ORAL ARGUMENT OF SIR RICHARD WEBSTER, Q. C. M. P. 427 



trade with her colouial estahlishments upon said islands and shores, by establishing 

 prohibitive regulations interdicting all foreign vessels, except in certain specified 

 instances, from approaching said islands and shores nearer than 100 miles. 



Now, Mr. President, let ns just for a few moments consider what the 

 assertion of Eussia was; and I will ask you once more to turn to the 

 language of the Ukase of 1821, which will be found on page 38 of the 

 British case. The statement is as conveniently set out there as at any 

 other place. 



Section 1, The pnrsnits of commerce, -whaling, and fishery, and of all other industry, 

 on all islands, ports, and gulfs, including tlie whole of tlie north west coast of Amer- 

 ica, beginning from Behring Straits to the 51st of northern latitude; also from the 

 Aleutian Islands to the eastern coast of Siberia, as well as along the Kurile Islands, 

 from Behring Straits to the south cape of the Island of Urup, viz., to the 45° 50' 

 northern latitude, is exclusively granted to Russian subjects. 



Section 2. It is therefore prohibited to all foreign vessels not only to land on the 

 coasts and islands belonging to Russia, as stated above, but also to approat h them 

 within less than 100 Italian miles. The transgressor's vessel is subject to confiscation, 

 along with the whole cargo. 



Senator Morgan. — Does anybody know whelher there is a "comma" 

 in front of the words, "beginning from Behring Straits", in the original 

 text? 



Sir EiCHARD Webster. — In this copy there is a comma in front of 

 the second " Behring Straits". There is no comma at the first one. It 

 is, "beginning from Behring Straits to the 51st degree of northern lati- 

 tude" — on the eastern side; and "from Behring Straits to the south 

 cape of the Island of Urup" — on the western side. That was the claim 

 of Russia. 



Senator Morgan. — The question I had in my mind was whether that 

 was not a new desciiption of the North-West Coast, adopted by Russia. 



Sir Richard Webster. — No — "from Behring Straits to South of 

 51° north latitude", is the same descrij^tion. It is new in one sense — 

 that there are four or five others suggested in the course of the argument 

 by my friends. It is no new description as far as we are concerned — 

 it is the description of the North- West Coast of America, as far as I 

 know, that prevailed throughout. 



Senator Morgan. — The "North- West Coast of America" might, in 

 a certain aspect of the subject have referred to a limited portion of the 

 shore. 



Sir Richard Webster. — Perfectly true. 



Senator Morgan. — Whereas, in giving an implied latitude to the 

 grant of privilege there, they might have made it more specific by 

 saying the "North-West Coast of America", and then make a new 

 definition, giving the beginning of it. 



Sir Richard Webster. — The words are "the whole of the North- 

 West Coast of America" — perfectly true; and if there be a document — 

 and I hope this will not be forgotten — giving another meaning to 

 "north-west coast", at any stage of this correspondence, I will read it 

 of course, and not only read it, but will j)oint out, (if tliere be such a 

 document) its full meaning against me. But I nmst in deference to 

 what you have been good enough to put to me — say that I assert again, 

 from the time of the Ukase, down through the whole history, to the 

 cession in 18(37, there is not a document that suggests that "North- 

 West", had the limited meaning. 



Now my friends say this: "It is perfectly true that the Ukase did 

 include the whole North-West Coast: It is perfectly true that the 

 Ukase did include the whole Pacific Ocean and Behring Sea — (I am 

 using that expression so as not to be thought to be begging it against 



