87 



they are arrested for tlie wrong, Great Britain is caUed upon to inter- 

 pose, at the moment when she is negotiating with the United States for 

 its suppression. This is a very embarrassing situation. 



On the 13th of August, 1888, Mr. Phelps held a conversation with 

 Lord Salisbury, and urged the completion of a convention between the 

 United States, Great Britain, and Russia, which had previously been 

 the subject of discussion between these Governments. (See Appendix, 

 vol. 1, to Case of the United States, p. 182.) Mr. Phelps says: 



This convention bad been virtually agreed on, except in its details; 

 and the Russian as well as the United States Government were desir- 

 ous to have it completed. The consideration of it had been suspended 

 for communication by the British Government with the Canadian Gov- 

 ernment, for which imrpose an interval of several months had been 

 allowed to elapse. Lord Salisbury's attention was repeatedly recalled 

 to the subject by the United States, and, on those occasions, the answer 

 was that no reply from the Canadian authorities had arrived. During 

 this interval, Canada was aiding with all its powers, as a Government, 

 in supporting and aggravating the practices which Great Britain de- 

 sired to repress, and thus left her in a most doubtful and disagreeable 

 attitude in her relations with the United States. 



Mr. Phelps states further that — 



In the conversation on the 13th August, above mentioned, I again 

 pressed for the completion of the convention, as the extermination of 

 the seals by Canadian vessels was understood to be rapidly proceeding. 

 His lordship in reply did not question the i^ropriety or importance of 

 taking measures to prevent the wanton destruction of so valuable an 

 industry, in which, he remarked, England had a large interest of its 

 own, but said that the Canadian Government objected to any such 

 restrictions, and that until its consent could be obtained, Her Majes- 

 ty's Government was not willing to enter into the convention, that 

 time would be requisite to bring this about, and that meanwhile the 

 convention must wait. 



It is very apparent to me [says Mr. Phelps] that the British Govern- 

 ment will not execute the desired convention without the concurrence 

 of Canada. And it is equally apparent that the concurrence of Canada 

 in any such arrangement is not to be reasonably expected. Certainly 

 Canadian vessels are making profit out of the destruction of the seal 

 in the breeding season in the waters in question, inhuman and waste- 

 ful as it is. That it leads to the speedy extermination of the animal is 

 no loss to Canada, because no part of these seal fisheries belong to that 

 country, and the only profit oj)en to it, in connection with them, is by 

 destroying the seal in the open sea during the breeding time, although 

 many of the animals killed in that way are lost, and those saved are 

 worth much less than when killed at the proper time. 



Under these circumstances the Government of the United States 

 must, in my opinion, either submit to have these valuable fisheries 

 destroyed or must take measures to prevent their destruction by 

 capturing the vessels employed in it. Between these alternatives it 

 does not appear to me there should be the slightest hesitation. 



It was thus that Canada was permitted to intervene, as a Govern- 

 ment, to prosecute the right of Canadians who were British subjects, 



