202 DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. 



century. The two nations were the only ]>owers tlmt owned a foot of 

 land oil the continents that bordered, or on tlie islands included witiiin, 

 the Behring waters where the seals resort to breed. Into this peaceliil 

 and secluded field of labor, whose benefits were so equitably shaied by 

 the native Aleuts of the Pribilof Islands, by the United States, and 

 by England, certain Cauadiau vessels in 1886 asserted their right to 

 enter, and by their ruthless course to destroy the fisheries and with 

 theni to destroy also the resulting industries which are so valuable. 

 The Government of the Uruted States at once proceeded to check this 

 movement, which, unchecked, was sure to do great and irreparable 

 harm. 



It was cause of unfeigned surprise to the United States that Her 

 Majesty's Government should immediately interfere to defend and en- 

 courage (surely to encourage by defending) the course of the Canadians 

 in disturbing an industry which had been carefully developed for more 

 than ninety years under the flags of Russia and the United States — de- 

 veloped in such a manner os not to interfere with the public rights or 

 the private industries of any other peo])le or any other person. 



Whence did the ships of Canada derive the right to do in 188G that 

 which they had refrained from doing for more than ninety years f 

 Upon what grounds did her Majesty's Government defend in the year 

 1880 a cours'e of conduct in the Behring Sea which she had carefully 

 avoided ever since the discovery of tlmt sea? By what reasoning did 

 Her Majesty's Government conclude tlmt an act may be committed 

 with impunity against the rights of the United States which had never 

 been attempted against the same rights when held by the liussiau 

 Empire "? 



So great has been the injury to the fisheries from the irregular and 

 destructive slaughter of seals in the open waters of the Behring Se;i by 

 Canadian vessels, that whereas the Government had allowed 100,000 

 to be taken annually for a series of years, it is now compelled to reduce 

 the number to (50,000, If four years of this violation of natural law 

 and neighbor's rights has reduced the annual slaughter of .«enl by 40 

 ])er cent, it is easy to see how short a period will be required to work 

 the total destruction of the fisheries. 



The ground upon which Her Majesty'sGovernment justifies, or at least 

 defends the course of the Cana(iian vessels, rests upon the fact that 

 they are committing their acts of destruction on the higli seas, viz, 

 more than 3 marine miles from the shore line. It is doubtful whether 

 Her Majesty's Government would abide by this rule if tlse attempt were 

 made to interfere with the pearl fisheries of Ceylon, which extend more 

 than 20 miles from the shore line and have been enjoyed by England 

 without molestation ever since their acquisition. So well recognized 

 is the British ownership of those fisheries, regardless of the limit of the 

 three-mile line, that Her Majesty's Government feels authorized to sell 

 the pearl-fisliing right from year to year to the highest bidder. Is'or is it 

 credible that modes of fishing on the Grand Banks, altogether prac- 

 ticable but highly destructive, would be justified or even permitted by 

 Great Britain on the plea that the vicious acts were committed more 

 than 3 miles from shore. 



Tliere are, according to scientific authority, "great colonies offish" on 

 the " Newfoundhmd banks." These colonies resemble the seats of great 

 populations on land. Tliey remain stati(mary, having a limited range 

 of water in which to live and die. In these great "colonies" it is, ac- 

 cording to expert judgment, c()mi)aratively easy to explode dynamite or 

 giant powder in smdi manner as to kill vast (piantities of fish, and at 

 the same time destroy countless numbers of eggs. Stringent laws have 



