48 CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Her claim to au extraordinary maritime Jurisdiction over 

 the non-territorial waters of tbe ocean was definitively 

 abandoned at the outset of the negotiations, and the dis- 

 cussion was thenceforward confined to the protection of her 

 rights within territorial limits. 



Russia's object was the recognition and ])rotection of the 

 liussian Settlements in America. Accordingly, the Con- 

 ventions provide against "illicit commerce," landing "at 

 any place [from Behring Strait to the sonthernmost bound- 

 ary] where there may be a Kussian establishment without 

 the permission of the Governor or Commandant," and 

 against the formation of pjstablishments by either Power 

 (in the respective Conventions) on territory claimed by, or 

 conceded to, the other. 



USAGE OF THK TERMS IN OFFICIAL CORKESPOXDENCE. 



See Appendix, With the Same object rules were made by Russia, headed 



\o.i, o. "Rules established for the Limits of Navigation and Order 



of Communication along the coast of the Eastern Siberia, 



the north- irestcoast of America, and the Aleutian, Kurile, 



and other Islands." This obviously included the American 



coast of Behring Sea in the term " north-west coast." 



Ibid., voi. ii, Barou Nicolay, writing to Lord Londonderry, 31st Octo- 



Parti,No.i. ^gj, ^i2th November), 1821, says: 



(Tninslation.) 

 "NORTH-WEST COAST." 



The new Regulation does not forl)id foreign vessels to navigate the 

 seas which wash the Russian possessions on the north-west coast of 

 America and the north-east coast of Asia. 



On the other hand, in considering the Russian possessions Avhich 

 extend on the north-west coast of America, from Behriug Strait to 51° 

 of north latitude, and also on the opposite coast. of Asia and the adja- 

 cent islands, from the same Strait to 45"-, &c. 



"pacific ocean." 



For, if it is demonstrated that the Iini>erial Government would, 

 strictly speaking, have had the power to entirely ejose to foreigners 

 that piirt of the Pacific Ocean on which our possessions in America and 

 Asia border, there is all the more reason why the right, in virtue ot 

 which it has just adopted a measure much less generally restrictive, 

 should not be called in question. 



if * # » * 



The officers commanding the Russian vessels of 



62 war, which are to see to the maintenance of the 



above-mentioned arrangements in the Pacific Ocean, 



have been ordered to i)ut them into force against those 



foreign vessels, «S:c. 



Til this note "north-west coast of America" is mentioned 

 three times, and in each case the coast of IJehriiig Sea is 

 included in the term. "Pacific Ocean" appears twice, and 

 in both instances includes the Behriug Sea. 



