376 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



Edict of His Imperial Majesty, Autocrat of All the Fxssias. 



The Directing tSenate maketh known to all men: 



Whereas in an Edict of His Imperial Majesty issued to the Directing Senate on 

 the 4th clay of September, and signed by His Imperial Majesty's own hand it is thus 

 expressed : 



"Observing from Reports submitted to us that the trade of our subjects on the 

 Aleutian Islands and on the north-west coast of America appertaining unto Russia, 

 is subjected, because of secret and illicit traffic, to oppression and impediments, and 

 finding that the priucipal cause of these difBculties is the want of Rules establish- 

 ing the boundaries for navigation along these coasts, and the order of naval com- 

 munication as well in these places as on the whole of the eastern coast of 

 12 Siberia and the ICurile Islands, we have deemed it necessary to determine these 

 communications by specihc Regulations, which are hereto attached. 

 "In forwarding these Regulations to the Directing Senate, we command that the 

 same be published for universal information, and that the proper measures be taken 

 to carry them into execution." 



(Countersigned) Count D. Gurik.ff, 



Minister of Finances. 



It is therefore decreed by the Directing Senate that His Imperial Majesty's Edict 

 be jiublished for the information of all men, and that the same be obeyed by all 

 whom it may concern. 



(L. 8.) 



The original signed by the Directing Senate. 



Printed at St. Petersburgh, in the Senate^ September 7, 1821. 



[Several Maps follow.] 



Ko. 5. 



Lord Stowell to Lord MclriUe. 



Grafton Street, London, Becemher 26, 1821. 



]\[y Dear Lord : I liave perused these papers, and it appears to ine 

 to be unsafe to proceed to any controversial discussion of the proposed 

 Regulations, till it is shown that they issue from a competent authority 

 founded upon an acknowledged title of territorial and exclusive pos-' 

 session of the portions of the globe to which they relate. I am myself 

 too slightly acquainted with the facts regarding such possession (how 

 originally acquired and how subsequently enjoyed) to be enabled to say 

 that upon undisputed principles such a possession exists. It is per- 

 fectly clear from these Eegulations that it has not hitherto been exclu- 

 sive in the extent in which it is now claimed; for they are framed for 

 the very purpose of putting an end to foreign intercourses of traffic 

 therein, which they denominate illicit but which they admit existed de 

 facto. 



The territories claimed are of different species — islands — portions of 

 the continent — and large portions of the sea adjoining. 



I know too little of the history of their connection with either islands 

 or continents to say with confidence that such a possession has in this 

 case been acquired. I content myself with remarking that such posses- 

 sion does not ai)pear in the opinion and practice of States to be founded 

 exactly upon the sanu^ principles in the cases of islands and continents. 

 In that of islands, discovery alone has usuall.y been held sufficient to 

 constitute a title. Not so in the case of continents. In the case of the 

 South American Continent the Spaniards and Portuguese resorted to 

 grants from an authority which in that age was universally respected, 

 and continued in respect till subse(pient possession had confirmed their 

 title. But I think that it has not been generally held, and cannot be 



