APPENDIX TO CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 493 



I have now the honour to briny to your knowledge that, according to the infor- 

 mation conunnnicated to me by General Enghelm, Acting Governor of said province, 

 the "Henrietta" was in fact seized and contiscated on the 17th (29th) August, in 

 virtue of a decision of the Commission sitting on board of the Imperial corvette 

 "Kreysser," for the oifence of illicit trading on our coasts. 



Pray accept, &c. A. Vlangaly. 



22 Ko. 19. 



Mr. Lothrop to Mr. Bayard. — {Received March 7.) 



Legation of the United States, 



St. Fetershurffh, February 17, 1887, 



Sir: I have the honour to transmit to you a translation of a com- 

 munication received from the Imperial Foreign Office on the 1st February 

 instant, relative to the seizure of the schooner "Eliza." 



The Eussian Government claims that she was seized and condemned 

 under the provisions of an Order, or Kegulation, which took effect at 

 the beginning of 1882, and which absolutely prohibited every kind of 

 trading, hunting, and fishing on the Russian Pacific coast without a 

 special licence from the Governor-General. 



It is not claimed that the "Eliza" was engaged in seal-fishing, but 

 that she was found actually engaged in trading with the natives with 

 tlie contraband articles of arms and strong liquors. 



She was condemned by a Commission sitting on the Imperial corvette 

 " liasboinik," composed of the ofiicers thereof. In this respect the case 

 isi)recisely like that of the "Henrietta," mentioned in my last preceding- 

 despatch No. 95, and of this date. 



It will be noticed that Mr. Spooner, the owner of the " Eliza," in his 

 statement of his claim, declares that the "Eliza" was "on a trading 

 voyage, engaged in bartering with the natives, and catching walrus, 

 and as such did not come under the Koticeof the liussian Government, 

 which was directed against the capture of seals on Cojiper, Bobbins, 

 and Behring Islands." 



It will be seen that Mr. Spooner either refers to an Order of the Rus- 

 sian Government different from the one mentioned by the Imperial 

 Foreign Office, or he understood the latter in a very different sense. 



I may add that the Russian Code of Prize Law of 18G9, Article 21, 

 ami now in force, limits the jurisdictional waters of Russia to 3 miles 

 IVom the shore. 



As stated in my previons despatch, I have asked for a copy of the 

 Order or Regulation under which the "Henrietta" and "Eliza" were 

 seized and condemned. 



Very truly, &c. (Signed) Geo. V. N. Lothrop. 



[Inclosure in Ko. 19. — Translation.] 



General Vlanf/ahf to Mr. Lothroj). 



Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Asiatic Department, 



January 19 {31), 1887. 

 Mr. Envoy: The Chief of the General Staff of the Navy has just transmitted to 

 me the information which I had requested from that Department in consequence of 

 the note that you addressed to me bearing date the 5th (17th) July, 1886, in regard 

 to the incident of the seizure of the schooner " Eliza." 



Tliis information is in substance to the effect that the "Eliza" was confiscated not 

 for tlie fact of seal-hunting, but by virtue of an Administrative Regulation prohib- 



