75 PERIOD SINCE THE CESSION. 



ACTION OF THE UNITED STATES RELATIVE TO 

 ALASKA SINCE THE CESSION. 



Eights acqnired Further lidit is thrown iii)on the understand- 



iiom Riissiii illns- ~ ^ 



q'reut action^''of ii^o ^^^^ ^7 ^^^ Govemmeiit of the United States 

 Uuited states. ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^£ ^j^^ ftu'-seal industiy and its 



right to protect it within the territory ceded by 

 Russia in tlie treaty of 1867, by an examination 

 of the legislation of Congress enacted immedi- 

 ately after the transfer of this territory, of the 

 acts of the Executive in carrying out this legis- 

 lation, and of the decisions of the United States 

 courts in regard to both. 



Action of Con- Bv scction 1 of the act of July 27, 1868, Con- 

 gress. "^ J ' I 



gress provided "that the laws of the United 

 States relating to customs, commerce, and navi- 

 gation l^e, and the same are hereby, extended to 

 and over all the mainland, islands, and waters of 

 the territory ceded to the United States by the 

 Emperor of Russia by treaty concluded at Wash- 

 ington on the thirtieth day of March, anno 

 Domini eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, so far 

 as the same may be applicable thereto." 



Section 6 of the same act provided: ''That it 

 shall be unlawful for any person or persons to 

 kill any otter, mink, marten, sable, ox fur-seal, or 



