PEOPOSED INTERNATIONAL MEASURES, 1887-'88, 189 



[Iiiclosure 1 in No. J91 — Traiislatiou.] 



Count Okuma to Mr. Hiihbard. 



Department of Foreign Affairs, 

 Tokyo, the 9th day, the 7th month, the 21st year of MeijL 

 Sir: The recent attack at Copjicr Island upon the British schooner iVemo (with the 

 circuinstances ami results of which you are doubtless familiar), coupled with the 

 fact that the unlicensed takinu,- of otter and seal within the jurisdiction of His Im- 

 perial Majesty is prohiljited by law, has impressed upon the Imperial Government 

 the necessity of adopting;- more eh'rctual measures on the one liand to protect His 

 Imperial Japanese Majesty's subjects from the conse(|uences of acts for which aa 

 seamen tliey couhl hardly be held responsible, and on the other to put a stop to an 

 unlawful occupation. 



With these objects in view I liave the honor to request that you will instruct the 

 consuls of your country in Ja]>an to refrain, until otherwise advised, from shippin.uj 

 Japanese subjects on hoard any American vessels engaged or about to engage in otter 

 or seal Iiuuting. 



I avail, etc., 



Count Siiigenobu Okuma. 



(For incliisure i!^o. 2, sec Senate Ex. Doc. No. 100, Fiftieth Congress, 

 second session, p. 111.) 



Mr. HubJjard to Mr. Bayard. 



No. 492.] United States Leoation, 



ToTcyo, Japan.) Jioly 13, 18S8. (Eeceivcd August 8.) 



Sir: Eeferring to tliecories])i)ndeuce wliicli lias taken place between 

 tlie Department of State and this legation coueeruiug a proposed con- 

 vention between the United States and Japan and some other i)owers, 

 looking' to the protection of the fur-seal fisheries in Behring Sea, I have 

 the honor to inclose a copy of a note, dated July 9, from the Ja])anese 

 nfinister of foreign affairs, inquiring as to the nature of the consulta- 

 tion now being' conducted at London on this subject, ■with a view of in- 

 structing' the Japanese Minister at London to take part in said consul- 

 tation, provided it has assumed the nature of an international conference 

 in which the views of the several i)owers interested maybe interchanged. 



The note from Count Okuma and my reply to the same, also herewith 

 inclosed, fully explain themselves, and are forwarded to the Depart- 

 ment with the view of eliciting such reply as may be deemed advisable 

 in the premises. 



There is no doubt that the Xcmo affair, to which I had the honor to 

 refer in my dispatch No. 491 of this date, has had the effect of increas- 

 ing Jai)an's interest in the proposed convention and her desire to see it 

 concluded at an early day. 

 I have, etc., 



Eichakd B. Hubbard. 



,.Inclosuro 1 in No. 492 — Translation.! 

 Count Okuma to Mr. Huhhard, 



Department for Foreign Affairs, 



Tokyo, the 7th day, the 7th month, the 2l8t year of Meiji. 

 Sir: With reference to the pr(»posal of your Governuient to enter into a proper 

 arrangcuieut for the purpose of jirevcnting by international cooperation iudiscrinri- 



