JUIIISDICTIONAL RIGHTS IN BERING SEA. 255 



We ol»ject, first, to the claim of sovereignty as set fortli in this ukase; and, sec- 

 ondly, to the mode in which it is exercised. 



The best writers on the laws of nations do not attribute the exclusive sovereignty, 

 particularly of continents, to those who have first discovered them; and although 

 Avo might on good grounds dispute with Russia the priority of discovery of these 

 continents, we contend that the much more easily proved, more conclusive, and more 

 certain title of occupation and use ought to decide the claim of sovereignty. 



Now, we can prove that the English Northwest Company and the Hudson's Bay 

 Company have for many years established forts and other trading stations in a conn- 

 try called New Caledonia, situated to the west of a range of mountains called Rocky 

 Mountains, and extending along the shores of the Pacific Ocean from latitude 49"-" to 

 latitude 60>^. 



These companies likewise possess factories and other establishments on Mackenzie's 

 River, which falls into tiie Frazer River, as far north as latitude 66" 30', from whence 

 tliey carry on trade with the Indians inhabiting the countries to the west of that 

 river, and who, from the nature of the country, can communicate with Mackenzie's 

 River with more facility than they can with the posts in New Caledonia. Thus, in 

 opposition to the claims fonmled on discovery, the priority of which, however, we 

 conceive we might fairly dispute, we have the indisputable claim of occupancy and 

 use for a series of years, which all the best writers on the laws of nations admit is 

 the best-founded claim for territory of this descrijition. Objecting, as we do, to this 

 claim of exclusive sovereignty on the part of Russia, I might save myself the 

 trouble of discussing the particular mode of its exercise as set forth in this ukase. 

 But we object to the soA'ereignty proposed to be exercised under this ukase not less 

 than we do to the claim of it. We can not admit the right of any power possessing 

 the sovereignty of a country to exclude the vessels of others from the seas on its 

 coasts to tlie distance of 100 Italian miles. We must object likewise to the arrange- 

 ments contained in the said ukase conveying to private merchant ships the right to 

 search in time of peace, etc., Avhich are quite contrary to the laws and usages of 

 nations and to the practice of modern times. 



Wellington. 



Verona, October 17, 1SS3. 



To Count Nesselrode. 



[Inclosuro 5. — M6moire confidentiel.] 

 Count Nesselrode to the Duke of Wellington. 



Verone, le 11 {23) novembre 1822. 



Le Cabinet de Russie a pris en mftre considi^ration le Memoire confidentiel que M. 

 le Due de Wellington Ini a remis le 17 octobre dernier, relativement aux mesures 

 adoptees par Sa Majesty I'Empereur, sons la date du (4) 16 septembre 1821, pour 

 determiner I'etendue des possessions russes snr la cote nord-ouest de I'Amerique, et 

 pour iuterdire aux vaisseaux etrangers I'approche de ces possessions jusqu'a la dis- 

 tance de 100 milles d'ltalie. 



Les ouvertures faites a ce sujet au Gouvernement de Sa Majesty Britannique par 

 le Comte de Lieven au moment on cot Ambassadeur allait quitter Londres doivent 

 d6ja avoir prouvd que I'opiniou que le Cabinet deSt. James avait congue des mesures 

 dont 11 s'agit n'dtait point fondee sur une appreciation entierement exacte des vues 

 de Sa Majest6 Impt^riale. 



La Russie est loin de ineconnattre que I'usage et I'occupation constituent le plus 

 Bolide des titresd'apreslesquels unfitatpuisse r^clamer des droits de souveralnete sur 

 une portion qnelconque dn continent. La Russie est plus loin encore d'avoir vouln 

 ontrepasser arbitrairement les limites que ce titre assigne a ses domaines sur la cote 

 nord-ouest de I'Amdrique, on 6riger en principe general de droit maritime les regies 

 qu'une n^cessit^ purement locale Favait obligee de poser pour la navigation etrau- 

 gere dans le voisinage de la partie de cette c6te qui lui apiiartient. 



C'etait au contraire parce qu'elle regardait ces droits de souveralnete comme legi- 

 times, et parce que des considerations imperieuses tenant arexistencememe du com- 

 merce qu'elle fait dans les parages de la c6te nord-ouest de FAmerique, la foryaient 

 a etablir nn systfeme de precautious devenues indispensables, qu'elle a fait paraitre 

 Fdukase dn (4) 16 septembre 1821. 



La Russie serait toujours prete k faire part des motifs qui en justifient les disposi- 

 tions ; mais pour le moment elle se boruera aux observations suivantes : — 



M. le Due do Wellington afiirme, dans son Memoire confidentiel du 17 octobre, que 

 des etablissements anglais, appartenanta deux compagnios, cellede laBaio de Hud- 

 son et cello du Nord-Ouest, se sont formdsdans une contree axipeieo laNouvelle-Caie- 



