44 CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



erty to froiiiieiit, without any liiiidraiice ■\vbatover, all tho inland seas, 

 the ,i;ulls, havens, and creeks on the coast mentioned in Artich) III, 

 for the jturposes ot fishing and of trading with the natives. 



Article VIII. 



The port of Sitka, or Novo Archangelsk, shall be open to the com- 

 merce and vessels of British subjects for the space of ten years from 

 the date of the exchange of the ratifications of the present Conven- 

 tion. In the event of an extension of this term of ten years being 

 granted to any other Power, the like extension shall be granted also 

 to Great Britain. 



Artici.k IX. 



The above-mentioned liberty of commerce shall not app'y to the 

 trade in spirituous liquors, in tire arms, or other ai'ms, gunpowder, or 

 other warlike stores; the High Contracting Parties reciprocally 

 engaging not to permit the above-mentionecl articles to be sold or 

 delivered, in any manner whatever, to the natives of the country. 



Article X. 



Every British or Russian vessel navigating the Pacific Ocean which 

 may be compelled by storms or by accident to take shelter in the 

 ports of the respective Parties, shall be at liberty to relit therein, to 

 provide itself with all necessary stores, and to put to sea again, with- 

 out paying any other than port and lighthouse dues, which shall be 

 the same as those paid by national vessels. In case, however, the 

 master of such vessel should be under the necessity of disposing of a 

 part of his merchandise in order to defray his expenses, he shall con- 

 form himself to the Regtilations and Tariffs of the place where he 

 may have landed. 



Article XI 



5(i In every case of com])laint on account of an infraction of the 



Articles of the present Convention, thecivilandmilitary author- 

 ities of the High Contracting Parties, without previously acting or 

 taking any forcible measure, .shall make an exact and circinnstan- 

 tial rejiort of the matter to their respective Courts, who engage to 

 settle the same in a friendly manner and according to the principles 

 of justice. 



Article XII. 



The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall 

 be exchanged at London within the space of six weeks, or sooner if 

 possible. 



In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries ha\e signed the 

 same and have aftixed thereto the seal of their arms. 



Done ab St. I*etersburgh the Kith (28th) day of February, in the 

 year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five. 

 [l. s.] Stratford Canning, 



[l. s.] The Count de Nesselkode. 



[L. S.J Pierre de Politica. 



Mr. Stratford Caiuiino; to Mr. G. Oaniiiu^-, in liis des- 

 patch of the 1st March, 18135, inclosing- the Convention as 

 signed, says: 



Soo Appendix With respect to Behring Straits, 1 aui happy to have it in my power 

 vol. ii, J'art l', to a.ssuro yon, on the joint authority of the Russian Plenipot(Uitiaries, 

 No. 50. that the Emperor of Russia has no intention wliatever of maintaining 



any exclusive claim to the navigation of those straits, or of the seas 



to the north of them. 



Mr. S. Canning, in a fartlier despatch to Mr. (i. (van- 

 ning, 3rd (15th) April, 18135, said: 



Ibid. No. 57. • • • With respect to the right of fishing, no explanation what- 



ever took place between the Plenipotentiaries and myself in the course 

 of onr negotiations. As no objection was started by them to the 



