22 AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC QUESTIONS 



season of 1889, and the friendly relations between England 

 and the United States became very much strained. The 

 British Government resolved to take a firmer stand against 

 further molestation of their subjects engaged in catching 

 seals upon what they contended were the high seas, and before 

 the summer of 1890 opened, it presented through the note of 

 Sir Julian Pauncefote of June 14, 1890, the following vigorous 

 protest : 



The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's envoy extraordinary 

 and minister plenipotentiary to the United States of America, has 

 the honor, by instruction of his government, to make to the Hon. 

 James G. Blaine, Secretary of State of the United States, the fol- 

 lowing communication : 



Her Britannic Majesty's Government have learned with great 

 concern, from notices which have appeared in the press, and the 

 general accuracy of which has been confirmed by Mr. Blaine's 

 statements to the undersigned, that the Government of the 

 United States have issued instructions to their revenue cruisers 

 about to be despatched to Behring Sea. under which the vessels of 

 British subjects will again be exposed, in the prosecution of their 

 legitimate industry on the high seas, to unlawful interference at 

 the hands of American officers. 



Her Britannic Majesty's Government are anxious to cooperate 

 to the fullest extent of their power with the Government of the 

 United States in such measures as may be found to be expedient 

 for the protection of the seal fisheries. They are at the present 

 moment engaged in examining, in concert with the Government 

 of the United States, the best method of arriving at an agreement 

 upon this point. But they cannot admit the right of the United 

 States of their own sole motion to restrict for this purpose the 

 freedom of navigation of Behring Sea, which the United States 

 have themselves in former years convincingly and successfully 

 vindicated, nor to enforce their municipal legislation against Brit- 

 ish vessels on the high seas beyond the limits of their territorial 

 jurisdiction. 



Her Britannic Majesty's Government are therefore unable to 

 pass over without notice the public announcement of an intention 

 on the part of the Government of the United States to renew the 

 acts of interference with British vessels navigating outside the 

 territorial waters of the United States, of which they have pre- 

 viously had to complain. 



