310 DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE. 



For tlie jmrpose of avoiding iiTitating' differences and witli a view to 

 promote a fiieiidly settlement of the questions pending- between the 

 GoveinmeutsofCireat Britain on the one side and the United States of 

 America on the other, touching the rights of the respective nations in 

 the Behring Sea, the following agreement is made, which shall have no 

 effect to limit or prejudice the rights or claims of either power, except 

 as therein expressly sti])ulated and lor the time therein limited: 



(1) The Government of Great ]]ritain will i)rohibit until May, isn2, 

 the killing of seals in all that part of the Behring Sea lying east, east- 

 wardly, or southeastwardly of tlie line described in article 1 of the con- 

 vention betAveen the United States and Bussia of date March 30, 1807, 

 and will promptly take suc^h steps as are best calculated effectively to 

 insure the observance of this prohil)ition by the subjects and citizens 

 of Great Britain and all vessels flying its flag. 



(2) The (lovernment of the United States will prohibit until May, 

 1SI>2, the killing of seals in that part of IJehring Sea above described, 

 and on the shores and islands tliereof, the ])roperty of the United 

 States (except that 7,500 seals, and no more, may be taken on the 

 islands); and the Government of tlie United States will promptly take 

 such stei)s as are best calculated effectively to insure the observance of 

 this prohibition by the citizens of the United States and the vessels 

 flying its flag. 



(.')) All vessels or jiersons violating the laws of their respective Gov- 

 ernments in this regard outside the ordinary territorial limits may be 

 seized and detained by the naval or other duly commissioned officers 

 of either of the high contracting parties, but they shall be handed over 

 as soon as practicable to the authorities of the naticm to which they 

 respectively belong for trial and for the imijosition of the penalties and 

 forfeitures ])rovided by law. 



(4) In order to facilitate such im)per inquiries as Her Majesty's Gov- 

 ernment may desire to make with a view to the presentation of the 

 case of that Government before arbitrators, and in the exi)ectation 

 that an agreement for arbitration may ultimately be reached, it is 

 agreed that a snitable person or persons, to be designated by Great 

 Britain, will be permitted at any time, upon application, to visit or to 

 remain upon the seal islands during the present sealing season for that 

 ])urpose. 



1 have, etc., 



William U. Wharton, 



Actiny Secretary. 



Sir Julian raunccfotc to Mr. Wharton. 



British Legation, 



WasJiinf/ton, June ^', ]8IU. 



Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of 

 the ()th instant containing the terms of a pro])osed agreement for a 

 wodus Vivendi during tlie i>resent seal-tishery season in lierhing Sea, 

 which I comnumicated at once by telegraph to the Marquis of Salis- 

 bnry. 



1 have this day received a reply from his lordshij), in which he trans- 

 mits a draft of the i)roposed agreement, with certain modifications and 

 additiuntj". 



