TEE BERING-SEA CONTROVERSY. 75 



reference to a joint commission to ascertain what permanent meas- 

 ures are necessary for the preservation of the fur-seal species in the 

 northern Pacific Ocean." The provisions of the treaty referring to 

 this commission were as follows: 



"Each Government shall appoint two commissioners to investi- 

 gate conjointly with the commissioners of the other Government all 

 the facts relating to seal life in Bering Sea, and the measures neces- 

 sary for its proper protection and preservation. The four commis- 

 sioners shall, so far as they may be able to agree, make a joint report 

 to each of the two Governments, and they shall also report, either 

 jointly or severally, to each Government on any points upon which 

 they may be unable to agree." 



On June 24, 1891, Sir George Baden-Powell, M. P., and Dr. 

 George M. Dawson were appointed as commissioners for Great 

 Britain, and on July 10th Dr. C. Hart Merriam and the writer of 

 this article were designated to serve the United States in a like 

 capacity. 



It will be seen above that the duty of these commissioners was 

 primarily the ascertainment of facts, together with the recommenda- 

 tion of such measures as in their judgment were necessary for proper 

 protection and preservation of seal life in Bering Sea and the north- 

 ern Pacific Ocean. It is important to note, also, that in the letter 

 of instructions of the respective powers to their commissioners this 

 was emphasized as the " main object of the inquiry." In the letter 

 of Lord Salisbury to the British commissioners they are instructed 

 that their principal duty will be to ascertain " what international 

 arrangements, if any, are necessary between Great Britain and the 

 United States, and Russia or any other power, for the purpose of 

 preserving the fur-seal race in Bering Sea from extermination." 

 He further says : " I need scarcely remind you that your investiga- 

 tion should be carried on with strict impartiality, that you should 

 neglect no sources of information which may be likely to assist you 

 in arriving at a sound conclusion, and that great care should be taken 

 to sift the evidence that is brought before you. 



" It is equally to the interest of all the Governments concerned 

 in the sealing industry that it should be protected from all serious 

 risk of extinction in consequence of the use of wasteful and inju- 

 dicious methods." 



It will be remembered that the correspondence relative to the 

 joint commission was concurrent with that in which the proposed 

 arbitration treaty was discussed; and, indeed, it was only on the 

 signing of that treaty that the commissioners were to become en- 

 dowed with full authority for joint consideration and report. 



The American commissioners were especially instructed by the 



