354 ALASKA INDIJSTKIES. 



is shortly to appear in the Secretary's report. I also return the draft 

 submitted with your letter of the 8th instant. 

 Respectfully, yours, 



The Secretary of Sta'jb. 



0. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary. 



Department of State, 



Washington, February 34, 1896. 



Sir: The inclosed note (in translation) of the Russian minister at 

 this capital speaks for itself. It seems to me the 10-mile-along-the-coast 

 arrangement is not material. Do you think it is? 



If not, the agreement as approved by the Treasury Department would, 

 as I understand it, be sufficiently expressed by an instrumeut contain- 

 ing the provisions shown by a draft herein inclosed. 



Please give me your views upon the matter, returning the draft with 

 such alterations as you deem to be needed. 



The Russian minister is exceedingly anxious that no time should be 

 lost in initiating the proposed negotiations in London. I therefore hope 

 to hear from you on the subject at once. 

 Very truly, yours, 



Richard Olney. 



Hon. Charles S. Hamlin, 



Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, 



February 26, 1896. 



Sir : I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated February 

 24, inclosing the draft of an agreement between the Russian Govern- 

 ment and the United States regarding new regulations of the fur-seal 

 lisheries from the Asiatic to the American shores. You state that in 

 your opinion the suggestion of the Department regarding the abroga- 

 tion of the 10-mile zone is not material, and you ask further expression 

 of opinion from me on this question. In reply, I have the honor to 

 state that this prohibition, if continued, will prevent American seal- 

 ing vessels from participating in the fur-seal fisheries within 10 miles 

 of the Russian and Japan coasts. Such a prohibition, if enforced also 

 against the British Canadian sealers as well as those of Russia and 

 Japan, would put the citizens and subjects of all of these nations on 

 e<iual grounds. I see, therefore, no objection to the continuation of 

 such prohibition. 



In the draft you inclose there is evidently an error as to the closed 

 season, it being made to read from April 1 to April 15. In the original 

 suggestion contained in your letter of February 8, the agreement read 

 from April 1 to October 15, and I assume that those are still the dates 

 during which total prohibition of fur sealing is desired. 



I will also call your attention to the statement in the preamble of the 

 last draft of agreement, "that the object is to provide that the same 

 law shall govern maritime hunting of fur seals in the waters frequented 

 by both the Russian and American herds." This statement should be 

 omitted, as the suggestion made by the Russian Government modifies, 



