NOTICE by the Governor-General of Crete, respecting the Coast Fishery.-Canea, April 10, 1893.

(Translation.)

ACCORDING to the dispositions of the general Fishery Law, fishing by steam and sailing-boats with nets dragged on the bottom of the sea is to be exercised beyond three miles from the coast, moreover, such a mode of fishing is generally and strictly prohibited within a shorter distance from the sea-shore.

Whereas it is ascertained that fishing is carried on along the coasts of Crete in contravention of this Law, the Governor-General notifies that from the 15th April of the current financial year 1593 (1309) fishing by steamer and large and small sailing-boats using drag-nets is strictly prohibited within three miles from the sea-shore: that the boats, tackle, and nets of the contraveners of this prohibtion will be confiscated; and on a second contravention, to the same penalty will be added a fine of from 50 to 100 liras in conformity with Article 29 of the above-mentioned Law, and that the aforesaid prohibition and penalties will be applied without distinction to all native, Maltese, and Italian fishermen.

Canea, March 29, 1893.

April 10

MAHMOUD, Governor-General ad interim.

NOTES exchanged between Great Britain and Russia, for the Protection of Russian Sealing Interests in the North Pacific Ocean during the year 1893.-May 1893.

No. 1.-Mr. Howard to M. Chichkine.

May 129

M. LE CONSEILLER PRIVÉ, St. Petersburgh, April, 1893. IN obedience to instructions received from the Earl of Rosebery, I have the honour to inform your Excellency that Her Majesty's Government have had under their consideration the note which you addressed to Sir Robert Morier on the th April relative to the proposed arrangement for the protection of Russian sealing interests in the North Pacific Ocean during the present year, and that they note with satisfaction that their proposals for this purpose are accepted by the Russian Government with one exception.

I am desired to express the hope of Her Majesty's Government that the difficulty in regard to this single point may be removed by an arrangement which I am now instructed to propose that any

British vessels which may be seized by Russian cruisers on the charge of contravening the Agreement shall be delivered to Her Majesty's cruisers at Yokohama, or at some place of rendezvous to be settled hereafter. I have been likewise instructed to transmit to your Excellency the inclosed draft of an Agreement embodying the principles of the arrangement, which I am empowered to sign at once with your Excellency or any other member of the Imperial Government who may be similarly authorized to that end; but I am requested at the same time to state that, should the Russian Government prefer it, Her Majesty's Government are ready to consent to the Agreement being recorded in any exchange of notes.

Finally, I am to add that, in view of the capital importance of a speedy settlement, Her Majesty's Government refrain from any discussion of the propositions advanced in your Excellency's note of theth April to Her Majesty's Ambassador, but that it must be understood that they cannot admit any claim on the part of Russia to take measures of the nature contemplated in the arrangements of her own motion, and without previous agreement with other Powers concerned, and that Her Majesty's Government must reserve to themselves full freedom to object to any interference with British vessels outside Russian territorial waters according to the usual acceptation of the term which is not based on an express agreement between the two Governments.

M. Chichkine.

I avail, &c.,

HENRY HOWARD.

(Inclosure.) Draft Agreement between Great Britain and Russia relative to the Seal Fisheries.

WITH the view to avoid difficulties in regard to the seal fisheries, and to aid in the preservation of the seal species, the Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, and the Government of His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, have concluded the following Agreement:

ART. I. During the year ending the 31st December, 1893, Her Britannic Majesty's Government will prohibit British subjects from killing or hunting seals within the following limits :

(a.) Within a zone of 10 marine miles following the sinuosities of the Russian coasts which border on Behring Sea and any other part of the North Pacific Ocean.

(b.) Within a zone of 30 marine miles round the Komandorski Islands, and round Tulénew (Robben Island).

II. Her Britannic Majesty's Government engage to co-operate,

with British cruisers, in preventing British subjects from killing or hunting seals within the aforesaid limits.

III. British vessels engaged in killing or hunting seals within the aforesaid limits may be seized either by British or Russian cruisers; but, if seized by the latter, they shall forthwith be handed over at Yokohama, or at any port in the British possessions, or to the Commander of any British ship of war, for trial by the British authorities.

IV. The Imperial Russian Government engage to limit to 30,000 the number of seals which may be killed during the whole of the year 1893 upon or around the said Islands of Komandorski and Tulénew (Robben Island).

V. It is agreed that a British Agent may, when so desired by Her Britannic Majesty's Government, visit the said islands to conter there with the authorities, and to inquire into the working and results of the present Agreement.

VI. The present Agreement will in nowise affect the facilities hitherto accorded in Russian ports to British vessels as regards refuge, repairs, obtaining supplies, or other matters for which they may properly require access.

VII. It is understood that the present Agreement relates solely to the year 1893. It has consequently no retroactive force or effect -more especially as regards the British vessels captured previously by Russian cruisers.

In witness whereof the Undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have signed this Agreement, and affixed thereto the sea. of their arms.

Done at, &c.

No. 2.-M. Chichkine to Mr. Howard.

