to preserve from extermination the fur seals which at certain seasons are found in Behring Sea, I am requested by the Marquis of Salisbury to inform you that the Russian ambassador in London has been communicated with on the subject, and that he has referred to his Government for instructions. But in making this communication to you I am instructed to state that this action on the part of Her Majesty's Government must not be taken as an admission of the rights of jurisdiction in Behring Sea exercised there by the United States authorities during the fishing seasons of 1886–287 and 1887-'88, nor as affecting the claims which Her Majesty's Government will have to present on account of the wrongful seizures which have taken place of British vessels engaged in the seal fishing industry. I have, etc., L. S. SACKVILLE WEST. Mr. Bayard to Sir L. S. Sackville West. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of the 26th instant in which you inform the Department that the action of Her Majesty's Government in respect to the proposal of this Government for an arrangement to protect the fur seal from extermination in Behring Sea, is not to be taken as an admission of the jurisdiction of the United States over Bering Sea, nor as affecting the claims which Her Majesty's Government will have to present on account of the seizure of certain British vessels in those waters. I have, etc., T. F. BAYARD. Sir L. S. Sackville West to Mr. Bayard. WASHINGTON, April 2, 1888. (Received April 3.) SIR: I have the honor to inform you that the Marquis of Salisbury has received intimation from the Canadian Government to the effect that orders have been issued by the United States Government for the capture of British ships fishing in Behring Sea, and that he has telegraphed to me to represent earnestly the extreme importance of enabling Her Majesty's Government to contradict this rumor. I have, etc., L. S. SACKVILLE WEST. Mr. White to Mr. Bayard. [Telegram.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, April 7, 1888. (Received April 7.) Mr. White stated that on the following Thursday he was to meet Lord Salisbury and M. de Staal to discuss the question of the protec tion of the seals. On April 7 he had had an interview on the subject with M. de Staal, from whom he learned that the Russian Government wished to include in the proposed arrangement that part of Behring Sea in which the Commander Islands are situated, and also the sea of Okhotsk. Mr. White supposed that the United States would not object to this. Mr. White to Mr. Bayard. No. 720.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, April 7, 1888. (Received April 17.) SIR: Referring to your instructions numbered 782 of February 7 and 810 of March 2, respecting the protection of seals in Behring Sea, I have the honor to acquaint you that I received a private note from the Marquis of Salisbury this morning stating that at the request of the Russian embassador he had appointed a meeting at the foreign office next Wednesday, 11th instant, "to discuss the question of a close time for the seal fishery in Behring Sea," and expressing a hope that I would make it convenient to be present, and I have replied that I shall be happy to attend. Subsequently I saw M. de Staal, the Russian embassador, at his request. He referred to the interviews which Mr. Phelps had had with him, of which I was, of course, cognizant, and stated that his full instructions on the subject would not reach London until to-night or tomorrow, and that he was about to leave town until next Wednesday, but meanwhile he could say that his Government would like to have the regulations which might be agreed upon for Behring Sea extended to that portion of the latter in which the Commander Islands are situated, and also to the Sea of Okhotsk (in which Robben Island is situated). As both these places are outside the limit laid down in your instruction numbered 782 (170° of longitude east from Greenwich), I have thought it best to send you the telegram, of which I inclose a copy herewith.1 I am etc., HENRY WHITE. Mr. Bayard to Mr. White. [Telegram.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Mr. Bayard stated, in reply to Mr. White's telegram of April 7, that this Government did not object to the extension of the arrangement for the protection of the fur-seal fisheries to the whole of Behring Sea. For inclosure see supra, p. 177. No. 849.] Mr. Bayard to Mr. White. [Extract.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: I have to acknowledge your No. 720 of the 7th instant, inclosing copy of your telegram of the same date, in which you informed the Department that Lord Salisbury, the Russian embassador, and yourself were to meet on Thursday, the 12th instant, to discuss the protec tion of seals, and that the Russian Government desired to include in the proposed arrangement that portion of Behring Sea in which Commander Islands are situated, and also the Sea of Okhotsk. On the 9th instant I sent you a telegram stating that this Government did not object to the extension of the arrangement for the protection of the fur-seal fisheries to the whole of Behring Sea. Owing to an error in transmission of your telegram, Okhotsk Sea did not appear to be included in the suggestion, but there is no objection to such inclusion. I am, etc., T. F. BAYARD. No. 725.] Mr. White to Mr. Bayard. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, April 20, 1888. (Received April 30.) SIR Referring to your instructions Nos. 685, 782, and 810, to Mr. Phelps's dispatches Nos.618 and 690, and to subsequent correspondence, I have the honor to acquaint you that I called at the foreign office on the 16th instant for the purpose of discussing with the Marquis of Salisbury and M de Staal, the Russian embassador, the details of the proposed conventional arrangement for the protection of seals in Bering Sea. M. de Staal expressed a desire, on behalf of his Government, to include in the area to be protected by the convention the Sea of Okhotsk, or at least that portion of it in which Robben Island is situated, there being, he said, in that region large numbers of seals, whose destruction is threatened in the same way as those in Behring Sea. He also urged that measures be taken by the insertion of a clause in the proposed convention or otherwise, for prohibiting the importation, by merchant vessels, into the seal-protected area, for sale therein, of alcoholic drinks, firearms, gunpowder, and