300 DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. 



the President to ymi, on the evening; of jVFonday, April 27, yon did not 

 agree witli the President's 8uggestion. On tlie contrary, yon expressed 

 yonrself as confident tliat Lord Salisbnry wonld not accej)! it; tliat iu 

 your judgnient the killing of seals must l)e ent oif absolutely on the 

 land and in t\w Avater, and that it could not be stopped on either unless 

 stopped on both. 



The narrative of facts which I have now given (absolutely necessary 

 for clearly understanding the position of this Government) brings me 

 to a further statement, which I am directed by tlie President to sub- 

 mit. The President refuses to believe that Lord Salisbury can possi- 

 bly maintain the position you have taken when his lordship is placed 

 in full possession of the facts which 1 shall now submit to you, some- 

 what in detail. 



When the privilege of killing seals on the Islands of St. George and 

 St. Paul, in Behring Sea, was leased to the North American Company 

 for a certain sum per skin to be paid to tlie Government, other duties 

 of an onerous, costly, and responsible character were imposed upon the 

 comi^any. 



Under their lease the Company is obliged ''to furnish to the inhabit- 

 ants of the islands of St. George and St. Paul, annually, such quantity 

 or number of dried salmon, and such (juantity of salt, and such num- 

 ber of salt barrels for preserving their necessary supjdy of meat as the 

 Secretary of the TreasTiry shall from time to time determine." 



The Company is further obliged to "furnish to the inhabitants of 

 these islands 8U tons of coal annually, and a sufficient number of com- 

 fortable dwellings in which said native inhabitants may reside, and 

 shall keep such dwellings in proper repair. 



The Company is further obliged "to provide and keep in repair such 

 suitable school-houses as may be necessary, and shall establish and 

 maintain during eight months of each year proper schools for the edu- 

 cation of the children on said islands, the same to be taught by compe- 

 tent teachers, who shall be paid by the company a fair compensation; 

 all to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury." 



The Company is further obliged " to maintain a suitable house for 

 religious Avorship, and will also provide a competent physician or phy- 

 sicans and necessary and proper medicine and medical supplies." 



The company isr still further obliged " to provide the necessaries of 

 life for the widows and oridians, aged and intirm inhabitants of said 

 islands,, who are iimible to provide for themselves. 



And it is finally provided that "all the foregoing agreements shall be 

 done and performed by the Company free of all costs and charges to the 

 said native inhabitants of said islands or to the United States." 



And it is made still further the duty of the Company "to employ the 

 native inhabitants of said islands to perform such labor on the islands 

 as they are fitted to perfoiin, and to pay therefor a fair and just com- 

 ])ensation, such as may be fixed by the Secretary of the Treasury." 

 And, also, the Com])any " agrees to contribute, as far as in its power, 

 all reasonable eJbrts to secure the comfort, health, education, and pro- 

 mote fhe morals and civilization of said native inhabitants." 



in short, then, the means of living, the facilities for education, the 

 care of health, the religions teaching, the training of the young, ami the 

 comlbrt of the old, in a community of over 'MK) persims, are all im])osed 

 upon the Comi)any as its solemn duty by specilic articles of the lease. 

 1 inclose yon a co])y of the census of ISDO, giving every name of the,'>()3 

 l)ersons, old and young, male and female, who constitute the whole com- 

 munity of the Pribilof Islands. 



