APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 485 



of their interests, and strengthens their ties of amity. In the persna- 

 sion that the enlightened conucils of His Imperial Majesty will join 

 with the American authorities in every effort consistent with the honour 

 and rights of their respective nations to rescue this condition of things 

 from all danger of interruption, the Undersigned earnestly invites a 

 reconsideration of the ground upon which the claim of the owners of 

 the "Loriot" has been dismiss'ed. 



With a consoling hope as to the result, he begs, «&c. 



(Signed) G. M. Dallas. 



16 Fo. 12. 



Mr. Seward to Mr. Clay, 



Department of State, 



Washington, February 24, 1S68. 



Sir : I recur on this occasion to my despatch No. 273, which related 

 to alleged hostile demonstrations of a Russian armed vessel against a 

 United States whaling- vessel in the Sea of Okhotsk. That communi- 

 cation was grounded upon mere rumour, which furnished no details, 

 and was supported by no evidence. Prince Gortchacow, in his reply, 

 answered substantially that the Russian Government had no informa- 

 tion of the alleged contlict, and had given no orders or directions under 

 which any hostile demonstrations could have been made. 



At last I have received details, which, however, are very limited, and 

 testimony which is very incomplete. This subsequent information is 

 contained in a despatch of Morgan L, Smith, Esq., United States Con- 

 sul at Honolulu, which is accompanied by a deposition made by Manuel 

 Enos, master of the American bark " Java."* In brief, Mr. Enos' state- 

 ment presents the following facts, namely, that on the 27th July, while 

 he was cruizing for whales in Shantar Bay, and standing towards Silas 

 Richard's bluff", a Russian armed vessel came towards him, apparently 

 under fuU steam, hoisted its flag, and threw open its ports. An officer 

 from that Russian vessel went on board of the "Java," and ordered 

 Captain Enos immediately on board the Russian steamer. The Rus- 

 sian Commander demanded to know the business of the United States 

 vessel there. Captain Enos answered that his business was whaling, 

 whereupon the Russian Commander ordered Captain Enos to leave the 

 bay within twenty- four hours, under a threat of taking Captain Enos 

 with his vessel to Nicolawasky, or blowing him out of the water, as the 

 Russian Captain should think proper. Captain Enos rejilied that he 

 had whaled in those bays for the last seventeen years, and had never 

 heard of any one being driven out, or of any purpose of excluding 

 whalers. Captain Enos thereupon immediately left Shantar Bay. 



Captain Enos further says that he afterwards learned from some of 

 the crew of the American bark " Endeavour" that they, knowing nothing 

 of the trouble, went into the same place (Shantar Bay) a few days after- 

 wards, and that their boats were fired into by the same vessel before 

 mentioned, and that they were commanded to leave the bays by threats 

 to the same effect with those which had been made against Captain 

 Enos. The Consul transmitting this statement says that he has been 

 unable to procure the name of either the Russian vessel or her Com- 



* For these papers, see Diplomatic Correspondence, 1868, p. 468. 



