420 APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



It would, however, in that case, be expedient to assign, with respect 

 to the mainland southward of that point, a limit, say, of 50 or 100 miles 

 from the coast, beyond which the Russian posts should not be extended 

 to the eastward. We must not on any account admit the Eussiau ter- 

 ritory to extend at any point to the Rocky Mountains. By such an 

 admission, we should establish a direct and complete interruption 

 between our territory to the southward of that ])oiiit, and that of which 

 we are in possession to the eastward of longitude loa*^ along the i^ourse 

 of the Mackenzie River, 



As your Excellency had already made so much way in previous dis- 

 cussion, it is to be hoped that, on resuming the negotiation, very little 

 time need be required to bring it to a conclusion. It is extremely 

 important to conclude it as quickly as possible. 



It being once decided not to negotiate jointly with the United States, 

 we must take care to be out of the way wiiile the discussions between 

 Russia and the United States are going on; and the example of having 

 come to agreement with us promptly and amicably on both points of 

 litigation would, perhaps, be not less valuable to Russia in her subse- 

 quent discussions with the CTnited States, than would have been the 

 facility which we had in contemplation for Russia when we originally 

 proposed that her disavowal of the maritime principle should be 

 addressed simultaneously to us both. 



At that time our claim to such disavowal and the claim of the United 

 States were precisely alike; Russia had nothing to plead against either 

 of us as a compensation for those claims. The princi])le put forth by 

 the President of the United States has introduced a difference between 

 the respective situations of the United States and Great Britain with 

 respect to Russia which did not exist before. In the former state of 

 things it might have been expedient, both for ourselves and for the 

 United States, as well as less distasteful to Russia, to return an answer 

 common to us both; but, as things stand now^, Russia might naturally 

 wish to qualify her answer to the United States with some reciprocal 

 demand of explanation. 



The only point of view in which the United States could now 

 50 insist upon interfering with, or even taking cognizance of, the 

 negotiation between us and Russia would be in order to see that 

 the pretensions on the north-west coast of America derived to the United 

 States from Spain, through the Treaty of 1811), were not prejudiced by 

 our separate Agreement. 



That object cannot be more effectually provided for than by inserting 

 into our Convention with Russia, as a protection for the claims of the 

 United States, that part of the Ilird Article of the Convention con- 

 cluded by us with the United States in 1818 which was inserted in that 

 Convention for the protection of the claims of Spain herself in the rights 

 which she had not then ceded. By that Article it is stipulated that the 

 agreement between the two Contracting Parties " should not be taken 

 to affect the claims of any other Power or State in any ])artof the said 

 country." Such a clause your Excellency will voluntarily propose to 

 insert in the Convention which you are to conclude with Count Nessel- 

 rode; and you will apprize Mr. JMiddleton of your intention of proposing 

 that insertion. 



1 am, &c., (Signed) George Canning. 