12 Mai

M. LE CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES, Saint-Pétersbourg, le 12 Mai, 1893. EN réponse à votre communication en date du 30 Avril j'ai l'honneur de vous informer que le Gouvernement Impérial, tout en acceptant le projet d'Arrangement annexé à cette communication, préfère lui donner le caractère d'un échange de notes pour les raisons suivantes :

Parceque la rédaction trop concise du projet susmentionné laisserait la porte ouverte à certains malentendus, et peut-être même à des complications qu'il serait désirable d'éviter;

Parceque le Gouvernement Impérial ne saurait adhérer au projet en question sans quelques réserves destinées à sauvegarder sa liberté d'appréciation dans l'avenir.

Il est bien entendu que l'entente à établir entre nos deur

Gouvernements laisserait intacts tous les droits de la Russie dans les eaux territoriales.

Quant à nos réserves, elles porteraient sur les points ci-dessous: 1. En consentant à livrer aux autorités Britanniques les navires Anglais qui s'occupent de la chasse des otaries dans les zones prohibées, nous ne voulons nullement préjuger, en général, la question des droits d'une Puissance riveraine d'étendre sa juridiction territoriale dans certains cas spéciaux au delà de ses eaux territoriales proprement dites.

2. Le Gouvernement Impérial entend garder son entière liberté quant au choix, dans l'avenir, entre les deux systèmes de protection des otaries, soit au moyen d'une zone prohibée, soit au moyen d'une défense complète de la chasse pélagique ou de sa réglementation en pleine mer.

3. L'Arrangement actuel ne pourrait servir à aucun titre de précédent, et n'aurait à nos yeux qu'un caractère essentiellement provisoire pour le cas présent.

Ces réserves faites, nous adhérons à la proposition Britannique dans les termes suivants :

:

1. Pendant l'année prenant fin le 31 Décembre, 1893, le Gouvernement Anglais défendra à ses sujets la chasse aux otaries dans une zone de 10 milles maritimes sur toutes les côtes Russes de la Mer de Behring et de l'Océan Pacifique du Nord; ainsi que dans une zone de 30 milles maritimes autour des Iles Komandorski et Tuliniew (Robbin Island).

2. Les navires Anglais qui se livrent à la chasse des otaries dans les zones susmentionnées en dehors des eaux territoriales de la Russie peuvent être arrêtés par les croiseurs Russes pour être remis aux croiseurs Anglais, ou bien aux autorités Britanniques les plus proches. En cas d'empêchement ou de difficulté, le Commandant du croiseur Russe peut se borner à saisir les papiers de bord des navires susmentionnés, afin de les remettre à un croiseur Britannique, ou de les expédier aux autorités Anglaises les plus voisines, à la première possibilité.

3. Le Gouvernement Britannique s'engage à faire juger par les Tribunaux ordinaires et offrant toutes les garanties nécessaires les navires Anglais qui seraient arrêtés comme s'étant occupés de la chasse défendue dans les zones prohibées en dehors des eaux territoriales Russes.

4. Le Gouvernement Impérial limitera à 30,000 têtes le nombre des otaries à tuer sur les côtes des Iles Komandorski et Tuliniew (Robbin Island) dans le courant de l'année 1893.

5. Un Agent du Gouvernement Britannique pourra être admis. sur les îles susmentionnées (Komandorski et Tuliniew) afin de recueillir auprès des autorités locales toutes les informations néces

saires sur le fonctionnement et les résultats de l'entente convenue, mais en ayant soin d'informer préalablement ces autorités du lieu et de l'époque de sa visite, qui ne saurait d'ailleurs se prolonger au delà de quelques semaines.

6. I'arrangement actuel n'aura pas de force rétrospective quant à la saisie des navires Anglais arrêtés antérieurement par les croiseurs de la marine Impériale.

Ces points étant basés sur les notes précédemment échangées entre nos deux Gouvernements ainsi que sur le texte des dernières propositions Anglaises, nous espérons, M. le Chargé d'Affaires, que le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté Britannique jugera désormais l'entente entre nous comme entièrement établie quant au régime de la pêche aux otaries pour le courant de l'année présente.

IN pursuance of your Lordship's instructions as conveyed in your telegram of yesterday, I have this day addressed a note to the Russian Government in the following terms:

22nd

"Your Excellency's note of the instant on the subject of the sea fisheries in the North Pacific was forwarded without delay to Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State, and I am now instructed by Her Majesty's Government to state that they accept, as a provisional agreement applying to the present year only, the arrangement for the protection of the Russian sealing interests as defined in that note. They will forth with invite Parliament to enact the legislation which is necessary to carry the Agreement, so far as it binds Great Britain, into effect.

"With reference to the general reservations contained in your Excellency's note, Her Majesty's Government, while taking note of them, have instructed me to abstain from discussing them at present, but to inform the Imperial Government that they, on their side, maintain to the full the reservations made by them as formulated in Mr. Howard's note to your Excellency of the It is understood, therefore, that the rights and position of neither Power are in any way prejudiced by this provisional arrangement."

12th May