38 CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



47 It will of course strike the Russian Plenijioteiitiaries that, by 

 tlie adoption of the American Article resi»ecting' navigation, 



&c., the provision for an exclnsive iisheryof 2 leagues from the coasts 

 of our respective possessions falls to the ground. 



But the omission is, in truth, immaterial. 



The law of nations assigns the exclnsive sovereignty of 1 league to 

 each Power on its own coasts, without any specitit; stipulation, and 

 though 81r Charles Bagot was authorized to sign the Convention 

 with the specific stipulation of 2 leagues, in ignorance of what had 

 been decided in the American Convention at the time, yet, after that 

 Convention has been some montlis before the world, and after the 

 opportunity of consideration has been forced upon us by the act of 

 Russia herself, we cannot now consent, in negotiating de novo, to a 

 stiptilation which, while it is absolutely unimportant to any practical 

 good, would a])pear to establish a contrast between the United States 

 and us to onr disadvantage. 



THE TREATY (GREAT BRITAIN AND RUS.SIA), FEBRUARY 28, 1825. 



These negotiatious resulted in a Convention with Great 

 Britain, signed on. the 28th of February, 1825, hereinafter 

 referred to. 



PROTEST OF UNITED STATES. 



sess^-l'^sTn^'Ex^ Ou the 30th January (11th February), 1822, M. Pierre 

 Doc. No. IOC. p. ^g Poletica, the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plen- 

 ipotentiary of the Kussiau Emperor, transmitted the Ukase 

 to Mr. Adams, Secretary of State for the United States. 

 Ibid., p. 205. On the 25th February, 1822, Mr. Adams wrote to M. 

 Poletica : 



Department of State, 

 Wash in (J ton, Fehrnary 25, 1S32. 

 Sir, I liave the honour of receiving your note of the 11th instant, 

 inclosing a printed copy of the Regulations adoptijd by the Russian- 

 American Company, and sanctioned by His Imperial Majesty, relating 

 to the commerce of foreigners in the waters bordering on the estab- 

 lishments of that Comjiany upon the north-west coast of America. 



1 am directed by the President of the United States to inform you 

 that he lias seen with surprise, in this Edict, the assertion of a terri- 

 torial claim on the part of Russia, extending to the 51st degree of north 

 latitude on this continent, and a Regulation interdicting to all com- 

 mercial vessels other than Russian, ujjon the penalty of seizure and 

 confiscation, the approach upon the high seas within 100 Italian miles 

 of the shores to which that claim is made to api)ly. The relations of 

 the United States with His Imperial Majesty have always been of the 

 most friendly character; and it is the earnest desire of this Governnumt 

 to j)reserve them in that state. It was expected, before any Act 



48 which should define th(^ boundary between the territories of 

 the United States and Russia on this continent, tliat the same 



would have been arranged l)y Treaty between the ]iarties. To exclude 

 the vessels of our citizens from the shore, beyond the ordinary distance 

 to which the territorial jurisdiction extends, has excited still greater 

 surprise. 



This Ordinance afi'ects so deejily the rights of the United Statce 

 and of their citizens, tiuit I am instructed to inqtiire whether you are 

 authorized to give explanations of the grounds of right, upon ]trin- 

 ciples generally recoguize<l by the laws and usages of nations, which 

 can warrant the claims and Regulations contained in it. 

 I avail, &c. 



(Signed) John Quincy Adams. 



It will bo observed that both the Ukase and the protest 

 apply to the waters from l>elning Strait southward as far 

 as the 51st degree of latitude ou the coast of America. 



