ALASKA INDUSTRIES. 345 



United states Fisli Connnissioii that the seals -were slviniied in canoes 

 by Indians and the pelts thrown on board, and that under the circum- 

 stances they had no time to botlier with inspecting- skins minutely as to 

 sex. The Department is of opinion that under such circumstances 

 reports of British sealers are unreliable, and that the proportion of 

 female skins taken by the Canadian fleet is much greater than that 

 returned. 



This would seem to be corroborated by sworn statements, now in the 

 possession ofthe Department, of exi)erts who personally inspected in Lon- 

 don some of the largest consignments of seal skins taken in 1804, and 

 found that from 85 to 90 per cent of them were females. 



The J)epartment is therefore of the opinion that examination by 

 inspectors of all skins landed at British Columbian ports would greatly 

 assist in arriving- at a more thorough knowledge of seal conditions, and 

 I would therefore ask that the British Government be urged to reply 

 as soon as possible to the request as above already transmitted. 

 I have the honor, etc. 



The SEfiRETARY OF STATE. 



0. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary. 



Depaetment of State, August 26, 1895. 



Sir: I have the honor to inclose for your information translations of 

 two notes from the Kussian charge d'affaires ad interim at this capital, 

 presenting the views of his Government on the subject of Department's 

 note of January 23 last to the British ambassador at Washington con- 

 cerning the regulation of fur-seal hunting in Bering Sea. 

 J have the honor, etc., 



The Secretary of the Treasury. 



Alvey a. Adee, 



Acting Secretary. 



[Incloaure.] 



Imperial Lkgation of Russia, 



Washiuf/tov, Angui^i l-Jahj 26, 1895. 



Mr. Secretary of State : The conteuts of the note of Mr. Gresham, late Secretary 

 of State, to the ambassador of Great Britaiu at Washington, bearing date ofthe 23d 

 of Jannary last, concerning the regnlation of fnr-seal hunting, has been snbmitted to 

 the examination of a special connnission, which recognized the necessity of a nniform 

 rt^ginie for fur-seal hunting on the high seas for all the noithern portion of the Pacific 

 Ocean, from the coasts of America to those of Asia. To this end the Federal Govern- 

 ment proposes the appointment of a mixed commission, to be composed ofthe repre- 

 sentatives of the United States of America, of Russia, of Great Britain, and of .lajian, 

 whose duty it shall be to examine tliis (|nestion. The Federal Government further 

 proposes to secure the enforcement of the decisions of the Tribunal of Arbitration 

 which sat at Paris relative to fur-seal hunting as far as 35"^ north latitude in the 

 Pacific Ocean, and to prohibit hunting in Bering Sea until the commission shall have 

 finished its labors. 



While accepting, in principle, the suggestion concerning the appointment of the 

 aforesaid commission, the Imperial Government attaches much greater importance 

 to the modus vivendi, whereby the decisions of the Tribunal of Arbitration at Paris 

 are to be enforced in all waters ofthe Pacific Ocean situated north of the thirty-fifth 

 parallel of north latitude, including the Sea of Okhotsk. 



The s])irit of equity which actuates the Federal Government does not permit me to 

 doubt that Your Excellency will be jileased to agree that the present state of things, 

 in which the decision of the Tribunal of Arbitration at Paris is enforced only in the 

 eastern part ofthe Bering Sea, the fur seals in the western part ofthe same sea being 



