernement des États-Unis d'Amérique concéda en 1870 à la Compagnie de Commerce d'Aliaska le droit d'exploiter la chasse des otaries sur les Iles Pribyloff pendant vingt ans. La même Compagnie, mais sous un autre nom, obtint une autorisation analogue du Gouvernement Russe pour la chasse des otaries sur les Isles du Commandeur et des Phoques, pour la même période de vingt ans, à partir du 18 Février, 1871. Ainsi, nous voyons qu'un monopole privé a été concédé sur les îles fréquentées par les otaries trois ans à peine après l'expiration de celui de la Compagnie RussoAméricaine. Ce monopole a été reconnu nécessaire pour les deux Gouvernements à la suite des conclusions des Commissions Russe et Américaine, instituées dans le but d'étudier la question de la chasse aux otaries et le moyen de préserver ces animaux d'une destruction complète. D'après le Contrat par le Gouvernement Russe, le nombre des otaries que la Com. pagnie a le droit de tuer est réglé chaque année par les autorités Russes locales. La chasse ne peut être pratiqué que par les indigènes, excepté sur l'Ile des Phoques, où la Compagnie peut employer ses propres chasseurs, l'île n'étant pas habitée. En échange de chaque peau la Compagnie doit payer aux indigènes un certain prix prévu par le Contrat. L'époque de la chasse est strictement limitée. Ce qui fait le plus de tort au développement du nombre des otaries c'est la chasse illicite qui se pratique tant en pleine mer que sur les Iles Japonaises et quelquefois sur l'Ile des Phoques après le départ du bâtiment de la Compagnie, ce qui arrive généralement vers la mi-Octobre. D'après les Rapports des Douanes Japonaises il a été importé au Japon, pendant l'année 1884, 3,400 peaux d'otaries résultant de ce genre de braconnage; ce qui ferait 50 pour cent sur toutes les fourrures d'otaries exportées du Japon. Jusqu'à 1862 il n'existait pas dans ce pays de loi prohibant la chasse des otaries. En 1862 une Loi défendant cette chasse a été promulguée sans effet, les îles n'étant pas suffisamment gardées contre l'invasion des braconniers. En automne les otaries quittent la terre ferme et se dirigent au sud des Iles Aléoutes, où elles séjournent le reste de l'année en pleine mer. C'est alors qu'elles sont exposées aux attaques des navires armés en chasse qui les détruisent par tous les moyens : armes à feu, filets, harpons, &c., sans distinction entre les mâles et les femelles pleines. Il n'y a qu'un tiers seulement des animaux tués de la sorte qui est utilisé, le reste se perd sans le moindre profit. C'est à ce genre de procédé qu'on attribue la disparition à peu près complète des otaries sur les côtes du Chili et de l'Afrique Méridionale, ainsi que sur les Iles de Falkland. On a peur que le même sort ne soit réservé aux îles de la Mer de Behring, à moins que des mesures efficaces ne soient adoptées à bref délai pour protéger les otaries. (Translation.) THE places where fur-seal hunting takes place can be divided into two distinct groups : |