41 



or industries. There is no evidence but the silence of other gov- 

 ernments, if any objection to these claims of Eussia existed. 



In every stage of the negotiations between the United States and Great 

 Britain and in every declaration of right by Russia, up to the exchange ■ 

 of ratifications of the treaties of 1824 and 1825, and in every declaration 

 of Eussia since that time, the protection and security of her fur trade 

 in Bering Sea has been an object of her solicitude. Every govern- 

 mental act instituted and performed by Eussia in that connection has 

 been exactly in correspondence with her assertion of dominion over 

 Bering Sea as a preserve for taking furs through hunting "in the 

 northeastern seas" and "in the gulfs" thereof, and of the South Sea, 

 or Pacific Ocean, and along her coast line, south as well as north of 

 the Aleutian Islands and peninsula. 



It was this assertion of dominion that the United States and Great 

 Britain yielded to when they, respectively, accepted the restrictions 

 ux)on the rights of " fishing and trading with the natives," which are 

 limited to the period of ten years, in Articles III and IV of the treaty 

 with the United States, and Articles III and VII of the treaty with 

 Great Britain. 



In the treaty of 1824: with the United States, Articles III and IV 

 are as follows : 



in. 



It is moreover agreed that, hereafter, there shall not be formed by 

 the citizens of the United States or under the authority of the said 

 States, any establishment upon the northwest coast of America, nor 

 in any of the islands adjacent to the north of fifty-four ' degrees and 

 forty minutes of north latitude; and that, in the same manner, there 

 shall be none formed by Eussiau subjects or under the authority of 

 Eussia, south of the same parallel. 



IV. 



It is, nevertheless, understood that during a term often years, count- 

 ing from the signature of the present convention, the siii])S of both 

 powers, or which belong to their citizens or subjects respectively, may 

 reciprocally frequent, without any hindrance whatever, the interior 

 seas, gulfs, harbors, and creeks, upon the coast mentioned in the pre- 

 ceding article, for the purpose of fishing and trading with the natives 

 of the country. 



In the treaty with Great Britain, Articles III and VII are as follows: 



III. 



The line of deraarkation between the possessions of the High Con- 

 tracting Parties, upon the coast of the continent, and the islands of 

 America to the northwest shall be drawn in the manner following: 



Commencing from the southernmost point of the island called Prince 