dynamite. Lord Salisbury expressed no opinion with regard to the latter proposal, but, with a view to meeting the Russian Government's wishes respecting the waters surrounding Robben Island, he suggested that, besides the whole of Behring Sea, those portions of the Sea of Okhotsk and of the Pacific Ocean north of north latitude 47° should be included in the proposed arrangement. His lordship intimated furthermore that the period proposed by the United States for a close time, April 15 to November 1, might interfere with the trade longer than absolutely necessary for the protection of the seals, and he suggested October 1, instead of a month later, as the termination of the period of seal protection. I referred to the communications already made by Mr. Phelps on this subject to Lord Salisbury, and said that I should be obliged to refer to you the proposals which had just been made, before expressing au opinion with regard to them. I have accordingly the honor to ask for instructions in reference to the same. Meanwhile the Marquis of Salisbury promised to have prepared a draft convention for submission to the Russian embassador and to myself. I shall lose no time in forwarding to you a copy of this document when received. I am, etc., Mr. Bayard to Mr. White. HENRY WHITE. No. 864.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Your dispatch No. 725 of the 20th ultimo stating the result of your interview with Lord Salisbury and the Russian embassador relative to the protection of seals in Behring Sea, and requesting further instructions as to their proposals, has been received. As you have already been instructed, the Department does not object to the inclusion of the sea of Okhotsk, or so much of it as may be necessary, in the arrangement for the protection of the seals. Nor is it thought absolutely necessary to insist on the extension of the close season till the 1st of November. Only such a period is desired as may be requisite for the end in view. But in order that success may be assured in the efforts of the various Governments interested in the protection of the seals, it seems advisable to take the 15th of October instead of the 1st as the date of the close season, although, as I am now advised, the 1st of November would be safer. The suggestion made by Lord Salisbury that it may be necessary to bring other Governments than the United States, Great Britain, and Russia into the arrangement has already been met by the action of the Department, as I have heretofore informed you. At the same time the invitation was sent to the British Government to negotiate a convention for seal protection in Behring Sea, a like invitation was extended to various other powers, which have without exception returned a favorable response. In order, therefore, that the plan may be carried out, the convention proposed between the United States, Great Britain, and Russia should contain a clause providing for the subsequent adhesion of other powers. In regard to the suggestion of the Russian ambassador that the convention be made to cover the question of the sale of firearms and liquor to the natives on the coast in question, I am compelled to think, while in favor of restricting or prohibiting such sale, that it would be advisable to regulate the subject separately from the protection of the seals. It is possible that some Governments might readily assent to the latter object, while indisposed to accede to the former, and in that way lead to the defeat of the end first proposed by this Government. I am, etc., T. F. BAYARD, Mr. White to Mr. Bayard. No. 786.] LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, June 20, 1888. (Received June 30.) SIR: I have the honor to inform you that I availed myself of an early opportunity to acquaint the Marquis of Salisbury and the Russian ambassador of the receipt of your instructions numbered 864, of May 3, and shortly afterwards (May 16) his excellency and I called together at the foreign office for the purpose of discussing with his lordship the terms of the proposed convention for the protection of seals in Behring Sea. Unfortunately Lord Salisbury had just received a communication from the Canadian Government stating that a memorandum on the subject would shortly be forwarded to London, and expressing a hope that pending the arrival of that document no further steps would be taken in the matter by Her Majesty's Government. Under these circumstances Lord Salisbury felt bound to await the Canadian memorandum before proceeding to draft the convention. I have inquired several times whether this communication from Canada had been received, but it has not yet come to hand. I was informed to-day by Lord Salisbury that an urgent telegram had been sent to Canada a week ago with respect to the delay in its expedition, and that a reply had been received by the secretary of state for the colonies stating that the matter would be taken up immediately. I hope, therefore, that shortly after Mr. Phelps's return this Government will be in a condition to agree upon the terms of the proposed convention. I have the honor to inclose for your information the copy of a question asked by Mr. Gourley and answered by Sir James Fergusson in behalf of the British Government with respect to the seal fishing in Bebring Sea. I have, etc., HENRY WHITE. (For inclosure see Senate Ex. Doc. No. 106, Fiftieth Congress, second session, p. 103.) No. 825.] Mr. Phelps to Mr. Bayard. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, London, September 12, 1888. (Received September 22.) SIR: Referring to the subject of the Alaskan seal fisheries, and to the previous correspondence on the subject between the Department and this legation, I have now the honor to acquaint you with the purport of a conversation which I held with Lord Salisbury in regard to it on the 13th August. Illness, which has incapaciated me from business during most of the interval, has prevented my laying it before you earlier. One of the objects of the interview I then sought with his lordship was to urge the completion of the convention between the United States, Great Britain, and Russia, which under your instructions had previously been the subject of discussion between the secretary for foreign affairs, the Russian ambassador, and myself. This convention, as I have before advised you, had been virtually agreed on verbally, except in its details; and the Russian as well as the United States Government were |