MODUS VIVENDI OF 1891 AND ARBITRATION. 305 



ditions jittiiched to it have given rise to grave difficulties, as to which 

 liis lordship has necessarily Deen in communication with the Canadian 

 Government. His reply, however, may now arrive at any moment. 

 I have, etc., 



Julian Pauncefote. 



rrojgosal of Her Majesties Government for a modus vivendi in the Behring 

 Sea during the sealing season of 1891. 



Washington, June 3, 1891. (Received June 4, 1891.) 



(1) The Government of Great Britain and of the United States shall 

 prohibit, until May, 1892, the killing of seals in Behring Sea or any 

 islands thereof, and will, to the best of their power and abihty, insure 

 that subjects and citizens of the two nations, respectively, and the ves- 

 sels iiying their respective ages, shall observe that prohibition. 



(2) During the period above si)ecifled the United States Government 

 shall have the right to kill 7,500 seals. 



(3) Consuls may at anytime be appointed to the islands in the Bering 

 Sea, and the United States Government will grant an "exequatur" to 

 any such consuls. 



(4) Unless the assent of Russia be obtained to this convention "it shall 

 not come into oijeration. 



Julian Pauncefote. 



Behring Sea arbitration. 



Washington, June 5", 1891. (Received June 4, 1891.) 

 The undersigned has been instructed by the Marquis of Salisbury to. 

 inform the United States Government that Her Majesty's Government 

 are prepared to assent to the first five questions proposed to be sub- 

 mitted to arbitration in the note of the Hon. James G. Blaine to the 

 undersigned, dated the 14th of Aj^ril last. 



Her Majesty's Government can not give their assent to the sixth 

 question formulated in that note. In lieu thereof they prop.)se the 

 appointment of a commission to consist of four experts, of whom two 

 shall be nominated by each Government, and a chairman who shall be 

 nominated by the Arbitrators. The Commission shall examine and re- 

 port on the question which follows : 



For the purpose of i)reserviug the fur-seal race in Behrmi!^ Soa from cxterniinatiou, 

 Avliat international arrangements, if any, are necessary between Great Britain and 

 the United States and Russia or any other power? 



As regards the question of compensation, Her Majesty's Government 

 proi)ose the following article: 



It shall be coin])etent to the arbitrators to award such compensation as in tlieir 

 judgment shall seem ei[uitableto the subjects and citizens of eitlier power v/ho shall 

 be shown to have been damnified in tUo pursuit of the industry of sealing by the 

 actiou of the other power. 



Julian Paunosfotb, 



