CASE PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF THE GOV- 

 ERNMENT OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY TO 

 THE TRIBUNAL OF ARBITRATION. 



INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 



The differeuces between Great Britain and the United 

 States of America, tbe subject of this Arbitration, arise 

 out of claims by the United States of America to prevent 

 and interfeie with British vessels fishing- in the waters of 

 Behring Sea other than the territorial waters thereof. 



Prior to the year 188<) British vessels had, in common 

 with the vessels of the United States and those of other 

 nations, navigated and fished in the non-territorial waters 

 of Behring Sea without interference, 



SEIZURES OF BRITISH SHIPS. 



In 1886 the British schooner '' Thornton " was arrested 

 when fishing 70 miles south-east of St. George Island, the 

 nearest land. 



The vessel was libelled in the United States District 

 Court of Alaska by the District Attorney, the charge formu- 

 lated being that the vessel was "found engaged in killing- 

 fur seals within the limits of Alaska Territory and in the 

 waters thereof, in violation of Section 1950 of the Revised 

 Statutes of the United States." 



The vessel was condemned, and the master and mate 

 were imprisoned and fined. 



The British schooners " Caroleua" and " Onward" were 

 seized about the same time when fishing under similar cir- 

 cumstances, and were subsequently condemned by the 



District Court, 

 2 The Judge (in summing ni) the case of the " Thorn- . 50th cong.,2nd 



ton") ruled that the law above mentioned applied to Wno. loe.pp! 

 all the waters of Behring Sea east of 193° of west longi- ^fo^-^i^o^^^^i^e 



tude. State'8.No.2,1890, 



Certain other vessels were all also subsequently seized in '^Ppp^^nj^x^^'v^i® 

 non-territorial waters, and the fishing of British vessels ni. 

 was interfered with under the circumstances hereinafter 

 stated. 



Great Britain protested against this action on the i)art 

 of the United States, and negotiations took place, which 

 eventually resulted in the Treaty and Convention entered 

 into at VVashington on the 29th Februarv and the 18th 

 April, 1892, 



The Treaty is as follows: 



