QQ ARGUMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



In fixing the "larger catch" mentioned in this Article, 

 the following facts reqnire consideration : 

 British Case, The modus vivendi of 1891 was originally assented to by 

 ^il'^No'!'!! 1891, Great Britain becanse it was asserted on the part of the 

 pp. 1, 3. United States that the diminntion of seals had become so 



great as to require some such immediate and drastic pro- 

 vision to i")revent extermination. 

 senute, sist Duiiug the Sealing season of 1890, on the Pribyloff 

 E™ Doc? No'^'io; Islands, Mr. Goff", the Government Agent, stopped the 

 pp. 11, 12. killing of seals when only 21,857 had been killed, alleging 



that this was absolutely necessary because of the paucity 

 Ibid., p. 13. of seals of suitable age for killing. The agent of the North 

 American Commercial Company thereupon lodged a protest 

 against the curtailment of the Company's privilege of 

 killing. 

 Ibid., pp. 6 and In reporting on the sealing season of 1890, Mr. Goff, the 

 ^' Government Agent on the islands, and Mr. Lavender, 



Assistant Agent, both advised the cessation of all killing 

 British Case, for skius upou the islauds for several years. Mr. Elliott, 

 iii^^^^'ifiiitedin liis letter to Secretary Windom, summarizing and trans- 

 ?.'cm''>^.. '^^' ,1' mitting a detailed Keport made in pursuance of a Special 



(1891), PP- 17, » „ \ II.- 4. J.1 



21,60. Act 01 Congress, mnkes a recommendation to the same 



effect, placing the period of abstention from killing at seven 

 years at least. 

 fofitoMr^BMne "^'^^ rcsult of the investigation of seal life made by the 

 Feinuar.v29,\892'. British Commissiouers in 1891 was, however, such as to 

 SaH^sbnry 'to Sir ^ouvince Her Majcsty's Government that the very stringent 

 J. Pauncefote, mcasures of the modus vivendi of 1891 need not, in the 

 March 18, 1892. j^j^e^.^g^g ^f ^he Sealing industries, be repeated in 1892. 



British Case, Consequently, when a new modus vivendi was pressed for 

 iiif''*"" unTtedby the United States, it was proposed by Her Majesty's 

 089^?" vv' 155 Government that a zone of protection, not exceeding 30 

 aid 159. ' miles, should be extended about the Pribyloff Islands, while 

 fot'etoMr^BMne, tli^ killing upou these islands should be restricted to a 

 rebruary29,i892'. ma.rfwmm numbcr of 30,000. 



British Case. The United States, however, promptly and decisively 



Appendix^ iYe d pronouuccd this proposal for a modus vivendi in 1892, to be, 



states No. 3 from their point of view, "so obviously inadequate, 



' ^' ■ 76 and so impossible of execution, that this Government 



cannot entertain it." 



Acting Score- The British Government eventually consented to the 



wy wharton^t^o establishment of a new modus vivendi, generally similar to 



iote, March 8, that of 1891, but with the condition as to compensation 



^^^^' above mentioned. 



It is submitted that, in fixing the dimensions of the catch 



which might have been made upon the Pribyloff Islands, 



for the purposes of compensation, the United States cannot 



united States uow rely, as they seek to do, on the data which they explic- 



case, p. 291. j^^i^ coutradictcd in the spring of 1892. 



